Some much-needed good news could be on the way for the injury-plagued Penn State women's soccer team.

According to head coach Paula Wilkins, there is a chance that freshman midfielder/defender Akilah Duggan and junior defender Denay Riley "may see action" at the Harvard Tournament this weekend.

"We possibly have some people coming back," Wilkins said yesterday.

"Obviously, we have to see how they perform in practice before we decide to have them play in games."

Both players had equally impressive starts to their seasons before suffering injuries that have kept them out of several games.

Duggan, who was the Nittany Lions' leading scorer through the first four games, sustained minor "bumps and bruises" in a 1-1 tie with Texas A&M on September 3.

She has not played in the last two games.

"You work hard to get better and hopefully you get a chance to play," Duggan said. "If I go in, I go in. If I don't, then I will support the team."

Meanwhile, Riley, who started 50 consecutive games before her injury, has missed four games after she was sidelined with a severely sprained ankle during a game against Tennessee on August 27.

Their returns to the line-up could mean a lot for the struggling Lions, who have just one win since the season opener.

And while both players bring athleticism and play-making ability to the field, their attitudes may be their biggest attributes.

"It's just a different feeling when they are on the field," senior midfielder Ali Krieger said.

"When they step out there, you're expecting them to do something great."

Krieger cited Penn State's season-opening win against then-No. 2 UCLA as an example of Akilah's impact.

Coming off the bench in her first collegiate game, Duggan took less than three minutes to find the back of the net and tally the first goal of her career.

The true freshman added her second against Texas just five days later.

With Duggan once again available, the Lions' lackluster offense may finally start to gel into the unstoppable force that it was during last year's Big Ten title run.

The defense will also strengthen with Riley's return. Her leadership qualities and her understanding of the game will be vital in the amount of pressure that Penn State's inexperienced goalkeepers face.

"I am really excited. I want to get back so bad," Riley said. "Hopefully, if all goes well, I can play this weekend and things will go back to normal."