O'Connor's net play can't prevent loss to Big Green

Penn didn't score until 72nd minute,Penn didn't score until 72nd minute,when Stevens broke up the Big The Penn men's soccer team suffered a disappointing defeat against Dartmouth on Saturday, falling to the Big Green, 2-0. The loss leaves the Quakers (0-2) still searching for their first win of the season after two games. With neither team scoring in the first half, the situation looked hopeful for Penn. But 20 minutes, 52 seconds into the second half, Dartmouth's Augie Lopez fired a shot past freshman goalkeeper Michael O'Connor to give the Big Green a 1-0 advantage. Dartmouth (2-1-0) added an insurance goal with 9:22 remaining, ending the scoring for the day. "It was our second game and our first Ivy game and we were a little nervous because of that," O'Connor said. "Besides, we were Dartmouth's fourth game." Quakers coach George O'Neill felt his team played better on Saturday than it performed in its season opener against La Salle last Wednesday. "We had some opportunities," O'Neill said. "Dartmouth won the midfield battle, and that turned the game." The momentum shift came in the second half as the Quakers began to get fatigued. In the half, Dartmouth outshot the Quakers 10-7. "We got a little tired in the second half," Penn freshman Thomas Hughes said. Said junior midfielder Brian Copeland: "They wanted the ball more." Despite the loss, Penn had to be pleased with the performance of O'Connor, who recorded eight saves in the game. "Our freshman goalkeeper played very well," O' Neil said. Starting for the first time at the collegiate level, O'Connor admitted he was nervous before the game. "I was so excited. I didn't know I was starting until five minutes before the game, and I just wanted to go out and let the team feel confident in me," O'Connor said. The Quakers' offense produced 13 shots, but the sparking play of Big Green keeper Matt Streng prevented a Penn score. "We played really hard," O'Connor said. "We had a lot of opportunities. Some of our shots just missed." For Penn, coming off a disappointing 5-11-1 record last season, an 0-2 beginning is not the start the team was looking for. "A first goal and a first win will help the team take off," O' Neill said. O'Connor conceded that it may take some time before the team raises its game to where he thinks it should be. "We're coming together," O'Connor said. "It will take a while. We're building for the future."