Earning playing time on a varsity team as a freshman is no small task — but starring on one is something even more impressive. Several Penn rookies stepped up to the plate in this regard — but which one had the best season? A trio of DP Sports' finest debate.
The five seniors – Liz Mata, Alexa Hoover, Gina Guccione, Jasmine Li, and Rachel Huang – are captains, four-year starters, skillful scorers, record-breakers, defensive walls, and, above all, leaders. On Saturday, they will play Princeton in what will be their final game together.
Usually led by a high-octane attack that uses a potent offense to keep itself in games, the Quakers are scoring fewer goals this year while conceding far fewer.
After 11 straight Ivy League championships and 21 in 22 years, Princeton field hockey lost control of its crown last season. Despite the Quakers’ two runner-up finishes in the last four years, it was Harvard who ultimately came away with the title in 2016. Prior to 2016, the Tigers (1-4) were heavy favorites to win the league year-in, year-out. In recent years, the Quakers twice challenged Princeton on the last day of the regular season with the championship on the line but came up short both times.
It was another split weekend for the Quakers (2-4), who took down cross-town rival Drexel, 3-2, before falling to No. 19 Iowa on Sunday, 2-3. Despite the losing effort, the Quakers showed that they could handle a top-20 opponent in the Hawkeyes (4-5).
In a weekend of two impressive showings, Penn field hockey notched its first win of the season, beating Villanova, 2-0, on Sunday after falling to Delaware, 2-1, just two days prior.
Penn field hockey struggled out of the gate in its opening weekend, falling to Rutgers by a score of 1-0, and to top-ranked UNC, 3-1.
Good leadership can prove the difference between try and triumph, and Penn field hockey is rife with multitalented players. Unlike previous years, the team will now rely on three captains to take them to the NCAA Tournament and finally take down Princeton.
From a development standpoint, a collegiate athlete’s freshman season is critical. It is a time of learning by doing, developing skills, and getting an initial taste of college athletics.
Penn women’s lacrosse has a knack for making big games look easy. It did that on Saturday when they handily took down Dartmouth, 17-6.
Solutions by The State News
