M. Soccer looks to do damage

Man is told to let sleeping dogs lie. Well, how about bulldogs? The Quakers won't even attempt to walk on that fine line, instead they plan on running all over the Bulldogs of Yale when their men's soccer teams face off tomorrow morning in scenic New Haven (11 a.m.). The two teams are both desperately trying to reverse losing trends, as they have combined for a 4-9 record in the month of October. Penn (1-3 Ivy League, 5-6 overall), however, is riding the momentum of its first Ivy League victory – an impressive 1-0 win over then-No. 19 Brown – while Yale (3-2, 5-8) has dropped its last three games, the most recent a 3-0 loss at Vermont. "This is a chance for our guys to do some damage in the Ivy League," Penn assistant coach Brian Kammersgaard said. "I think that we're in a groove now. The kids deserved to win against Brown, and we match up very well with Yale." This is a crucial challenge for the Quakers, as they need to continue to notch wins to salvage the season. The team's win against Brown will serve as fuel for the Quakers' final stretch which includes games versus Seton Hall, Princeton, and Dartmouth. "We've got to come out like we did against Brown," Penn senior forward Kossouth Bradford said. "That is to come out in the first few minutes and not be intimidated – to play aggressively and get some confidence." Yale's season, much like Penn's, has taken a nosedive over the past month. After building a solid 4-3 record, with wins against Ivy rivals Brown and Dartmouth, the Bulldogs have lost five of their last six games, their lone win coming against Harvard – a 2-1 victory on October 15. Yale, coached by Steve Griggs, has been sparked by senior forward Charley Marshall, who leads the team with 14 points, and junior forward Marc Bonta with nine points. The defense will feature highly-sought-after freshman fullback Dwight Angelini, and sophomore Adam Sullins is expected to start in goal for the Bulldogs. Penn will counter with its newly-shuffled defensive alignment, which has seen junior Mike Leo and sophomore Greg Sexton trade places – Leo moving into the sweeper position, with Sexton switching to a more marker-oriented defenseman. Also, senior captain Mike Gomez has joined the defense in a similar role as Sexton, leaving his midfielder position. This is in an attempt to utilize Gomez's quickness and toughness towards staying with the opponents' runners, something the Quakers have had trouble doing. "We have been playing well at times, but just stabbing ourselves in the foot and giving away goals," Penn coach George O'Neill said. "Our confidence level went down the tubes after losing to American and Lafayette." O'Neill made the change against Brown, the result being a stellar defensive performance, with sophomore goalie Andrew Kralik making 10 saves en route to the Quakers' first shutout of the season. The coaching staff expects that altering the lineup will cut down on opponents' scoring opportunities through better coverage of opposing strikers. "When you come to a new team, it takes awhile to find the best spot for everybody to play," Kammersgaard said. "I think that George [O'Neill] has done a marvelous job in doing just that. It worked against Brown, and if we beat Yale we're going to be pretty dangerous the rest of the way."