PHILADELPHIA - Off to its best start since 1980, the Penn women's lacrosse team will face a critical midseason test when it heads to Baltimore to take on Johns Hopkins Wednesday evening at 7 p.m.
Fans can follow the game via live stats by visiting Johns Hopkins' web site and clicking on "GameTracker Live."
The Quakers (6-1) have won their last three games, including key Ivy League wins over Yale and Cornell. Yesterday, Penn moved up to 14th in the national IWLCA coaches' poll, the highest ranking in program history. The Blue Jays (5-3) are one spot ahead, in a tie for 12th with Vanderbilt.
Penn is bidding to beat Hopkins for the first time. The Blue Jays hold a 5-0 advantage all-time versus the Quakers since they moved to NCAA Division I in 1999. Last year, JHU avoided a furious Penn comeback to win, 12-9.
Penn has been led by its defense, which is ranked fifth in the nation with a stingy 6.71 goals allowed per game. A big part of that has been the play of junior goalkeeper Sarah Waxman, who leads the Ivy League and is third in the nation in goals allowed (6.55 gpg).
Opposing that, however, will be the nation's top offensive performer in Mary Key. The attacker leads the nation in points per game (7.88), goals per game (4.13) and assists per game (3.75).
The Quakers' offensive output hasn't been too shabby, either - freshman Ali DeLuca leads the team with 17 goals, which Rachel Manson (13 g, 4 a) and Chrissy Muller (10 g, 7 a) both have 17 points. A key advantage for Penn's offense has been its ability to control the draw - Penn holds an 81-57 advantage on draw controls this year.
