The Quakers were down by double digits soon within seven minutes of tip-off and struggled to hang with Lafayette, finding themselves down, 45-30, at the half.

Welcome back to the Palestra for the end of a three-game homestand to start Penn basketball's season.

In the end though, Penn would prevail over the Big Red, 34-26, behind a career day for senior receiver Spencer Kulcsar in his final collegiate game.

Both teams had their share of turnovers, and neither could manage to establish a true lead. At the half, Penn ended up on top 21-18.

However, there will be at least one man in the Palestra on Saturday who has been a part of an incredible amount of Quakers success: Lafayette head coach Fran O’Hanlon.

Penn basketball will look for its first win on Saturday, so we decided to look at three keys to victory for the Red and Blue against Lafayette.

The fall season was certainly a disappointing one for Penn Athletics, but the women's basketball team's Ivy League championship banner-raising ceremony on Wednesday night reminded Quakers fans of better times while stirring optimism for the future of the Red and Blue.

By the time Penn basketball finishes its game at the Palestra on Saturday, it will likely feel comfortable playing in front of a friendly crowd. But it better not get used to it.

For as much as he’s loathed talking about it, the time has finally come: Al Bagnoli’s last game is this Saturday. And with both Penn football and Cornell struggling this season, the action on the field will likely be secondary.

And then there was one. While almost all of Penn’s cross country runners ended their seasons last weekend, junior captain Thomas Awad is the lone Quaker that still has one more race left in his season.

How do the Penn women’s swimming coaches reward their swimmers during the two-week break after sweeping rival Columbia? “Simple,” coach Mike Schnur said. “Beating the you-know-what out of them.”

The Palestra will see some serious star power on Sunday. Penn wrestling will host the Keystone Classic tournament, welcoming Drexel, Northwestern, Pittsburgh, and Stanford, among others.

Two days, three matches and early top 25 drama are slated for Penn squash this weekend in Maine, and a long 10 hour bus ride is all that stands between the Red and Blue and their first official games of the 2014-2015 season.

This weekend, the Penn State Open will serve as a benchmark for where each individual on the team stands at this point in the season.

Penn men’s swimming is looking to show its resilience on Friday as it heads to Princeton for the first conference tri-meet of the season.

In a game that started with the raising of the Quakers’ 2013-14 championship banner, Penn took control from the get-go, stifling La Salle in a 57-29 victory.

Every season has its ups and downs, but junior setter / right-side hitter Alex Caldwell has been a beacon of consistency for Penn volleyball.