Freshmen played starring roles in the Penn men's soccer team's 2-1 victory over Lehigh yesterday afternoon. Three rookies started the contest -- Greg Kroll in the midfield, and Steve Cohen and Austin Root at the goal-producing forward spots. "We're under a lot of pressure," Root said. "We have to score goals." Root managed to overcome the pressure in admirable fashion. With 9:51 remaining in the first half, Root was in traffic on the left side of the goal. He took a pass from co-captain Steve Marcinkiewicz and drove it past Lehigh goalkeeper Nick DiCello for his first collegiate goal. "The freshmen got a chance to get themselves bloodied," Penn coach George O'Neill said. "They did a good job. Hopefully they will continue to improve." Up to five Penn freshmen got to play at one time, with remarkable results. Midfielder Ralph Maier proved himself as the team's new speedster, managing to keep ahead of the Engineers (2-5-1) all day. While Cohen did not contribute to the score, he still made his presence felt on the offensive end. "A lot of Steve Cohen's work goes unnoticed," O'Neill said. "He worked so hard trying to make space for other players." Lehigh's tying goal was a controversial one. Penn keeper Andrew Kralik was pulled out of the net to field an Engineers shot. A poorly aimed Penn header later, and the ball was in the Quakers' net. Kralik was credited with five saves in the game, and he also contributed several acrobatic defensive plays. "We finally clicked," Root said. "The team came together for once. The win gets us going." The Quakers have had a see-saw season. Cohesiveness has been the key to their success, and lack of communication has spelled failure. Yesterday Penn (2-3-1) was able to keep possession of the ball and put its much-practiced plans into effect on the field. "We played smart ball," Root said. "We brought the whole team up as one." While the Quakers may have adapted to their new offensive scheme, the Penn defenders were in a physical battle with Lehigh all afternoon. The Quakers committed 21 fouls, but no yellow cards were issued. The Penn backfield seemed to be missing junior Alan Waxman, who sat out the game with back spasms. The game also marked the return of senior David Choi from knee surgery. Penn's game-winning goal at 48 minutes was a team effort. Off feeds from Maier, Cohen and junior Max Engelhart, Marcinkiewicz chipped the ball past DiCello into the right corner of the net. It was the third straight game with a goal for this week's co-Soccer Seven Player of the Week. "Somebody has to take control," Marcinkiewicz said. "I'm glad to be able to do it." After a disastrous first week, Penn's veteran leadership has begun to assert itself. But it may be the rookies who take the biggest steps.
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