Penn stitched up after fifth straight loss

While the rest of the Penn field hockey team was finishing up against Lafayette last night, midfielder Sarah Warner was in a hospital, getting stitches after picking up a knock earlier in the game.

Adding insult to injury, Penn was beaten on the scoreboard, 2-0, extending its losing streak to five.

The Quakers (1-5) are going to have to make some adjustments before they open Ivy play against Cornell on Saturday. They proved unable to follow through on passes or finish their plays.

Lafayette, on the other hand, demonstrated its offensive skill, with midfield phenom Maggie Condon and midfield/forward Lindsay Majno picking up the goals.

"Lafayette was aggressive and tenacious," Penn coach Val Cloud said. "They know how to get the ball into the hoop."

Condon, a senior, has now recorded 34 of her team's 66 shot attempts this year, while junior Kelly Hilovsky, the Leopards' other main threat, recorded an assist last night.

Early in the second half, Manjo tallied the Leopards' first goal - a "fluky" bouncer, according to Cloud.

Lafayette gained momentum, and 23 minutes later, Condon scored on a corner.

Senior captain Meredith Moran lamented Penn's inability to mount a sustained comeback.

"Going into the game, we were hungry to win," Moran said. "During the game, we did not have that sense of urgency."

Penalty corners have been the Red and Blue's strong suit this season, as they've been able to take advantage of their set plays.

Yet last night, they were unable to capitalize on their four opportunities.

"The refs were on our side, calling corners, but we're just not getting them, which is very frustrating," Moran said.

This week, the Quakers will work on opening up their communication in time for the Cornell match.

"We need positive chatter while the game is going on," Moran said.

They're hoping to match up well against the Big Red, whom they beat, 3-2, last season and against whom they're 21-9-2 all-time.

Penn knows, however, that it needs to turn things around quickly, before the real season begins.

"It was a very flat game," Moran said. "We are not looking to get in the habit of losing."

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