Last season, sophomore forward Kristin Kaiser clinched Penn's Ivy League crown with an overtime goal against Princeton. On Saturday, Kaiser helped Penn take a strong first step toward defending its title with a 2-0 victory over Harvard at Rhodes Field. "Its funny, Kristin is a kid who we've talked a little bit about why she's not more confident in herself because she's such a tremendous player," Penn coach Darren Ambrose said.

With eight of 17 players on the Penn volleyball team hailing from California, the Quakers' slate in San Francisco and Moraga, Calif., was supposed to be like three home matches. Indeed, the Red and Blue had plenty of fans in attendance, but that didn't translate into wins.

In a surprise move, Penn wrestling coach Zeke Jones announced his resignation on Saturday in order to become head coach of the United States freestyle national team. Assistant coach Rob Eiter has been appointed as the interim head coach. The announcement comes less than two months before the wrestling team begins its 2008-09 season on Nov.

Torrential rain and an ingrown toenail plagued the men's golf team at this weekend's Cornell Invitational. The final round of play was cancelled before results were made official, leaving the Quakers tied for seventh place with Bucknell. Fifteen teams competed at Robert Trent Jones Golf Course in Ithaca, N.

The Penn women's soccer team took a strong first step towards defending its Ivy League crown with a 2-0 victory over Harvard at Rhodes Field. Sophomore forward Kristin Kaiser figured prominently in both of the Quakers' goals. At 18:14, Kaiser took a long lead down the left side from Mara Fintz.

At the end of Saturday's game the entire women's field hockey team, smiles blazing from ear to ear, lined up and belted out "Drink a Highball" as though they had just won the Ivy League championship. Indeed, this victory was stirring. Despite embarking on a nasty seven game losing streak which began September 6, the Quakers came out against Harvard with a swagger and topped the Crimson, 2-0, at Franklin Field.

Lafayette's last-second 8-7 victory over Penn last year, which was as ugly as it was close, showed that the Leopards are not the flashiest of football teams. They play a slow-paced game, and their big, bruising offensive line is crucial in their run-first, run-second scheme.

Playtime's over. While the rest of the Ivy League is enjoying another Saturday of tuneups against non-conference foes, Harvard, Brown, Yale and Cornell kick off their Ivy League seasons this weekend. More interestingly, tomorrow looks to be a "Separation Saturday" of sorts.

The leaves are turning and the likes of Harvard are coming down to Rhodes Field in Philadelphia. It's a sign that women's soccer has entered that time of the year when there's no turning back - the gauntlet of Ivy League play. Coming off Penn's first outright Ancient Eight championship, the players are well aware of the added importance.

These Quakers certainly like their drama. Despite trailing, 24-0, at the half after a woeful opening two quarters, Penn fought back with a furious second-half rally, ultimately falling to Lafayette, 24-17. Quarterback Rob Curley led the Leopards, completing 12 of 22 passes for 163 yards and three first-half touchdowns.

Sophomore setter Megan Tryon beamed with excitement in anticipation of the volleyball team's road trip this weekend. She is finally going home. The trip will be extra special for Tryon and eight of her teammates because they all hail from California. This weekend they will have the rare chance to play in front of their parents, giving them more fans than they usually have at the Palestra.

The men's soccer team may be undefeated and riding a seven-game shutout streak, but they're looking for more: local bragging rights. The Quakers take on their first Philadelphia Soccer Seven opponent this Sunday when they travel to Ambler, Pa., to play Temple.

Penn starting defensive tackle Drew Goldsmith knows a thing or two about going up against his brother, Neil. They were playing the computer game Diablo when, at the ripe age of seven, Drew revealed his inner Diablo. He flung his younger sibling into a wall, knocking Neil out cold for several minutes.

It's been a while -- three weeks and seven games, to be precise - since the Penn field hockey team last picked up a win. But after the Quakers' strong start in Wednesday's 2-1 loss to Villanova, they feel another victory could finally be heading their way as they host Harvard (2-4, 1-0 Ivy League) at Franklin Field tomorrow.

For the first time since the Penn field hockey team's season opener, starting off strong wasn't a problem. Although coach Val Cloud didn't put peppers in their socks, the Quakers got on the scoreboard first. They passed more effectively and generated more chances.

For weeks, Penn women's soccer coach Darren Ambrose has been preaching that his team must play at a high level for a full 90 minutes. Senior Molly Weir appears to have taken that message to heart. With 22 seconds left in yesterday's match against University of Maryland, Baltimore Country - and Penn already ahead 3-0 - Weir ran at full speed after a pass down the right side.

With so much attention bestowed on Penn quarterback Robert Irvin and his backup-slash-punter Kyle Olson, most people have probably forgotten about junior Brendan McNally. McNally saw some snaps in five games last year as the second-stringer to then-senior Bryan Walker.