The Penn State field hockey team is enduring its longest losing streak of the season at the worst time possible.

Though the streak only stands at two, the Nittany Lions (17-3, 6-0 Big Ten) haven't won a game in three weeks since the team beat Indiana on Oct. 28.

The Lions will enter the NCAA Championships against American University at 2 p.m. tomorrow in College Park, Md., just a week after their second-round loss to Michigan in the Big Ten Tournament.

However, Penn State field hockey coach Char Morett has not seen any negative effects on her team this past week in practice.

"I think the team's attitude has been fine," Morett said. "You're now into the next part of your season and this is what you play for all year. It's an exciting attitude."

The Lions earlier in the season had a record-breaking 17-game winning streak until the team's loss to North Carolina and have not won since.

With two straight losses, most teams would feel that they have to play with something to prove.

Morett feels that her team has proved itself all season and should continue to play like it has in the past.

"I don't think they've ever played like they have something to prove," Morett said. "Their attitude is that we are going after something that we want, not that we have to prove anything."

The Lions have been practicing all week as if it could be their last game of a season that the team hoped would never end. Already this season the team has broken various records and won the regular season Big Ten title.

But after the loss to Michigan in the Big Ten Tournament, the Lions need their scorers to step up if they want the season to continue.

The offensive attack is led by Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year, senior Natalie Berrena, and junior Shaun Banta, who finished second in the Big Ten in goals.

"We need to keep our poise on our offensive attacks," Morett said.

"We need to get quality shots and make sure to make their goalie play the ball."

Senior goalie Megan Akstin is only giving up an average of one goal a game and has been aided defensively by second team All-Big Ten player Sara Cahill.

If the Lions win tomorrow they would play the winner of Maryland and Richmond at 2 p.m. Sunday in Maryland.

Morett, though, does not want her team to look ahead of its game against American and, as any other coach, wants her team to play, "one game at a time."

All week in practice, Morett has been telling her team the same thing about its upcoming opponents if it wants to succeed in the NCAA Championships.

"We always tell the team, it's not who you play, it's not where you play, it's how you play," she said.