It all comes down to this

In a battle of Rocky-sized proportions, the underdog No. 6 Quakers' hopes for a second consecutive Ivy title hinge on the outcome of today's game at No. 2 Princeton.

The team has had the date circled since the start of the season.

"We started seriously practicing and working hard [for the Princeton game] the first day we got to school," senior goalie Sarah Waxman said.

That hard work has earned the reigning champs a 10-1 record and an eight-game winning streak that undefeated Princeton will look to break.

But the Red and Blue have some ominous history with which to contend. The last time the Quakers won in the Tigers' den, Ronald Reagan was in the White House and Penn's tuition was a mere $10,000 a year. And while a lot has changed since 1986, Penn's penchant for losing at Princeton has remained constant.

Despite Penn's grim past and lower ranking, at least one member of the Quakers remains optimistic.

"There's a 99 percent chance we're going to win," Waxman said.

Should the Quakers tame the Tigers, they'll guarantee a share of the Ivy title and an automatic playoff birth.

"The game means a lot - we're both undefeated in the league so whoever wins is going to win the Ivy League," coach Karin Brower said.

But if Penn fails, it won't be for lack of preparedness. In an effort to acclimate themselves with the artificial turf at Princeton, the Quakers spent yesterday at Drexel's turfed field.

"The ground balls and ground shots are different," Brower said. "We didn't want our first time playing on it [turf] to be tomorrow during warm-ups."

Aside from the field, though, Penn will also have to contend with a talented Princeton team.

The Red and Blue defense will have to be at its best to stop the multi-threat, fast-break offense of Princeton.

"You can't just shut down one or two kids and think that you're going to win . we need to play good team defense," Brower said.

Waxman is more vocally confident than her coach.

"We know their plays and what kind of shots they're going take," Waxman said. "We have the best defense in the country and we plan on shutting them down."

Statistically, she's right. Penn has allowed just 6.45 goals per game, the lowest in the nation. Waxman herself is 19th in save percentage, although, thanks to her defense, she has only had to make 61 stops all year.

Offensively, Penn attack Rachel Manson is looking to sling her 101st career goal at Princeton. Last week at Dartmouth, Manson became just the fifth player in Penn history to reach 100, and the first since 1992.

Emma Spiro and Ali DeLuca, meanwhile, are trying to repeat their performances from last year's battle. The Quakers won that, 14-10, to clinch their first Ancient Eight crown in 25 years.

DeLuca netted three goals and one assist, while Spiro added a pair of her own. Only Becca Edwards - who is out for the season with a torn ACL - was a bigger thorn in the Tigers' side, notching a game-high five goals.

Whether coach or player, offense or defense, everyone equally understands the implications of today's game.

"It's a game we've been looking forward to all season," Brower said. "We have a chance to prove ourselves against a top-ranked team."

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