The overtime loss to Ohio University at the end of August was a blessing in disguise for the Penn State field hockey team (4-2).

The No. 7 Nittany Lions came out flat with no real desire or intensity. The passing was mediocre, and there were only individuals playing instead of a cohesive unit.

What a difference almost three weeks has made.

On the field, the team looks sharper, and the interaction between players is much smoother. The loss to Ohio was the team's last, and it hopes it will stay that way.

The Lions will look to extend their four-game winning streak with a pair of games this weekend. Penn State will first host the Lafayette Leopards (0-3) tonight at AstroTurf Field at 6. The weekend will conclude with a trip to West Chester (1-6) Sunday.

Coming into this weekend's action, the Lions are only averaging a little over two goals a game. The offensive production has been a bit lackluster this season, and as a result, a strong emphasis has been placed on goal scoring during practice.

"The goals for this weekend's games is for us to take care of the ball inside our 25 attacking area, so we make the most of the opportunities when we enter into the 25," Penn State coach Char Morett said. "Just playing more consistent in our possession game."

At Tuesday's practice, assistant coach Lisa Bervinchak-Love, a former Penn State All-American in field hockey, spent an hour with the offensive line. According to Morett, the objective was to have the players concentrate on specific responsibilities. The players are confident that this weekend could be the one where the floodgates open for the Penn State attack.

"For the offense, they've just kind of learned to shoot whenever they can," senior co-captain Carey Maser said. "It doesn't matter where you are, if you have the perfect shot you just have to get it on goal. Hopefully, they'll be lighting it up all day this weekend."

On the other side of the field, the defense will look to work on its aggressiveness and one-on-one battles, according to Morett. Senior back Chase Bacon will not play this weekend but is expected to return to the line-up next week. Bacon was hit in the face with a stick against Lock Haven two weeks ago.

Her absence has opened the door for freshmen Laura Cahill and Bethany Marvel to shine for the Penn State defense. With more people getting playing time, the line-up will be much deeper in the future, according to Morett.

With all the specific work that has been done on offense and defense, the weekend looks promising. Even though both weekend opponents have losing records, the Lions will no longer have a losing mentality. After the loss to Ohio in the beginning of the season, Penn State has acknowledged its errors and is looking to capitalize on its opportunities to dominate each game.

"We learned a tough lesson against Ohio," Morett said. "We can't take a competitor for granted. One of the things we say as a team is that it's really about us, and trying to get our game back on track. With each game, it's about getting our game to a higher level."