W. Lax will have to fight rust and Dragons

As the women's lacrosse season starts up, the Quakers will have one thing on their minds.

But before they can return to the Final Four and vie for the national title, they'll have to take some baby steps.

It starts this Sunday, when the team will venture a few blocks north to take on Drexel in its season-opener.

This is the second year in a row that Penn will open its season against the Dragons, who fell 12-4 in last year's contest.

But last season, it took a while for the Red and Blue to wake up.

In the first period, Penn was out-drawn 7-1 and escaped with a 5-3 lead. Drexel then scored 12 seconds after the break to pull within one. Yet Penn did not allow a goal in the final 29:48 of the game, while scoring seven goals on 16 shots.

This year, the Quakers are wary of a slow start.

Drexel has already played two games, winning them both. Penn, on the other hand, has not had such luxury, so it is still solidifying its lineup. Three starters graduated last year, and another, senior midfielder Allison Ambrozy, is still recovering from tearing her ACL this fall.

According to head coach Karin Brower, several young members are expected to fill starting roles. For one, freshman Giulia Giordano - a two-time US Lacrosse All-American in high school - is going to step in to the midfield position. Still, many positions are not solidified.

"We're not 100 percent sure yet what we're doing," Brower said. "But really it's still early and we have a lot of kids still trying hard and still trying to earn their spot."

Aside from the lineup uncertainty, the Quakers' lack of game experience will make it harder for them to keep possession.

"You get excited to come down and make the big plays," sophomore midfielder Barb Seaman said. "A lot of times they work out, but a lot of times you just need possession and control, and that comes with getting playing [time]."

The team has therefore been working on setting the tempo throughout the offense. Instead of just relying on counter-attacks, the Quakers will aim to build a precise, organized offensive plan.

And given their lofty goals for the season they need to avoid the first game jitters.

Their national ranking will depend on their overall record, not their conference play, so they do not have the same margin of error as most Ivy League teams. Sunday's matchup is especially crucial, because Drexel is in Penn's region.

"If we lose our first four games and then beat Yale, we're not doing well," Brower said.

"It's very different from some schools. It's really it for them with the Ivies. For us every game is really important."

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