NEWARK, Del., Oct. 10 - The Penn field hockey team hadn't earned a signature victory.
It took a trip to Delaware to change that.
Keyed by two goals from senior Meghan Rose, the Quakers came back from a 2-0 second-half deficit to beat the Blue Hens 3-2.
"We didn't have a weak link tonight," Penn coach Val Cloud said. "This was an exceptional game and I couldn't be prouder of our team."
With the score tied and just over 10 minutes left, a Penn penalty corner went awry when the ball trickled back to midfield. However, as the Delaware defense attacked the ball, the Penn attackers stayed behind. The Quakers got possession, and with the Blue Hens trapped in the middle, the Quakers had a breakaway. After a pass from junior Christina Ferrier, senior Jamie Calahan put away the winning shot.
"I haven't been this excited in a long time," Cloud said. "This is an awesome win for Penn field hockey."
Although the Quakers (6-5) outshot the Blue Hens 10-3 and earned three more penalty corners than Delaware in the first half, they couldn't capitalize and went into halftime down 1-0.
Things didn't get much better in the second half when the Blue Hens (9-5) scored after freshman Michelle Drummonds dribbled past a few of the Quakers' defenders and scored from point blank range at the 46-minute mark.
But just two minutes later, the Quakers turned it around. Dribbling across the top of the circle, Rose took one step inside to make sure the shot was legal, and crushed the ball right past two Blue Hens for goal No. 1.
Ten minutes later she tied the game with the penalty stroke. After the Hens' goalkeeper illegally covered the ball, all Rose had to do was calmly put the seven-yard shot away.
"I don't get nervous before I shoot," the co-captain said. "I've been taking penalties since I was a sophomore in high school . I always take these penalty strokes the same way: count to three, aim, and shoot. I don't even need to look at the goal."
For her career, Rose is three for three on penalty strokes, with her most recent one coming against Villanova last Wednesday.
The victory had extra meaning for Quakers assistant coach Megan McGuin, who played at Delaware for four years.
"It was really exciting tonight," the Newark native said. "I kind of had the urge to go out there and play myself. I just enjoyed coaching them and helping them win from the sideline."
Alma maters aside, just about any coach would have loved to lead the Quakers last night.
