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(09/15/95 9:00am)
As the Penn men's soccer team prepared to meet Cornell yesterday, calls of "relax!" carried across the practice field. The Quakers (0-2) feel their skills are up to the challenge of the Ivy League. Their nerves, however, are another story. "We're trying to get everyone to calm down with the ball," forward Steve Cohen said. "We need to not be nervous and to look for the open man and the simple pass." This may be a difficult task for the Quakers, who have had trouble with on-field communication. "We've started off with adversity," Penn coach George O'Neill said. "We'll see the character of our team against Cornell. They were tested physically and mentally [in the first two games], and I'm sure they'll rebound." Losing builds character. Winning builds confidence. After defeats at the hands of Philadelphia Textile and Seton Hall, the Quakers have plenty of the former. The latter, however, is practically nonexistent. "We're getting down on ourselves," midfielder Jared Boggs said. "We have to forget about what's past and just go on. We need motivation." The move to Ivy play may provide the boost the Quakers need. For Penn, this game is a new start. "There are two divisions here," Cohen said. "There's everything else and there's the Ivy League. We're 0-2 in everything else, but we're undefeated in the Ivy League. We have to take advantage of that." Seton Hall took advantage of six Penn freshmen in Wednesday's 9-3 loss. The Quakers' three goals, scored in the second half after Penn was already down by six, have become a rallying point. "They refused to quit," O'Neill said. "Your pride's hurt when there's a big score like that, not just as a team but individually, and they hung in there. They kept fighting right to the end." Penn's competitive spirit and desire to drive upfield cost it two more goals. Against the Pirates the free man managed to escape downfield, taxing the skills of goalkeepers Andrew Kralik and Brian Freckman. The Quakers will have to stick to their defensive assignments tomorrow. Forwards Adamo Notarantonio and Eric Kusseluk, the Big Red's scoring leaders last year, will be watched particularly closely. Kusseluk has already taken eight shots and scored two goals in two games. The Quakers have had numerous scoring chances in their two losses, outshooting both Textile and Seton Hall. Converting the shots into goals will be the difficult task, particularly against Quinn O'Sullivan, who has a formidable career goals-against-average of 1.85. The Quakers are determined to correct their mistakes tomorrow. Practice has consisted of hours of passing drills and lessons in the Penn offensive and defensive systems. "Defense is the key," Boggs said. "If we can get our defenders to come together and shut out the opponent, we can guarantee a win. I'm sure our offense can produce goals." Cohen appears to be the high-scoring forward Penn sorely needs. Together the Quakers' freshmen add quality depth and youthful enthusiasm to the Penn roster, which is headed by 10 seniors. Despite the squad's depressing history, the Ivy championship does not seem out of reach. "Now it's all about earning respect," Cohen said. "The jitters have gone away, and if we're patient, the goals will come."
(09/11/95 9:00am)
Penn forward Steve Cohen received a rude introduction to college soccer Saturday when Philadelphia Textile midfielder Drew Molineux collided with the freshman, sending him to the sidelines with a concussion. The Quakers did not fare much better, turning in a lackadaisical performance in a 2-1 loss to the Rams at home. First-game jitters cost the Quakers, who sorely missed veteran leadership. The defense was short David Choi and Alan Waxman. Choi had knee surgery over the summer and will not return for several weeks. Waxman, who was academically ineligible for the contest, should return for Wednesday's game against Seton Hall. On the front line, senior Pat Larco is out for the season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his knee. Even some of the players on the field were nursing injuries, like defender Brad Copeland, who is recovering from an early-August appendectomy. As a result, six freshmen saw action, and even the returning Quakers played like they had never been together before. On several occasions, players failed to communicate on the field, causing passes to go awry. "Our distribution wasn't what it should have been," Penn coach George O'Neill said. "That let us down because we turned the ball over so Textile could counterattack. When chances came our way we just couldn't put the ball away." Penn played a new style of offense Saturday. The team attempted to tie up the middle of the field, a maneuver that was thwarted again and again by Textile. The Quakers intended to work the ball upfield on the wings to their defenders, but this strategy worked only once. Co-captain Steve Marcinkiewicz found defender Matt Stern all alone on the left side, and Stern powered the ball past Textile goalie Scott McCloskey to tie the game at 1. "We were looking for the defenders," O'Neill said. "That's where the free space was going to be." Penn knew the Rams were going to be battling for city pride in this Soccer Seven matchup, so the Quakers were prepared for a hard-hitting contest. But despite earning two yellow cards for rough play, Penn was unable to match the intensity of the younger, more aggressive Textile squad. "It wasn't in our hearts to beat them," Copeland said. "We've got a lot of guys who want to play, that are hungry, but [Textile] wanted to play more than we did." Throughout the game Penn was unable to keep up with the faster Rams team, particularly forward Leon Creary. Creary assisted on Textile's first-half goal, a blast by forward Patrick Morris. The Quakers, looking exhausted in the second half, allowed the game to slip away from them. Copeland and midfielder Jared Boggs missed key defensive assignments in the box. Two undeterred passes and a header later, Morris had scored his second goal of the game with 17 minutes, 16 seconds left to play. "We can either take this loss as a good thing or a bad thing," Penn goalie Andrew Kralik said. "We can use it and learn from it and get pissed off and angry, or we can pack our bags and it'll be a really long season." The Quakers are not blaming each other for the loss, which players described as "disappointing" and "a complete collapse." They can't, since nearly everyone made mistakes. O'Neill believes the team just needs to relax. "There's really no pointing fingers," Kralik said. "We've got to move on. If we still have our heads up our butts Seton Hall is going to come out and crush us."
(09/07/95 9:00am)
If they can only fulfill their potential, the Penn men's soccer team will win the Ivy title. If only. The Quakers have to overcome last year's disappointments. While Penn surprised the Ivy League by defeating nationally-ranked Columbia 3-2, the Quakers lost heartbreakers to Yale, Harvard and Princeton and were demolished at Brown on their way to a 6-8-1 (2-4-1 Ivy League) finish last season. Penn blamed mental mistakes and a defeatist attitude. This year the Quakers are determined to think clearly and positively. According to the Quakers, the Ivy title -- and the automatic berth to the NCAA tourney that goes with it -- is theirs for the taking this year, even though they have not had a winning season in 10 years. "We definitely know we can knock the ball around with any team in the Ivy League," midfielder Pat Brannigan said. "We don't have any superstars, but we are one of the better teams in the league. Winning the league is not an unrealistic goal." With Pat Larco, last year's second-leading scorer, out for the year with a torn knee ligament, the incoming class must provide scoring for the Quakers. Freshman forward Steve Cohen had three goals in Penn's last scrimmage against the Hellenic Flames and is expected to contribute greatly this season. In addition, midfielders Gregg Kroll and Ralph Maier should be excellent backups to the veteran starters. "Steve Cohen is not really flashy," goalkeeper Andrew Kralik said. "He's just a goal scorer. He doesn't have a lot of great moves or anything, but he finds the net really well." The Quakers have altered their style of play to compensate for their lack of forwards. The front line will provide support for the midfielders, who have been given responsibility for goal production. The forwards will attempt to hold onto the ball in the box, and everyone will work on scoring. "We have a lot better teamwork and cohesiveness, and a lot better overall players too," forward Tim Rusche said. "We need to keep a new attitude and know we can win. We have to keep our aggressiveness. With a good attitude and hard play, the goals will come." "The midfield is going to carry the burden for this team," Brannigan said. "I think we'll be able to do that." The mutual-support system will be easier to achieve on a close-knit team like Penn's. Most of the Quakers live and work together in addition to practicing and playing with each other. This year Penn hopes to use the camaraderie to its advantage in game situations. "We have a better on-field attitude," Kralik said. "Over the past few years we've been a little timid because we've been so close, not so willing to criticize, even constructively. When we're on the field it's real intense, and we respect each other, which really helps us out." Ivy competition aside, the Quakers will be battling among themselves. With so many talented newcomers, no one's playing time is safe. Instead of feeling pressure, the players think they will benefit from the added rivalry. "The competition is going to push everybody's game up to another level," Kralik said. "The freshmen are pushing people for positions. That's something we've never had before, competition at every position. We're hungry for our first game." "We don't know what we're going to be up against," co-captain Steve Marcinkiewicz said. "But we have enough players that we'll be able to adjust to anything that comes along." Penn's depth may be its biggest asset as the season begins. The Quakers have two strong defensive lines and numerous veteran midfielders. Returning Penn players Mike Schmidt and Mike Leo, both of whom sat out last season, will be key to the team's success. Schmidt is a strong forward whose scoring contribution was sorely missed last season. His presence will free midfielders to play their own position, instead of forcing them to fill in on the front line. Leo will reinforce an already strong defensive line. "Defensively I think it's important that we establish ourselves," Kralik said. "We have to come out and score a lot of goals and keep a clean slate in the back. We have to make a mark in our first game to send a message to other teams. Penn's for real."
(05/03/95 9:00am)
The men's lacrosse team won bragging rights in Philadelphia Sunday afternoon. Dominating a rain-drenched contest, the Quakers defeated Villanova, 20-9, snapping a five-game losing streak. Spirit and enthusiasm were keys to the Penn victory. The Quakers (5-8) came into the game as favorites and enjoyed playing from this unfamiliar position of power. "Sometimes I think we might be a little intimidated by a highly-ranked team," midfielder Brian Napolitano said. "We were playing with confidence, and you can see the difference." The first period belonged to the Quakers, who scored six straight goals. Attacker John Ward began the offensive blast with a goal in the first minute of play. Ward followed it up two minutes later with a dribbler through a mass of fallen players in front of the Villanova net. The Wildcats bounced back in the second quarter, as attackers Kevin Crowley and David Marks combined on a quick goal. But the Quakers held firm, matching Villanova score for score. "We came out and played hard, especially in the second half," Napolitano said. "We were playing a lot harder. We didn't have any letdowns." The game was not even as close as it appeared. Penn had two goals reversed during the contest. In the middle of the second quarter, Ward fired a shot, then celebrated. However, the ball had not crossed the goal line, bouncing off the right post before it actually entered the goal. At the end of the third quarter, the Quakers scored as the buzzer sounded, only to have that goal disallowed by the referees. The Quakers credit their high-powered offensive effort for the victory. According to midfielder Dan Connell, Napolitano had "the game of his career," contributing four goals and two assists for his highest offensive total ever. Ward scored seven goals and assisted on another. Ten Penn players -- including defender Joe Mauro -- participated in the onslaught, pummeling both Villanova starting goalie Marc Cadin and his replacement, Andrew Fabrizio. "We hustled and played hard," Penn coach Terry Corcoran said. "Everybody made a contribution. Even the guys standing in the rain on the sideline were into the game." Both teams had to put up with abominable conditions, as rain transformed the Franklin Field astroturf into a skating rink. "After the first faceoff you don't feel it anyway," Napolitano said. Penn entered the game with nothing to lose, having already finished winless in the Ivy League for the first time since 1979. Finally the favorites, the Quakers played with strength and stamina they have not shown since early in the season. "We've had kind of a tough streak, when we've been coming up a little bit short," Corcoran said. "They came out and worked real hard today. We're going to finish strong, which is important."
(04/21/95 9:00am)
No matter what the Syracuse men's lacrosse team does, wins seem to be the result. "Syracuse is so good they go out with very little game plan," Penn defender Scott Ignall said. "They can throw the ball around and beat you." Against a team like that, what are the Quakers supposed to do? Penn (4-7) expects the No. 4 Orangemen to be confident when the teams face off at the Carrier Dome tomorrow. In fact, the Quakers are counting on it. "Our main advantage is their overconfidence," midfielder Andrew Greenberg said. "If they're well-disciplined they'll be harder to beat. I don't know if winning this game is possible just through hard work, but we're willing to work harder than they are." This will be the 20th meeting between the two teams, with Syracuse (8-2) holding an impressive 17-1-1 lead in the series. Penn's lone win came in the 1919 season. Despite the long odds against them, the Quakers are not feeling pressured. They hope by staying within their game plan, they will be able to force Syracuse to play with them. "Syracuse is going to get in our face all over the field," Penn coach Terry Corcoran said. "They're going to come right after us and try to take the ball away. They're not going to let us sit on the ball. They'll force us to go to the cage. The key is getting the ball in our end, and stopping them defensively." The Quakers may try a different style against Syracuse. Instead of trying to beat the Orangemen in a run-and-gun game, Penn wants to slow the pace down. Though they are not used to that type of game, the Quakers think it is necessary to neutralize the dominating Syracuse offense. "We can allow them to maintain control of the game, if we consistently stay within a goal or two," Greenberg said. "We need to keep the ball out of their offensive end and slow the game down." The Quakers will have to take advantage of Syracuse errors. Luckily, with the fast and loose style the Orangemen enjoy playing, there may be many of them. "They're not as solid on the fundamentals as on the flashy parts of the game," Greenberg said. "It may work to our advantage if they're undisciplined, but it'll be an uphill battle." The Orangemen do have some weaknesses. They are not a very team-oriented squad, instead boasting a set of outstanding individual players. Stopping midfielder Roy Colsey, who Ignall described as "very big, very strong, very fast and very dominant," alone will be a tough task for the Penn defenders. And Syracuse has more than just one offensive threat. The Orangemen have posted double-figure goal totals in 38 of their last 39 games. Colsey and attacker Casey Powell share the team scoring lead with 28 goals apiece. Scoring goals has not been a big problem for Penn this season either. The Quakers will be counting on their top offensive trio -- attackers Andy Crofton and Jon Cusson and midfielder John Ward -- to continue their past successes. When the teams face off tomorrow, one thing is certain: There will be a lot of offense, from both squads. "We're looking to capitalize on our ability to play within a system," Ignall said. "I expect a lot of shots and a lot of scoring. It's just a question of how many goals they'll score."
(04/14/95 9:00am)
The Penn men's lacrosse team's schedule bristles with top-notch competition, and so far, the Quakers have crumbled under the pressure of being an underdog. No. 5 Princeton and Harvard both blew out Penn. Dartmouth and Cornell sneaked out victories. Tomorrow is Penn's chance to take out its built-up anger on No. 11 Brown. "Brown and Syracuse [Penn's opponent next weekend] are as good as Princeton was," Penn coach Terry Corcoran said. "We've got an easy way to calculate if we're improving, and that's what we've got to focus on. Those are two games we can go into and just fold up, or those are two weeks of work where we can take our frustrations out on somebody better than us in the polls." This will be Penn's last chance for an Ivy win. To get it, the Quakers need to defeat the defending Ivy champion Bears. "It's how you finish off the year that matters," defender Kelleigh Faldi said. "Everyone is pulling together and making each other play harder. That's really what a team effort is all about." Brown boasts two solid goaltenders, both of whom are ranked second in saves. Dan Giannuzzi boasts a 6.55 goals-against average. Gregory Cattrano has an amazing 4.67 GAA in Ivy play, good for second in the league. The two keepers have been splitting time in the cage, but Brown coach Peter Lasagna said Giannuzzi will be starting tomorrow. On the other end of the field, the Penn defense will be hard-pressed to stop the Bears. Led by David Evans' 21 goals, Brown boasts a strong and balanced attack. "We've got to keep our heads up," midfielder Brian Napolitano said. "That's just the nature of our schedule. You can't ask for a better opportunity to come out and try to prove yourself again against another great team. This is a huge game." The Quakers have been producing relatively well on the offensive side of the field, but they have not been able to contain their opponents. In its last five games, Penn has given up 81 goals, including two to defensemen. Penn has held its opponents to single digits only four times, with three of those coming during the first four games of the season. Along with intensified defense, Penn may be taking a vendetta into this game. The Quakers will be facing midfielder Alex Goodman, who transferred from Penn to Brown this year. While the Quakers expressed no particular interest in Goodman going into tomorrow's game, Lasagna had concern for his player. "Hopefully they won't hurt him," Lasagna said. "He'll be wearing a different colored jersey and playing against his old teammates. They might make him think about your decision again by making his game a little bit hellish."
(04/10/95 9:00am)
Quakers fall to Big Green in OT Dartmouth midfielder John Whelen's shot seemed to come out of nowhere. Moving slowly, the ball bounced off Penn goaltender Travis Heinrichs, then trickled past him. With 1 minute, 16 seconds remaining in overtime, the ball finally settled in the back of the net, and the Penn men's lacrosse team had lost another heartbreaker, 17-16 at Franklin Field. Now Penn (4-6, 0-5 Ivy League) is left looking for answers. The Quakers played one of their best games of the season, but they were unable to hold on in the extra period. The problems, however, started earlier. Though Dartmouth was slowed somewhat, Penn could not stop the Big Green rush. "We were up and we didn't close it out so they couldn't come back," attacker Andy Crofton said. "When you get up a couple goals, you want to make that lead five or six, so the other team can't come back into the game. We didn't do that today. We let them back in it, and when you do that, you're taking chances with the end of the game." Penn did not falter in overtime, dominating most of the extra frame. However, the Quakers were unable to convert on their opportunities, including several Big Green turnovers. Having won three previous one-goal games, No. 19 Dartmouth (5-0, 1-0) knew what to do and was successful. As the Penn team knows all too well after Saturday's contest, in sudden-death, one goal is all it takes. "It just got away from us in the overtime," midfielder Brian Napolitano said. "It's tough to play with that kind of pressure. They didn't give up either. It just came down to one shot at the end." The game was close throughout. Every time Penn gained a lead of more than one goal, Dartmouth would swarm back. The Big Green topped the Quakers in shooting, with 53 attempts to Penn's 47. Heinrichs stopped 17 shots in a losing effort. Ned Hazard made 11 saves for Dartmouth. The Penn offense performed well, distributing the ball and the scoring opportunities. Ten Quakers contributed goals. Attacker Ben Conrad led Penn with four goals. Attacker Jon Cusson had three goals and an assist for Penn. Crofton and midfielder Chip Galli had a goal and two assists each. "It was one of our better games," Napolitano said. "Especially in the second half, we played well. We had the opportunities. We just didn't put the ball away. We played hard, with a lot of heart. It just didn't go our way." The game was tied at 16 with 6:47 remaining. The Quakers had finally succeeded in containing the Dartmouth attack, but the Penn offense, which had been able to score nearly at will, was suddenly stymied as well. "It's typical of the game today," Dartmouth coach Tim Nelson said. "We toughed it out. That's our motto, to play hard and tough. We were down basically all game and we hung in there." The Quakers lost to Cornell last weekend in similar fashion. With three seconds remaining, Heinrichs allowed a goal to slip by, giving the Big Red the win. It is these losses that feel the worst, according to the players. "It's tough to lose one like that," Napolitano said. "One in a season is bad enough, but that was two." Penalties cost Penn dearly against Dartmouth, as they had the week before in Ithaca. The Big Green took advantage of Quakers mistakes, scoring two goals in extra-man situations. The Quakers held the edge in ground balls, doubling up the Big Green 46 to 23. However, on faceoffs, Dartmouth had a crucial advantage, winning 12 of 21. "You're leaving it up to fate," Crofton said of Penn's inability to put the Big Green away for good. "A bad bounce or a checked stick could cost you the game." Penn is already looking to the future. New challenges await the Quakers, who face Brown and Syracuse the next two weeks. However, having played defending NCAA champion Princeton, Penn does not fear high-caliber opposition. "We've been disappointed but we can't quit," Penn coach Terry Corcoran said. "It was a tough game and a tough loss. We were playing hard. We made good plays. They just made one more than we did."
(04/06/95 9:00am)
Jenny Schuck never wanted to be famous, but fate -- and Cornell University budget cuts -- intervened. In early 1992, Schuck was a freshman gymnast when her team -- along with the fencing teams and the men's gymnastics team -- was eliminated by Cornell Athletic Director Laing Kennedy. But the athletes would not accept being cut without a fight, and on behalf of the women's gymnastics and women's fencing teams, they filed a class-action lawsuit against Cornell. The charge in Schuck v. Cornell was gender discrimination under Title IX. Enacted in 1972, Title IX requires that any educational institution receiving federal funding provide equal opportunities to participate in all activities, including athletics, to both males and females. Penn is currently dealing with its own Title IX problems. After more than a year of informal discussions, the female coaches and athletes decided to follow the course set at many other schools and take the matters to a lawyer. On May 26, 1994, the Women's Law Project filed an official complaint with the Office of Civil Rights of the U.S. Department of Education alleging "widespread gender-based discrimination in the Athletic Department of the University of Pennsylvania." "We knew something was wrong, but we weren't being heard," Penn women's crew coach Carol Bower said. "We had complained about it as individuals. We knew we all had to work together, because we would be listened to better as a group." The Penn complaint came four months before Brown University went to court on similar charges. On Monday, April 29, 1991, Brown announced the elimination of four varsity sports in an effort to avoid a deficit. By cutting funding for men's water polo, men's golf, women's gymnastics and women's volleyball, the Brown Athletic Department hoped to save nearly $75,000. After almost a year of internal negotiations, Brown was hit with a class-action lawsuit alleging Brown had violated Title IX. The suit was filed by the Trial Lawyers for Public Justice Foundation on behalf of nine members of the women's gymnastics team. At the time the suit was filed, Arthur Bryant, the executive director of TLPJ, said his firm was expecting Brown to settle and reinstate the teams. He was wrong. The school chose to go to court instead, beginning a legal battle in which there is still no end in sight. "Brown can do more for women's athletics," said Lynette Labinger, TLPJ lead counsel in Cohen v. Brown University. "They may not think they can, but they can. They can and they have. They put more money into women's athletics when they said they didn't have any." In November 1992, the U.S. District Court in Providence, R.I., heard TLPJ's request for a preliminary injunction to temporarily restore the two women's teams to varsity status while the lawsuit was going on. Senior U.S. District Court Judge Raymond J. Pettine ruled in favor of the plaintiffs, reinstating the teams and preventing Brown from cutting funding from any female athletic program until the suit is resolved. Brown appealed this decision to the First Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston, but Pettine's opinion was affirmed. "This case started when Brown dropped two men's and two women's sports to save less than $80,000," Women's Sports Foundation executive director Donna Lopiano said in a statement last week. "They have now spent close to half a million dollars litigating this case. If that money was spent on Title IX compliance, Brown wouldn't be in the courts." Two days after the Brown trial began, both sides reached a partial settlement declaring that Brown must continue to treat its men and women athletes comparably. The trial, which was expected to end in October, dragged on, finally coming to a close on December 9, 1994. One week ago, Pettine supported his own, previously-issued injunction and ruled in favor of the plaintiffs. In a decision Labinger called, "totally favorable to our position," the Court ordered Brown to comply with Title IX within 120 days. "Title IX does not require an institution to provide any athletics opportunities to its students," Pettine wrote in his 69-page opinion. "What is does require is that an institution prove equal opportunity to both genders in any program it chooses to offer." Though Brown says it will appeal, there is no reason to believe the First Circuit Court will overturn Pettine's ruling. "Brown seems to be on the warpath," said Deborah Brake, staff counsel at the National Women's Law Center. "They had experts in court trying to prove men are more interested in sports and playing sports than women. That is a rather strange opinion for one of the most liberal schools in the East. Penn does not want to take the road that Brown has taken." The Penn complaint does not revolve around the same issues, though. At the University, 57 percent of the student body is male and 43 percent female. However, Penn athletes are 67 percent male and 33 percent female. Of the 30 varsity sports, 16 are designated for men and 14 for women. This disparity between female representation in the student body as a whole and the athletic teams does not in itself constitute a violation of Title IX. But many female coaches and athletes have complained of inequity. Penn has not cut women's teams. To the contrary, the University promoted women's soccer from club to varsity status three years ago, and has recently upgraded the head-coaching position to full-time status. This growth in women's participation is a mark in Penn's favor under Title IX. However, female coaches and athletes at Penn are not happy with the way they are being treated relative to their male counterparts. Among other charges, the complaint alleges disparities in the "overall availability of funds," "quality of competitive opportunities," and the "quality, amount, suitability and availability of equipment and supplies." "Traditionally, guys had more than women, and that was considered normal," Bower said. "We are trying to push normal towards equity." The Penn complaint is not going to court?yet. Both sides would like to keep things "friendly" as long as possible. "The best and proper way of doing this is to settle it in-house," Penn athletic director Steve Bilsky said. "It would be in the best interests of the athletic program to have this resolved amiably. It is positive and encouraging that the parties think enough of each other to settle this in a good-faith manner. That separates us from Brown." About a month ago, the University and the female coaches and athletes agreed to on an impartial negotiator, Fred Shabel. Shabel is no stranger to the University, having served as Penn athletic director at a time when Carol Tracy was in charge of the Penn Women's Center. Tracy is currently executive director of the Women's Law Project, the firm which is defending the Penn women. In addition, Shabel is one of Bilsky's mentors. Neither Bilsky nor the Women's Law Project would comment on the selection of a mediator. "We are attempting to resolve the issue through negotiation," Bilsky said. "We are trying to clarify the issues in the complaint and find a means to resolve it that is in everyone's best interests." To date, there has been only one Title IX-based ruling in favor of a university. And that case, filed against Colgate University, was decided on a technicality. Normally Title IX lawsuits are class-action, charging that the situation has effects that reach farther than the particular individuals filing the suit. Because in the Colgate case each of the plaintiffs filed as individuals, the judge ruled against the women because they had graduated by the time the case finally got through trial, and the decision could therefore have no bearing on their collegiate athletic experiences. At Cornell, the Athletic Department chose to negotiate with the female coaches and athletes rather than spend a fortune in legal costs to defend itself against gender-based discrimination claims. Yet the Cornell settlement meant more than just a return to the status quo. The women's gymnastics and fencing teams were reinstated with full varsity status. In addition, funding to those teams was increased. "This is a time-consuming endeavor on all sides," Bilsky said. "The energies put into resolving this could be put into other things such as coaching our teams and recruiting." But for female athletes like Jenny Schuck, who are involved in Title IX cases, the situation is simpler than that. "It means existence," Schuck said.
(04/05/95 9:00am)
"We're scared to death." These are not exactly the words one would expect from the coach of the defending national champion, but Princeton men's lacrosse coach Bill Tierney is sincerely troubled by this afternoon's 4 p.m. game against Penn. The Tigers that will be visiting Franklin Field are not the same team that won the NCAA title in May. But the disparity between No. 5 Princeton (4-2, 1-0 Ivy League) and the Quakers is still immense. Though Princeton has lost 13 players to graduation, including four first-team all-Americans, Penn (4-4, 0-3) enters today's game as a severe underdog. The team looks at this game as an opportunity to improve -- both its play and its image in the eyes of the lacrosse world. "It's a great opportunity for us," Penn coach Terry Corcoran said. "We're going in pretty loose. We'll be excited to play." On the defensive end, Penn will have to stop Scott Conklin, who is currently Princeton's leading scorer with 12 goals and five assists. The attack is the Tigers' weak suit following the graduation of 1994 Ivy League Player of the Year Kevin Lowe, who scored at least one point in every game of his Tigers career. "We can't score goals," Tierney said. "We are very young offensively and haven't clicked yet. The key will be if we can stop Penn from scoring a lot of goals." Princeton goaltending does not appear to have lost anything, despite the graduation of Scott Bacigalupo, winner of the 1994 NCAA Player of the Year award, two Final Four MVP trophies and three national goaltending titles. His replacement, Pat Cairns, currently leads the Ivy League with an 8.65 goals-against average. Against Ivy opponents, he is only allowing six goals per game. Saturday the Quakers fell to the Cornell Big Red in Ithaca. The tying goal was scored by Cornell with 47 seconds left to play, and the game winner came with only three seconds remaining. Despite this heartbreaking loss, Penn has had little trouble regrouping. The Quakers are looking to the future and to Princeton. "Against Cornell, we played harder and better than we've played all year," Corcoran said. "We played with a lot of emotion. It was a full team effort. Now the key is to see if we can come back and do it again after we've been disappointed." Junior attacker Andy Crofton, Penn's leading scorer, excelled in the loss, contributing seven goals and three assists to earn Ivy League Player of the Week honors. Penn is hoping for another strong offensive showing, keyed by Crofton and his linemate, sophomore attacker Jon Cusson. Cusson is ranked third in the Ivy League in scoring, one spot below Crofton. "We've got to play hard and with some composure," Corcoran said. "We're going to get more physical on defense, talking and communicating." According to Tierney, today's game depends on "whose style prevails." "It is impossible to gauge the intensity, rivalry and history behind an Ivy League game," Tierney said. "Penn has scored a lot of goals, but other teams have been able to score on them. Penn would like a fast run-and-gun game. We want a low-scoring style, a more under-control game."
(03/31/95 10:00am)
When Penn and Cornell met last season, the teams were very similar. Neither had an Ivy win and both were desperate to get out of the league cellar. After two overtime periods, the Quakers emerged victorious. That game was at Franklin Field. Attacker Andy Crofton tied the game with five seconds remaining in regulation. Captain Andrew Greenberg, who had already scored two fourth-quarter goals, nailed the game-winner 1 minute, 15 seconds into the second extra period, giving the Quakers their only Ivy victory of the season. One year later, two equally well- matched lacrosse teams will be facing each other in Ithaca, N.Y., tomorrow (1 p.m.) Penn (4-3, 0-2 Ivy League) hopes to duplicate its winning ways tomorrow. Both the Quakers and Cornell are again winless in the Ivy League and battling to get out of the Ancient Eight's basement. The Big Red (2-3, 0-2) also would like nothing more than to give up that spot. "The Ivy League is probably year in and year out the toughest league to play in," senior defender Kelleigh Faldi said. "We're going to have to come to play in every Ivy game. Every team's well-coached and all the kids are smart players. Right now we're just taking it one game at a time." The desire and intensity that has marked Penn's practices all season was evident Wednesday night in a 19-6 win over Lafayette. The Quakers executed their plays well, distributing the ball when they had possession and staying with the plays when they did not. "We're getting a lot more people in the offense," Penn coach Terry Corcoran said. "We're getting the ball moving and we're starting to move off the ball better than we did at the beginning of the season. We're getting a lot of shots and scoring a lot of goals. We're getting on top of the cage." Lafayette is not up to the caliber of the Ivy League, but the victory is a good starting point for the Quakers. Penn is hoping to come into tomorrow's game with positive momentum. "The team's a lot thinner this year than it has been in the past," Faldi said. "It makes us play a lot harder. We're trying to play with a lot more intensity. We're going to be in a lot more games this year through hustle, hard work and intensity." Cornell also won Wednesday. The Big Red came from behind to post a 16-14 win over Delaware. Three attackmen are responsible for three-quarters of Cornell's goals this season. Shutting down seniors Anthony Pavone and Chris Danler and freshman Matt Wise will be the focus of Penn's defensive effort tomorrow. The Quakers are also determined to win more of the faceoffs and ground balls. Penn has put five different players on the faceoff with minimal success. The Quakers want to have another high-scoring offensive game tomorrow. Led by Crofton's four goals and five assists, 12 Penn players contributed to the scoring Wednesday. Sophomore attacker Jon Cusson added five goals and three assists as Penn built a 13-goal lead by halftime. Sophomore Travis Heinrichs excelled in goal, stopping 28 Leopards shots. "We've got an explosive group," Corcoran said. "We're scoring a lot of goals, but we have opportunities to score more. We have the potential to score a lot of goals. We've got to finish them." Some things never change.
(03/24/95 10:00am)
Terry Corcoran's Rule Number One: Play like you practice. And when the Penn men's lacrosse coach speaks, his team listens. With Corcoran at the helm, the Quakers (3-2, 0-1 Ivy League) have been practicing with a newfound intensity. They will attempt to put Corcoran's rule into effect tomorrow at Harvard. The Crimson (2-0, 1-0) are ranked No. 19 in the country and boast the top goalkeeper in the Ivies in freshman Rob Lyng. "Harvard has one of their strongest teams in years," senior defender Kelleigh Faldi said. "They're giving everyone a surprise this year. We'll definitely have our hands full going up there." Though the Penn attack has been weakened by graduation, transfers and injuries, sophomore attacker Jon Cusson has emerged to lead the Ivies in scoring. Cusson, who had three goals and four assists last Saturday against Yale, has 24 points overall. Junior attacker Andy Crofton ranks third with 14 goals and four assists. The duo is expected to lead the Penn attack. Crofton will be particularly anxious to perform well tomorrow. His younger brother Doug will be on the opposite side of the field. "Andy Crofton is due for a big game," said Cusson, who downplayed his own position atop the scoring list. "Especially playing against his brother, I'm looking for Andy to do a lot of scoring." The Quakers saw Corcoran's Rule in action last weekend. After a lackluster week in practice, the Quakers fell to Yale at Franklin Field. "We really shaped up after the Yale game," Faldi said. "We were really upset with ourselves. It sucks to lose, especially to a team we thought we should beat. We realized that in order to go out and prove ourselves we had to practice hard all week and have that roll over into the game. We ran 110 percent all week." Against Yale, Penn seemed unable to put the ball in the net at critical moments. Since then, finishing plays has become a key element of practice sessions. "We have a tendency to make stupid mistakes," Cusson said. "We go to the goal a bit too much. Sometimes we don't make the smart pass. We've shown we can put points on the board. Now we need to settle down and control the ball more." Winning faceoffs and ground balls will be a key part of the game. The Quakers have also been practicing ball movement. "It could be a high scoring game," Corcoran said. "We both have a lot of offensive weapons. They're not going to hold the ball and we're not either." Penn is watching Mike Ferrucci. The highly-touted freshman is third on the Crimson in scoring and was the Ivy League's Rookie of the Week last week. The Quakers know him well. Penn recruited Ferrucci heavily, but the attacker turned the Quakers down to attend Harvard. Some Penn players relish their underdog role, because it takes the pressure off them and places it squarely on Harvard. "We want to control the tempo and play an aggressive, physical game," Faldi said. "Hopefully we can enjoy the position and surprise Harvard when they're not thinking too highly of us. It's a fun thing to do." To win the game, however, Penn will have to follow Corcoran's Rule to the letter.
(03/20/95 10:00am)
The Penn men's lacrosse team had high hopes for its first Ivy League contest. The Quakers expected a tightly-fought battle with a Yale team that was similarly plagued with injuries. They planned to play an up-tempo game. And, of course, they wanted to silence the doubters and emerge with a win over the No. 20 Elis. The Quakers found out just how bad two out of three is to take. They lost 16-13 to Yale Saturday at Franklin Field. The first quarter belonged to the Quakers. Penn sophomore attacker Jon Cusson scored the first goal of the contest within 45 seconds. Yale midfielder Watts Humphrey responded only two minutes later, but, led by senior defenders Scott Ignall and Kelleigh Faldi, Penn was able to contain the Elis' offense. "We made some major errors, but our guys hung in there," Yale coach Mike Waldvogel said. "In the first half, their defense was kind of swarming. We had unforced turnovers." Freshman attacker John Ward scored with 3 minutes, 53 seconds remaining to put the Quakers into the lead going into the second period. The second period decided the game. Sophomore goalie Travis Heinrichs and the Penn defense allowed five goals within a 2:40 span. Three of those scores were tallied by Yale junior attacker Tom Zaccagnino. Penn seemed in shock after each successive Yale goal and allowed another with 8:08 remaining in the period. Though Cusson responded with a goal of his own, Zaccagnino scored two more before halftime. The Quakers went into the break down 9-4, a dispirited and frustrated squad. "We got off to a real slow start," Ward said. "It seemed like after that, every goal we scored they would match it with one or two quick ones. It was good we could come back toward the end, but we can't get ourselves down in a hole like that." Yale seemed to be in control early in the second half. Senior midfielder Nick Deans scored a goal with 51 seconds gone. Each team connected five times in the 15-minute period. "We were worried about attrition," Yale coach Waldvogel said. "They got to us in the second half by wearing us down." Penn's transition game was questionable Saturday. The midfielders appeared tired, allowing the more experienced Elis to outrun them. The Quakers could not catch up. Though he did not figure into the scoring, Yale midfielder Brian Wilhelm was an integral part of the Quakers' loss. Thanks to Wilhelm, the Elis won nearly all the faceoffs. Cited as a key threat before the game, Zaccagnino was too elusive for the Penn defenders. Yale's leading scorer last year, he topped all players Saturday with six goals and an assist. Humphrey added four goals and an assist for Yale. Junior midfielders Devon Archer and Brendan Doyle contributed two goals apiece. "The transition was the difference," Waldvogel said. "The defense had to adjust to the ball coming down, and Zaccagnino is very good at moving. Once he gets inside, he doesn't miss very often." Penn had difficulty finishing its shots. Despite numerous close attempts, Yale goalie Peter Tourian proved too tough for many of Penn's attackers. Junior attacker Andy Crofton scored four goals, all in the second half. Cusson added three goals, assisting on another four. Senior midfielder Brian Napolitano and sophomore attacker Ben Conrad scored two goals apiece. Ward and sophomore midfielder Al Patton each had one goal. "The key factor was we came back strong in the fourth quarter," Penn's Ignall said. "We realized we were just as good a team as them, and took care of business after that. We proved we can run with teams of this caliber and we are legitimately a top-20 team. We just came up a little short."
(03/15/95 10:00am)
With a new coach and many young players, the Penn men's lacrosse team has developed a short memory. The Quakers are determined to put last year's mistakes behind them. Penn (2-1) started off on a high note, dominating its first two games. Penn defeated Michigan State 13-8 and Division II C.W. Post 17-8 over spring break. "We came out really strong the first two games," junior midfielder Dan Connell said. "We were playing like a team, working hard and having fun." Penn returned to its traditional underdog position when it faced off against Navy Saturday afternoon. While Penn fought valiantly, the team was overmatched by the nationally-ranked Midshipmen. The Quakers fell 16-6 at Franklin Field. "We've got to get something good out of every loss," Connell said. "We had a tough go against Navy, but they're a much better team. We learned we can compete with a team at that level. If we don't do it right, then we're going to get crushed." The Navy loss served as a wake-up call to the Quakers. After all, they will be facing top competition throughout the Ivy League. Princeton and Brown are consistently vying for the top spot in the country, and Penn must play a more consistent game to stay with them. The Quakers are determined to stick with their multi-faceted offense and defense tonight. "We work on a team concept," senior midfielder Brian Napolitano said. "We don't have one dominating player." Defensively, four players -- seniors Kelleigh Faldi and Scott Ignall, and juniors Phil Coniglio and Kevin O'Brien -- have been rotating into the three inside spots. Sophomore goaltender Travis Heinrichs played in only one game last season. He must replace last year's starting keeper and backup, Steve Bassford and Ronnie Pang, respectively. "Travis has got a lot of pressure on him right now," Faldi said. "I think he's building and growing into a goalie who can help us out a lot." Freshman Joe Siedlecki will be playing the crucial long-stick position as defensive midfielder. The remaining midfielders will be led by Napolitano and senior captain Andrew Greenberg. Their line will be completed by freshman John Ward. The Quakers are lacking on the offensive side of the field. Penn has only four attackers that can provide the team with critical goals. "We've spent a lot of time pushing hard on the fundamentals of the game," first-year Penn coach Terry Corcoran said. Corcoran replaces G.W. Mix, who resigned over the summer after four years as coach. "We're trying to be more aggressive on defense and get more ball movement on offense," Corcoran added. "We're trying to put some pressure on our opponents. We're trying to play physical and more aggressive than the kids might have been used to in the past." The Quakers have been decimated by the loss of key players. Three of last year's captains have graduated, and the fourth, Vern Briggs, has left the team. In addition, numerous Penn players have transferred to other schools. Among the players that remain, junior midfielder Tyler Hale has a broken ankle and Phil Perry, another junior midfielder, is facing knee surgery. Both will be out for the season. Freshman defender Brian Dobson has a stress fracture in his leg. In addition, Connell is hobbled by an ankle injury, and will not play tonight against Mount St. Mary's (7 p.m., Franklin Field). Players say having to deal with adversity has brought the team closer together. The addition of Corcoran has assisted in the rise of Penn morale as well. "The attitude is a lot better this year," Connell said. "The new coach has really turned things around. People are working hard and working like a team, and making it fun again, the way it should be." Penn will try to get back on a winning roll tonight against Mount St. Mary's. "We have to start executing our half-field offense," Corcoran said. "We have to cut down on turnovers. I think right now we're just getting the ball turned over inside too much. That's been hurting us a lot. We need to move the ball in and out of our sticks." While the Quakers refuse to set long-term goals this early in the season, they are certain their effort will take them further than they have gone in the past. "As a whole unit we should play really well," Faldi said. "Look for hustle. Look for people playing vocal on the bench and on the field. Look for a full effort, not just a quarter or a half. From the starting whistle to the ending whistle, you'll notice Penn playing solid lacrosse and dominating the game."
(03/03/95 10:00am)
The last time the Penn women's basketball team faced Brown and Yale, it was a team on a mission. In the middle of a five-game winning streak, the Quakers could do no wrong. "Penn outplayed us," Yale coach Cecelia DeMarco said after the Quakers thrashed the Elis, 63-49. "They're a hot team, but we'll be ready for them next time." Next time is here, as Penn (10-15, 7-5 Ivy League) travels to New Haven, Conn., and Providence, R.I., this weekend. Though the goals of the Quakers' mission have changed slightly, there will be few surprises waiting when the teams meet again in Penn's last two games of the season. "I'm expecting hard-fought battles, but we'll come out with two wins," sophomore guard Erica McCauley said. "Since we have a lot of seniors, everybody wants to go out with a win. We have to end on a good note." Balance was the key to the Quakers' home victories over Yale (9-14, 3-8) and Brown (10-13, 6-5). Penn had three starters in double-figures in each game. Senior guard Shelly Bowers led the Quakers against Yale with 20 points. Senior center Natasha Rezek was the heroine against Brown, scoring 22 points and pulling down 13 boards to win the "Battle of the Centers" against the Bears' Martina Jerant. These were Penn's most accurate shooting games too. The Quakers over 41 percent from the field in each. Penn will offer a different look against the Bears. When the teams met at the Palestra, Brown senior guard Tammy Sanchez lit up the Quakers for 21 points and grabbed five rebounds. The six-foot-four Jerant added 17 points and seven boards. The game went into overtime, with Penn pulling it out 74-70. While there is little the Quakers can do to counter Jerant's size, they intend to change the matchup on Sanchez. Instead of pairing Sanchez with McCauley, as in their last encounter, Bowers will be assigned to tag the powerful guard. Penn hopes Bowers will be able to prevent Sanchez from penetrating into the paint. "Considering we won both games last time, I don't think we have to change much," McCauley said. "We have to come out from the start. We didn't do that here. On the road that's really important, to set the tone. If we play our game and do what we're capable of, we'll be fine." Penn's shooting from the floor has averaged 36.9 percent this season. However, last weekend against Columbia the foul shooting floundered, as Penn shot only 53.8 percent from the charity stripe. The next night against Cornell, the Quakers were only 6 for 22 from beyond the three-point arc. The Elis have lost seven of their last eight games, with their only victory coming against winless Columbia. However, senior forward Mary Kalich broke Yale's all-time scoring record last weekend. Though only a junior, guard Kathleen Offer is already the school's all-time assist leader. The Quakers will be keying on that duo tomorrow night. "I'm going in with the same work ethic and desire to win," senior forward Shelly Dieterle said. "Focusing on our game and not letting the environment around us is important. It's something that we've worked toward for four years. I think that will be in mind for all of us each game this weekend." A sweep would give the Quakers a third-place finish, their best in five years. In addition, Penn's four seniors want to go out with a winning weekend, and the rest of the team is determined to give it to them. "We have a lot of confidence," senior co-captain Katina Banks said. "We'll be ready to step up and take the challenge."
(03/02/95 10:00am)
Senior leadership is important to any team effort. After all, it is the seniors who have been through the wars already. They have seen it all before. They are the veterans that help bring the rest of the group along. For the Penn women's basketball team, the four seniors have been a few of the consistent parts of a roller-coaster season. The Quakers (10-15, 7-5 Ivy League) were winless for the first month of the year, losing their first four games in a row. After defeating Lehigh, Penn went into another slump, losing four more games in only a week. "Losing shouldn't be fun," Penn coach Julie Soriero said earlier in the year, when the Quakers were 2-12. "Losing isn't fun. As hard as it is to see them in tears after a game, it's nice to know they still care. It's hard to keep them up. You've got to get on them a little bit about the mistakes that caused the loss, but you also encourage them for the effort." After a blowout loss to Villanova in mid-January, the Quakers exploded for a school record-tying five-game winning streak. Penn is now in a third-place tie in the Ivy League with Princeton. If the Quakers hold on, this will be their highest Ivy finish since the 1990-91 season. "You get tired of losing," Soriero said. "If you think you can hold onto something that's going to make you win, whether it's being consistent on defense and trying to play it for 40 minutes, then you latch onto that." Penn has played solid defense all year, keyed by senior co-captain Shelly Bowers' move to shooting guard after winter break. Back in her natural position, Bowers proceeded to pick up her game. She became the 10th player to reach the 1,000-point mark against Princeton Feb. 7. She is now fifth on Penn's all-time scoring list. Bowers has also been the most unselfish Quaker, leading the squad in assists with 105. Already Penn's scoring and rebounding leader with 13.3 points and 10.4 boards per game, senior center Natasha Rezek recorded her 12th double-double of the season with 18 points and 18 rebounds against Cornell. She has been a strong presence on both ends of the court for the Quakers. Senior co-captain Katina Banks tied the Penn record for steals with 205 Saturday night against Cornell. She is currently ranked fifth in the Ivy League. "We have the luxury of a lot of balance," Bowers said. "We're a team where, on any given night, if you try to stop one person, another will pick up the slack. I think that's pretty rare. I think we're a special team in that area." Senior forward Shelly Dieterle has added to the team as well, although she has done it from the bench. After starting early in the season, Dieterle stepped aside to make room for the more-powerful sophomore forward Deana Lewis. As a reserve, Dieterle has been solid, averaging four points and shooting 36.3 percent from the field in limited action. "Just as losing is contagious, winning is," Dieterle said. "Now we're just playing with confidence. We have a lot of time on this team, and it all comes out when you're confident." Penn had Senior Night for the women's team last Saturday against Cornell. Before the game, the four graduating players received bouquets of roses. After Penn defeated the Big Red, champagne flowed in the locker room. The Ivy win was a fitting end to four Palestra careers. "My team is very close in general," Soriero said after the game. "Senior Night gives them a great opportunity to show their appreciation for the people who have given four great years here. I think it has a lot of effect. Everybody's happy with the outcome and happy that the seniors played the game they played. They're happy with what this night feels like." The Quakers cannot win the Ivy title this year, but they have taken a major step in that direction. "Our goal is to finish third," Soriero said. "We have to beat Brown, but that's okay. We know what we have to do to get the job done."
(02/27/95 10:00am)
The Penn women's basketball team faced Columbia and Cornell at the Palestra this weekend with two goals in mind. The Quakers wanted an easy win Friday and some revenge Saturday. Penn found what it was looking for, destroying the hapless Lions 66-39 and pulling away from the Big Red 78-64. Friday's contest was slow-moving. Columbia (0-23, 0-11 Ivy League) took its only lead of the game on the first basket, a jumper by forward Jen Holub. It would be over two minutes before another point would be scored. The first half was messy, with both teams taking wild shots. Penn (10-15, 7-5) reaped the benefits, as senior center Natasha Rezek pulled down 11 rebounds in the opening period. Despite shooting only 28.6 percent in the half, the Quakers nearly doubled Columbia's point total. "We got off to a very slow start in the first half," Penn coach Julie Soriero said. "We did a much better job in the second half, but I was disappointed in our performance from the free-throw line. We missed shots in the first half that if you shut your eyes and throw them up you should have more luck in getting them in." Senior guard Shelly Bowers started off the second half with a three-point basket, and Penn never looked back. The Quakers made Columbia pay dearly for its mistakes, picking up 15 points off rebounds and 14 from Lions' turnovers. "We let them do whatever they wanted in the first half," Bowers said. "We made adjustments and picked up the defense in the second half. That turned into good looks on offense too." Despite the blowout victory, the Quakers were disappointed by their performance against Columbia. "We just took it for granted that we could turn it on whenever we wanted," Rezek said. "We did in the second half, but it should have been done in the first half." With three players out for the year, the Lions have been shorthanded all season. Senior center Cathy Schunerman and guard Dawn Cox tried to pick up the slack, playing the entire game. Schunerman was Columbia's leading scorer, with 17 points, while Cox led the Lions with nine rebounds. Though Cox seemed to be all over the court, her efforts did not help Columbia, as she was held in check by Bowers and Banks. "We didn't annihilate like we could have," Bowers said. "It's something that's going to happen against a weaker team, because you tend to lapse a little bit. When you're up by 20, what's one more basket for them?" Before Penn faced Cornell (9-15, 5-7) Saturday night, the four Quakers seniors were honored for their dedication to the program. The emotion threatened to spill onto the court, as Penn turned the ball over five times in as many minutes. "We started out really slow," senior co-captain Katina Banks said. "It took us a while to get into our game. Once we did, we started to execute and play some really good defense to generate our offense." The Big Red took advantage of Penn's mistakes. Cornell led early, up by as many as six points. "Things were stagnant in the first half," Rezek said. "We were lax and really flat. It took us a whole half to get into sync." The Quakers did not give up, going on a 8-1 run to end the first half, capped by two free throws from freshman forward Michelle Maldonado. The Quakers took the lead there and would never trail again. It was a tale of two halves. Penn and the Big Red battled for the first five minutes of the second half before the Quakers took control of the contest. Bowers set Banks up for a 14-foot jumper that put Penn up 34-32, igniting a 17-6 Quakers run that put the seniors' final home game out of reach. Bowers' three-point jumper with 8:05 remaining capped the Penn rally. Sophomore guard Erica McCauley and the Quakers held Cornell's junior guard Mary LaMacchia, who had lit Penn up for 30 points in Ithaca, to only two Saturday night. Though Big Red senior forward Keri Farley led all scorers with 20, she too was contained by the tough Penn defense. The Quakers defeated both the Senior Night emotion and the Big Red. Rezek had her 12th double-double of the season, with 18 points and 18 rebounds. Senior forward Shelly Dieterle started in her final Palestra contest, scoring 4 points and pulling down 4 boards in 14 minutes of action. Bowers had an outstanding all-around game, with 15 points, six boards, seven assists and two steals. Banks scored nine points and had eight rebounds. In addition, her two steals tied her for the Penn career record of 205. "It's been a long season and a long career, and it's great to leave the Palestra on a good note," Banks said. "I have a lot of fond memories here. I'm glad I can add another to all of those I have. It feels good to go out with a bang."
(02/22/95 10:00am)
The Penn women's basketball team was accustomed to playing the role of underdog. After five wins in a row, they were taken out of it. The Quakers rode the dark horse of upsets as far as they could, only to be thrown off at Harvard and Dartmouth. "It was a really long weekend," senior forward Shelly Dieterle said. "We had a lot of focus and preparation going into the games." With four games remaining and the Ivy title out of reach, the Quakers (8-15, 5-5 Ivy League) are reevaluating their priorities. "It was nice to be in the running," co-captain Katina Banks said. Banks had eight steals against Harvard and Dartmouth. She needs only four steals in the final four games of the season to reach the Penn career record of 205. "It's a bit of maturity, knowing what has to be done," Banks said. "I know what to expect and what to look for when we're out on the floor. I'm just trying to be a leader for the team and show good discipline. Sometimes I think I fall short." Consistency has not been a strength for the Quakers. Their season thus far has been a roller coaster. After injuries and losses combined for a slow start, the Red and Blue made an upward climb to their record-tying five-game winning streak, and then returned to reality. Penn has now lost three of its last four games. The Quakers' only victory during that stretch came against 0-22 Columbia. Victories in the final four games would leave the Quakers in third place. That would be the best overall Ivy finish of the seniors' careers.
(02/13/95 10:00am)
Before this weekend's trip to Ithaca and Manhattan, the Penn women's basketball team was on a roll. The Quakers had won their last five games, including upsets of Ivy rivals Princeton, Yale and Brown, to rise to second place in the Ivy League. Underdogs no longer, Penn felt like world-beaters. "We finally had it together," freshman forward Michelle Maldonado said. "We knew this weekend was important, but we were playing well. I thought we could win both games." The Penn team that had successfully faced down its Ivy rivals did not visit New York. Instead, the Quakers (8-12, 5-3 Ivy League) were easily downed by Cornell, 67-45, and forced to battle back against a pathetic Columbia squad for a 69-59 win. "We were flat this weekend," Maldonado said. "It was not us, not the same Penn team." The Quakers were unable to control Cornell junior guard Mary LaMacchia. The Ivies' second-leading scorer, LaMacchia exploded for 30 points in as many minutes against Penn, shooting six of 10 from three-point land. She combined with senior forward Keri Farley for two-thirds of Cornell's points. Sophomore forward Deana Lewis hurt her ankle in the first game, forcing Penn coach Julie Soriero to shake up the lineup in the second. Freshman guard Colleen Kelly benefited, getting her first start of the year, though she played only nine minutes. The Quakers responded to the lineup changes, defeating winless Columbia. With only seven able-bodied, eligible players, the Lions were no match for Penn's depth. Four Quakers scored in double-figures Saturday night. "Deana's injury gave more time to each position in the rotation," Maldonado said. "We split up the time and had to pick up the slack." The bench was the Penn cornerstone in both games. Freshman center Renata Zappala stepped up her contributions, playing 22 minutes against the Big Red and 21 at Columbia. She had six points and 10 rebounds on the weekend, providing a solid defensive presence for the Quakers. Freshman forward Hope Smith came off the bench for 20 minutes against Columbia, while frontcourt mate Maldonado excelled versus Cornell, tying her career high with 10 points. "Our defense was still flat," Maldonado said. "That's usually what we do best. The defense creates our offense. It wasn't as intense as it usually is, but it sort of came back in the second half against Columbia, just in time for us to win." Columbia shot an amazing 57.5 percent from the field. While the Lions were prolific offensively when given an opportunity, the Penn defense was able to hold them to only 42 shots. For the Quakers, senior center Natasha Rezek played solidly all weekend, scoring 14 against Cornell and 15 versus Columbia. She also pulled down a game-high 11 rebounds in the second contest. Usually a starter, senior co-captain Katina Banks scored 11 points off the bench against the Lions. With two steals against Columbia, she is only eight short of the all-time Penn record. "Sometimes I think we took our defense for granted," Zappala said. "Our defense leads to our offense. If our defense is off, it's discouraging for everyone." The Quakers have always prided themselves on tough team defense. Through the long losing streak earlier this season, it was the Penn offense that was out of sync, while the defense stayed strong. This weekend, the Quakers had to deal with the disappearance of both.
(02/07/95 10:00am)
1994-95 Ivy League W. Hoops Standings The Tigers have been talking trash, and the Penn women's basketball team is taking it personally. Tonight at 7:30 p.m. Jadwin Gym, the two will meet to settle the score. There was no question which team was better when the two met at the Palestra January 28. The Quakers (6-11, 3-2 Ivy League) demolished Princeton (11-6, 3-2) with a 21-0 run to end the contest. After the game, some Tigers players put down their own offensive efforts instead of giving credit to the opposition. The Quakers, who have prided themselves on their defense all season, were upset by these remarks. "I was a little disturbed by one of their players' comments," sophomore guard Erica McCauley said. "She said that we didn't win, they lost. They can say they let it slip away and all that, which, to a point, might be true. But I think it had a lot more to do with what we were doing to them than what they weren't doing. We turned it up at the end." That game was only one in a string of Penn wins. The Quakers are 5-1 over their last six contests, including Ivy League victories over Yale and Brown this past weekend. "This weekend was an exclamation mark on what we're trying to do and where we plan on going," senior co-captain Katina Banks said. "The attitude from all the players, the way people talk, act and work with each other is really positive. Everyone's really motivated to work hard for the common goal." Penn is also a bit nervous at the prospect of traveling to Old Nassau. Though Penn has played well there in the past, Jadwin, a multi-sport arena, is much larger than the compact and friendly confines of the Palestra. "It's hollow," McCauley said. "It's this huge place, but the gym takes up a tenth of it. It's in the middle of nowhere. Depth perception won't matter. The baskets are the same, or so I'm told." No matter what the baskets at Jadwin look like, the Quakers will have to overcome past offensive inconsistencies. While Penn has improved its scoring production recently, the staple of the team is still its defense. "We're scoring better," Penn coach Julie Soriero said. "I don't think we shoot the ball very well, but we get putbacks. We'll shoot in streaks, and therefore score in streaks, but our defense has always been consistent." "I think it's going to come down to our defense, as it always has throughout the whole season," Banks said. "It will be our being able to contain them, and just executing on offense. After the last game they mentioned they had more difficulty containing us than they thought, so we're going to have to be able to answer." Princeton has three players averaging in double figures -- juniors Kim Allen and Dana Moore and sophomore Kim Curry. When the teams last met, Curry scored 15 points and Allen had 13, including three shots from beyond the arc. This past weekend against Brown, Allen put up 14 shots from three-point range, winding up with 26 points. Stopping the trio will be a key for Penn's defense. In addition, junior guard Deb Smith will be a target of Penn defenders. Though she had a below-average night when Princeton visited the Palestra, she has been playing very well since. The Quakers are not underdogs any longer. After their two upset victories this weekend, Penn is in a three-way tie for second place in the Ivy League with Brown and Princeton. With their new position, the Quakers have a new attitude. "We're coming from a whole different perspective," Soriero said. "In the past, we would always focus on our next game because we wanted to get that first win or a Big 5 win. It's a wonderful feeling, but it's a feeling we haven't really experienced." With a win tonight, Penn will claim sole possession of the second slot in the Ivies behind Harvard and Dartmouth. Though they cannot deny the mathematics, the Quakers are trying to forget about the other implications this game carries -- like the fact they are playing Princeton. "I'm curious to see if we can meet the challenge that we've set for ourselves," Soriero said. "It's wonderful to talk about being tied for second and all those other things but it doesn't matter if we can't perform well and beat Princeton."
(02/06/95 10:00am)
The Penn women's basketball team has been patient. It outlasted a losing streak and injuries to starters. With thoughts of past games hovering in their minds, the Quakers defeated Yale and Brown at the Palestra this weekend. Penn easily overcame the Elis on Friday night, blowing them out 63-49. The second game was an intense battle to the buzzer -- and beyond. When the dust settled, the Quakers had withstood Brown, 74-70, in overtime. Everything fell into place for the triumphant Penn team. The two victories vault the Quakers into a tie for second place in the Ivy League, along with Brown, Princeton and Harvard. "We don't have an explanation," senior center Natasha Rezek said. "We have an explanation for why we lose and why we do everything wrong, but this time we just played well." The Quakers (6-11, 3-2 Ivy League) have been waiting for this moment. With the game on the line last season, senior co-captain Katina Banks missed free throws that would have given Penn the win. The Quakers lost to Brown twice last season by three total points. The year before, Brown blew out Penn at the Palestra. The Quakers had three starters in double figures Saturday against the Bears. Banks scored 15 and pulled down 11 boards. Sophomore guard Erica McCauley got into the offensive flow, chipping in with 14 points, including two baskets from three-point land. Freshman center Renata Zappala stepped up as well, grabbing eight rebounds and scoring eight points off the bench. "We were struggling to get shots, and we just let down defensively," Brown coach Jean Marie Burr said. "They were able to get the ball into the low block more easily than we would have liked. We had a difficult time denying the ball to Rezek and getting the weak side rebound." Rezek had a career night, scoring 22 points and pulling down 13 boards against the Bears. Even 6 foot, 6 inch center Martina Jerant could not stop Rezek, who also had two steals. "Penn plays perimeter defense better than anyone in the league," Burr said. "They force you to adjust your offenses." Coming out of halftime up two points, Penn had to battle throughout the second period. The Quakers gathered momentum throughout the contest. "Down the stretch we shot so well, I just knew we were going to win," Zappala said. "As soon as overtime came, we kept scoring. We kept getting defensive stops, so we just kept pulling ahead and ahead. Each time you make another basket, you just keep building more confidence, and it just goes on." The overtime period was nearly all Penn, as the Quakers scored 13 points in five minutes. "The whole team was working together so well.," Zappala said. "It was like we were reading each other's minds, knowing where we were going to go." Yale faced the same problem when it visited the Palestra the night before. In a sloppy contest, Penn easily overcame the Elis. The Penn offense was at full strength. The Quakers shot 45.1 from the field, their best shooting performance of the season. Rezek had a double-double, scoring 11 points and getting 11 rebounds. Senior forward Shelly Dieterle, who has made an excellent transition to the bench, scored six points and pulled down three rebounds. Along with Rezek, McCauley and Bowers each scored in double figures, hitting two three-pointers apiece. Penn's backcourt also outrebounded the Elis, as junior Kathleen Offer was the sole Yale guard with any boards. She had five, compared to 10 for Penn's backcourt tandem. Freshman Harmonee Williams contributed nearly half of Yale's rebounds by herself. "I give all the credit to their perimeter people," Yale coach Cecelia DeMarco said. "Both Bowers and McCauley did a nice job. The point guard hit every big shot she needed to hit, and Bowers hurt us in that she rebounded really well and made some nice second-effort stuff happen." Yale's perimeter game was poor Friday. While senior forward Mary Kalich had a game-high 20 points, the Elis shot only 15.4 percent from behind the arc. Overall, Yale's offense was stifled by the Quakers' consistent defense, which held the Elis to 32.3 percent shooting. "Their guards stood and watched," senior guard Shelly Bowers said. "It seemed almost easy to go in and get a putback or a defensive rebound. We took advantage of that weakness." "Penn deserved to win," DeMarco said. "They outplayed us. Bottom line, their perimeter people outplayed our perimeter people from the tap." The Quakers seem to have undergone some kind of transformation since winter break. Penn has seen a resurgence in offense recently. The backbone of the team, however, remains strong defense. "If the ball's not going to go in the hoop, we have no control over it," Rezek said. "We do have control over playing good, solid defense. We've been playing that all year long. Now we have the combination of that with our shots falling."
