High school dance for NCAA goal

As freshman Ursula Lopez-Palm watched her rebound soar over Pittsburgh goalie Morie Kephart's head and into the back of the net, she started jumping up and down during what she called a "surreal" moment.

"[My teammates] made fun of me a little for my celebration dance," Lopez-Palm admitted. "They said it was very high school."

But one can hardly blame Lopez-Palm for her enthusiasm. Her first collegiate goal - in her first career game - also temporarily tied the score before Penn lost, 3-1.

Two days later, fellow freshman Theresa Yankovich recorded her first goal in a 3-0 victory over Robert Morris.

Last season, freshmen accounted for only five of Penn's 35 goals, so the class of 2012 has already made a relatively large impact.

Both Lopez-Palm and Yankvoich credited the team's veteran leaders with helping the freshmen learn on the job during practice.

"They definitely are all really supportive," Lopez-Palm said. "We're new to the team, obviously, but they don't make it feel that way at all."

While the two freshmen said they have had to adjust to the increased speed and physicality of the college game, both seem to have become acclimated pretty well.

"I think that definitely gave [the freshmen] some confidence for themselves, and they've been doing a great job," senior captain Natalie Capuano said. "So hopefully they keep it up."

A mess without Jess? Two games into the season, the Quakers have already been hit hard with the injury bug.

Five players - including starters Jessica Fuccello, Jess Rothenheber and Ellen Gregory - missed the team's road trip last weekend, but Penn coach Darren Ambrose said the team is gradually on the mend.

Fuccello, last season's leading scorer, is awaiting the results of an MRI on an unspecified injury. If it comes back negative, she could be cleared to play in about a week or two.

Although Ambrose was reluctant to put a definitive timetable on any returns, he labeled Fuccello's injury as longer-range than the others. Barring any setbacks, Penn should be back at full strength by the start of the Ivy League season in early October.

'O' looking to grow. Despite the Quakers' respectable four-goal output over the weekend, they could still use a bit more precision finishing around the net.

Ambrose said that aspect was "one of the hardest things to perfect" and that it would naturally improve along with timing and chemistry over the course of the season.

The offense should receive a boost with the return of Fuccello and the other injured veterans, though Ambrose said there may be an additional adjustment period as players move back into the lineup.

For now, though, the season is still young. And last year, the Quakers expressed similar concerns before eventually winning the Ivy League outright with a 6-1 mark.

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