For the second consecutive year, the Penn women's soccer team will enter the final three weeks of play in the thick of the Ivy League race.
But the Quakers (8-4-2, 2-1-1 Ivy), who did not graduate any players last season, have additional motivation now: They're trying to send off seven seniors with another Ivy title.
"We all kind of want to play for them, we want to play for each other," sophomore defender Kaitlin Campbell said.
Penn is looking for a fast start tomorrow at Yale (7-5-1, 2-2-0 Ivy). The Quakers have been shut out in the first half of each of their past two matches - one of which was a 2-0 loss to Dartmouth - and coach Darren Ambrose said that coming out with intensity will be one of the keys to the game.
"We've been a little scared in the past couple games," Campbell said. "So I think we just need to come out and play our game and not worry about the other team."
That has been a mantra for Ambrose's bunch all year. In a film session last night, the team did not watch tape of Yale, instead using the time for self-evaluation.
Statistically, the Bulldogs' offense relies heavily on a few players, compared to Penn's more balanced attack. Eight Quakers have scored multiple goals on the season, whereas Yale seniors Maggie Westfal and Emma Whitfield account for a combined 52 percent of their team's goals.
The story of the match, though, may be defense. Penn's experienced back line has allowed only 1.07 goals per game, but Yale also has a strong 1.15 goals against average.
"It's going to be a team effort on defense," Ambrose said. "Obviously, [it] is a part of the game that we're going to have to be organized and combative."
Junior Cailly Carroll will start in net for the Quakers for the second consecutive match, after splitting the previous three games with junior Sara Rose and freshman Caroline Williams.
Carroll has bounced back from injury to play well in limited chances. She only needed one save to record a shutout against Rider on Wednesday, and the defense will look to similarly stifle Yale while facilitating the transition offense.
"That's where we're best, just distributing the ball and starting our offense with our defense," Campbell said.
The Quakers - who are locked in a third-place tie in the Ancient Eight - acknowledge that the rest of their games are must-wins to repeat as Ivy champs. Despite the letdown against Dartmouth last weekend, Ambrose feels they'll be up to the challenge.
"I think we need to play - and will play - with an understanding of what's at stake," Ambrose said.
