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.

Goalkeeper Drew Healy has a simple formula that has propelled the Quakers - the only Division I team that hasn't been scored upon - to early-season heights. "If you don't give up goals, you don't lose," said Healy, the reigning Ivy League Player of the Week.

It's finally here: The Athletic Department has released the Penn men's basketball schedule for the 2008-09 season. Most matchups come as no surprise. The Daily Pennsylvanian has been reporting details of the schedule since mid-July as other teams released their slates.

Penn men's soccer coach Rudy Fuller has a bad taste in his mouth. A year and a six-game shutout streak have done little to wash it out. Tonight, he hopes to find his Listerine: A win against Penn State (2-4-2) at Rhodes Field. Last season, the Quakers suffered a bitter 3-2 loss at University Park, Pa.

Its final tuneup before Ivy League play begins on Saturday, the women's soccer team improved to 3-3-1 with a dominating 3-0 shutout over UMBC (1-9-0). Kristin Kaiser started the scoring at 25:52 with a rebound off a shot that was deflected by a UMBC defender.

"Shoulders, shoulders, get your shoulders!" Penn strength and conditioning coach Jim Steel bellowed. Clipboard in hand, Steel marked down the members of the football team as they entered the weight room and began their lifting routine. Practice wasn't over when the team jogged off the Franklin Field turf.

Penn goalkeeper Drew Healy posted his seventh-straight shutout and Alex Grendi, Andrew Ferry and Kevin Unger all scored as the men's soccer team rolled to a 3-0 victory over Penn State at Rhodes Field last night. The win is redemption for last season's bitter double-overtime loss at University Park, Pa.

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.

Nine days ago, Penn field hockey coach Val Cloud said she was "at wit's end." Her players couldn't avoid slow starts, so she suggested putting a bomb under them. Since then, the Quakers have dropped two more games, managing just one goal in the process. So Cloud has a new idea.

Penn fans might best remember Norries Wilson for his "11-on-18" rant about the officiating during Penn's 16-0 victory over the Lions two years ago. But this weekend, when a penalty flag went flying during a Fordham punt, Wilson knew the blame lay 100 percent with him.

For as long as senior associate director of athletics Alanna Shanahan can remember, one person was in charge of marketing Penn's 33 varsity teams. And in her words: "I don't think we've had great success." So Shanahan became the impetus for change this summer, helping the Athletic Department broker a deal with Nelligan Sports Marketing, a firm that has worked with numerous schools, atheletic conference and Fortune 500 companies.

All eyes were on Robert Irvin on Saturday during the first quarter of Penn's matchup against Villanova, and it's not hard to imagine why. Behind the strength of his arm, the senior was named starter as a sophomore, but injuries and more injuries prevented him from entrenching himself as the man under center.

A freshman won his flight in the tournament. A transfer defeated a starter on a likely top-20 team. A doubles team sliced through the field.

Villanova 20, Penn 14. There isn't much else to say that hasn't been said, because this is old news, old emotion, painful cliche, all of it. Penn Football has lost a game in overtime. Another one. Since 2006, the Quakers have played in 21 games, losing five of them in overtime and nine of them in the last few plays.