On the heels of the Quakers' 2015-16 Ivy title, media voters unanimously predicted Penn would win the Ivy title for a third time in four years in the preseason media poll, which was released Tuesday.

Gut check. After enduring a heartbreaking 3-2 overtime loss to Ivy foe Yale this past Saturday, Penn Field Hockey (10-5, 3-2 Ivy) took down crosstown rival Villanova in dramatic fashion on Tuesday night, cementing a 5-0 record against Philadelphia-area schools this season. The Quakers did not get off to the start they wanted; the Wildcats scored a goal in both the 32nd and 33rd minutes of play to take a sudden 2-0 lead.

Despite what was described by Coach Fuller as “arguably the team’s best performance of the season,” the men’s soccer team still lost 1-0 to West Virginia (8-5-1) on Tuesday night. The Quakers (4-5-5) came into this game riding high after the decisive 3-0 victory against Yale.

A person like Van Dyke needs no artificial stimulant to prepare for an Ivy League matchup. She feeds off the pressure. But even for a tenured coach with her track record and experience, a little pre-match anxiety can show up every once in awhile.

It was a good weekend on the field for Penn Athletics, and that's translating to hardware off the field as the Quakers enter the week. On Monday, football's Justin Watson was named Ivy League Offensive Player of the Week, while men's soccer's Dami Omitaomu won City Six Rookie of the Week honors.

There’s something in the psyche of the athlete that’s unleashed when the rain starts falling, the sun disappears, the temperature plummets, and the field lights illuminate puffs of breath from red-faced players.

With the final exam looming, Penn men’s soccer gets one more practice test. On Tuesday, the Quakers will play host to West Virginia in their final non-conference tilt of the year.

After conceding four goals to both Villanova and Dartmouth during a three-game losing skid, Penn men’s soccer righted the ship on Saturday against Yale. The Quakers (4-4-5, 2-2 Ivy) blanked the Bulldogs (2-7-2, 1-2-1 Ivy) by a score of 3-0 on goals from Dami Omitaomu, Gideon Metrikin and Alec Neumann.

For the second straight game, the Quakers (9-5, 3-2 Ivy) overcame a 2-0 deficit to take the game past regulation only to fall to an overtime winner and be sent home with a loss.

Forget about home-field advantage. On the road is where Penn women’s soccer thrives, extending their unbeaten stretch to 4-1-0 while traveling.

Volleyball is all about working in system to get opponents out of system. For Penn volleyball, new changes to their system had mixed reviews against an unflappable Princeton squad. On Friday evening, Penn lost a tough straight-set match to Ivy League-leading Princeton.

On Saturday, both Penn basketball programs offered a glimpse into their state of affairs with the annual Red and Blue Scrimmages at the Palestra.

They say the best team doesn’t always win. They were right. They also say that the scoreboard doesn’t tell the whole story.

Penn is locked in for its last crucial stretch of the season. Penn (9-4, 3-1 Ivy) is looking forward to the final week of Ivy League play, with upcoming matchups against Yale (5-8,1-3), Brown (6-6, 2-2), and Princeton (9-5, 4-0). Penn snapped its three game winning streak, with a tough double overtime loss to eighth nationally ranked Delaware 3-2 on Sunday.

Penn volleyball may be a young team, but they've seen all they need to see. With one trip around the Ivy League complete, the Red and Blue are set to begin the rematches with now more familiar foes, starting with the Ancient Eight's best. On Friday night, Penn (8-11, 3-4 Ivy) will head to New Jersey to take on rival Princeton in their lone game this weekend.

Consistency at the top is the key for any team with hopes for a title. However, for Penn women's soccer, staying consistent within the Ivy League is becoming a challenging task.

The farewell tour. The victory lap. The last hurrah. Whatever you call it, there’s no avoiding the inevitability of retirement in athletics.