M. Soccer faces former Final Four participant, Princeton

Do not let the bad record fool you. When the Penn men's soccer team travels to Princeton tomorrow, the Quakers will be taking on a national powerhouse. A year ago, Tiger soccer (6-6-1, 2-3 Ivy League) was nearly unbeatable, finishing in the Final Four. But now, that seems like ancient history. This season, Penn (5-7, 2-3) and Princeton are tied for fifth place in the Ivy League. With most of the major contributors from the 1993 squad lost to graduation, Princeton has a very young team. The Quakers know the Tigers are better than they appear. Most of Princeton's non-Ivy foes are ranked in the nation's top 20. Tiger losses came against North Carolina and Virginia. Princeton was also able to battle Maryland to an overtime tie. The Quakers have had tough contests against less lofty opponents, like the local schools of the Soccer Seven. "We've got to come out ready to play," Penn senior midfielder Brian Brown said. "There's still some motivation to get us up for the game. Everyone's got to be focused or it could get ugly fast." To keep it from getting ugly, Penn will have to score goals, a problem that has plagued the Quakers all season. Pat Larco, who earned a red card for his tough defensive play in Wednesday's contest, has to sit out this game. Without him, Penn will look to its midfielders. And Larco is not the only Quaker who may miss the contest. The Penn defenders may have their hands full with Princeton's balanced offense. With sophomore Alan Waxman recovering from a thigh contusion, juniors Matt Stern and Gregg Sexton will be called upon to step up. The Tigers are led by two junior forwards, Jesse Marsch and Jacob Dowden, with 10 and seven goals, respectively. "We have to concentrate and be mentally prepared," Brown said. "We have to play tough defense and track them with our men."