"Player development" might have been bumped down a few spots on softball coach Leslie King's to-do list after this weekend. Rookie Jamie Boccanfuso accounted for four of the Quakers' seven runs batted in as Penn softball went 1-2 in its opening weekend at the George Mason Tournament in Fairfax, Va.

Tom Grandieri was determined to begin the 2009 season on a high note both individually and for his team. This weekend, the junior outfielder and pitcher succeeded in both respects. Saturday, the Quakers hosted Georgetown in a doubleheader at Meiklejohn Stadium.

First with her career-high 10 rebounds Friday and then with her first career double-double of 18 points and 13 rebounds to clinch the victory Saturday, Caitlin Slover had a weekend to remember. The Penn women's basketball team lost to Yale, 61-51, Friday in New Haven, Conn.

Winless at home in the Ivy League, Penn needed a victory in the worst possible way. And finally, for the first time since Jan. 6, the Quakers sent their fans home happy, but likely still without much confidence in this struggling team. In front of a crowd of only 3,142 on Fan Appreciation Day at the Palestra, Penn outlasted Brown, 64-54, in a battle that was memorable for its pure ugliness more than anything else.

The Penn women's lacrosse team trounced California, 10-2, but may have suffered a long-term casualty in the process. Sophomore attack Bridget Waclawik had to be helped off the field near the end of the first half with an injury that appeared serious. "We don't know exactly, it didn't look good," coach Karen Brower said.

Penn men's basketball finally got a home Ivy win tonight against Brown, but it wasn't easy. The Bears led much of the game before falling, 64-54. The Quakers got off to an ugly start in the first half, missing what few open looks they could get. Brown jumped out to an 11-2 lead before Kevin Egee hit his second bucket of seven minutes into the game.

The Penn women's basketball team only has six wins, two of which were against Yale and Brown two weeks ago at the Palestra. So when the Quakers (6-17, 3-6 Ivy) go on the road to face the Bulldogs (10-14, 3-7) and Bears (3-21, 1-9) tonight and tomorrow, respectively, they will have a little extra confidence with those past triumphs fresh in their minds.

It was no secret that Yale was going to look to the paint all night long. But few could predict how thoroughly the Bulldogs would dominate. Yale's Ross Morin had his way down low, scoring 20 points and eight rebounds in a game that seemed to only take place on the foul line.

The Quakers are all but out of the title race. Tonight's opponent is a long shot, too, meaning there is no spoiler role to play. It seems that the stakes of Penn's matchup with Yale are mostly restricted to the intangibles of pride and reputation. But that's no small potatoes for a program that's gotten used to topping the conference year after year, coach Glen Miller said.

Todd Roth has experienced a great deal of success as Penn's top pitcher. As a freshman, the ace was Big 5 Pitcher of the Year, first team All-Ivy and a freshman All-American. Still, all that success does not stop the junior captain from feeling nervous for tomorrow's season opener against Georgetown at La Salle's Hank DeVincent Field.

The last time the No. 1 and No. 2 women's squash players met, the seasonal showdown between No. 4 Trinity and No. 3 Penn at a very familiar venue - Ringe Courts. Though the Quakers won the match, 5-4, it was not without suffering some heartbreakers, including when Trinity's Nour Baghat handed Penn's Kristin Lange her first loss of the season.

Penn men's lacrosse coach Brian Voelker is pretty familiar with the concept of "sleeping with the enemy." In fact, many of his own players are guilty of that offense. And with a city rival, no less. "I'm sure our guys know [Villanova's] guys," Voelker said.

As the Quakers prepare to take on Brown tomorrow night, freshman point guard Zack Rosen finds himself in a familiar position. As a high school senior at St. Benedict's Prep (N.J.), Rosen's varsity team didn't participate in the New Jersey state tournament.

Although the softball team's season-opening tournament at George Mason may not have serious postseason implications, the team's performance this weekend may be a critical indicator of its potential for the upcoming season. The untested Quakers will face competition from three nonconference opponents - Akron, George Mason and local rival Saint Joseph's.

The Penn women's tennis team has had five different lineups in as many matches this season. On a team that has been plagued by sickness and injury, the Quakers are hoping for a common stroke and consistency that has been sorely lacking in the young season.

Defeating a team 10-4 might seem like a good sign. Yet despite beating Drexel by that margin last weekend, the women's lacrosse team wants to improve on playing a full 60 minutes when it faces California (2-2) tonight at Franklin Field. After notching a solid 20 shots in the first half against the Dragons, the No.

ew England is no stranger to undefeated seasons. After watching their Patriots go a perfect 16-0 in the regular season before losing in Super Bowl XLII to the New York Giants, those fans in the Northeast can only hope that the Dartmouth women's basketball team doesn't follow in the Pats' footsteps.