W. Soccer | Mr. Ambrose, tear down this 'wall'

Penn women's soccer coach Darren Ambrose knows the situation all too well. The Quakers have a lead late in the game, only to "hit the wall" and lose it near the end.

"It's about playing for 90 minutes, scoring if we get our opportunities," Ambrose said.

The Quakers (2-3-1) know what they need to do against University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) at Rhodes Field tonight at 5 p.m. - what they couldn't do last weekend, when they gave up a two-goal lead with 13 minutes to go against Georgetown and lost in double overtime to Richmond.

The Retrievers (1-8-0) will present a stark contrast to Penn's last two opponents, who have one loss combined.

UMBC has scored two goals in nine games while allowing 27 and has been outshot 160-52.

But Ambrose understands the game isn't played on paper.

"There's no such thing as a tune-up game," he said. "Not in college soccer. Every team on our schedule can beat us."

The Red and Blue are looking to prove that they are mature enough to give a full effort against a 1-8 team when they have Harvard just around the corner.

"We kind of have that in the back of our minds," senior captain Natalie Capuano said. "Just because we have Penn on the front of our jerseys doesn't mean that they're going to give us the game."

Ambrose will rely on Capuano and Penn's other seniors to provide perspective.

Over their four years, these seven women have seen the Quakers lose to underdog opponents, something Ambrose hopes they've rectified.

"They did look past teams like that," he said.

Recent results have pointed toward an increased understanding that, as Ambrose put it, "You don't get games back."

Even as they tired and misfired in the games' waning minutes, the Quakers still beat East Carolina, 3-1, took a one-loss Richmond team to double overtime and tied undefeated Georgetown.

"After the Georgetown game, we saw some encouraging things," Capuano said. "I think it will be good momentum for us."

With a full 90-minute effort, the Red and Blue have the tools to play at an even higher level.

"When we put our minds to it and play," Ambrose said, "we're very good."

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