Nine days ago, Penn field hockey coach Val Cloud said she was "at wit's end." Her players couldn't avoid slow starts, so she suggested putting a bomb under them.
Since then, the Quakers have dropped two more games, managing just one goal in the process.
So Cloud has a new idea.
"Put hot peppers in their socks," she said.
The Red and Blue will be looking to get off to a hot start at Villanova (7-1) tonight at 7 p.m.
Aside from their opening win against St. Francis, the Quakers (1-6) have netted the first goal only once in six games and have been outscored, 10-3, in the first half.
Opponents "take the wind out of our sails too early in the game," Cloud said.
Led by sophomore forward Dana Ramsden, who has seven goals and three assists, the Wildcats are coming off their biggest win of the season, a 3-1 upset over No. 17 Rutgers.
In addition to Ramsden's offensive firepower, the Wildcats rely on sophomore goalkeeper Maura McCormick, whose eight stops and .889 save percentage against Rutgers earned her Big East Defensive Player of the Week honors for the second time this season.
Cloud has been stressing for a sustained offensive aggression, especially in the opening minutes - something that will be crucial to combating McCormick's prowess.
Yet so far this season, the players just haven't gotten her message.
"You can't beat them down too far," Cloud said. "At one point, they have to discover it for themselves. Hopefully, the light bulb will go on [tonight]."
She's also hoping that senior captain Margaretha Ehret - who's tied for the team lead in goals - will be on tonight.
The senior has 12 more shots than anybody else on the Quakers, and her less aggressive teammates would be wise to follow her example, especially considering Cloud's philosophy.
"Right now, I'm just happy to get the ball on the cage," Cloud said. "You never know what's going to score."
Those goals won't come if Penn doesn't hang on to the ball. Turnovers - especially after several successful passes - have been plaguing the Quakers and depriving them of a sustained attack.
"We have to start making some better decisions on the field," she said. "We send too many passes to nowhere or to the opponents."
