The Penn men's lacrosse team started its season off on a role, winning three straight at the beginning of March. But after suffering two big losses last week, the Quakers need a jolt to regain momentum for the remainder of the season.
The Red and Blue (4-4, 1-2 Ivy) will have an opportunity Sunday when they host Dartmouth at Franklin Field.
"It's an important game for us," Penn coach Brian Voelker said. "We came out of two tough games and need a win."
After defeating Harvard on March 22 in their first Ivy League game of the season, the Quakers have struggled in the Ancient Eight. They snapped the three-game winning streak after suffering a disheartening loss at Cornell last weekend. Penn fell, 13-7, in a game it thought it could win.
"We just didn't play well," Voelker said.
Penn's next loss came at the hands of No. 2 Princeton who is undefeated in the Ivy League. The Quakers put forth a strong effort, but it was not enough to overcome the Tiger's dominating offense.
The recent losses have left the Quakers needing more than a strong effort -- they need an Ivy League win.
"People talk about moral victories," Voelker said. "But the bottom line is that we lost two in a row, and we want a win."
A victory in Sunday's contest against Dartmouth (6-1, 0-0) will not come easily for the Red and Blue.
The Big Green are coming off a win at Hartford last Saturday and are ready to take on the Quakers as they kick off their Ivy League season.
"It's going to be a tough game," Voelker said. "They're coming in here rearing to go."
The Quakers defense will have to be on guard for Dartmouth's explosive offense -- especially senior attacker Scott Roslyn. Roslyn has netted 13 goals and has two assist this season, and holds a .553 shooting percentage.
"Their attack unit is very good," Voelker said. "We are going to have to play tough on defense."
Along with Roslyn, Big Green freshman phenom Jamie Coffin poses a huge threat on the field. Coffin leads the team with 33 points, scoring four goals against Hartford last week.
"I think he is one of the leaders in the country in points," Voelker said. "We need to contain him."
The Quakers are hoping that their recent success on Franklin Field will roll over onto Sunday's game. Penn has won five of its last six contests at home, while Dartmouth is 1-1 on the road this season.
If the Red and Blue want to keep their hopes alive for a bid to the NCAA Tournament, a win on Sunday is imperative. The Quakers are currently ranked third in the Ancient Eight, behind Cornell and Princeton who remain undefeated in Ancient Eight play.
However, another Ivy team poses a threat to the two leaders. Though they may sit atop the ranks of the Ivy League, neither Cornell nor the Tigers do not hold the best overall record in the league -- that honor belongs to Dartmouth.
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