Penn takes on Penn St., Akron

The Penn men's soccer team journeys to State College, Pa., for two games. In order to be the best, you've got to beat the best. That's what the Penn men's soccer team had in mind when it accepted invitations to prestigious tournaments with successful teams on the national level. This weekend, the Quakers will compete at the Penn State Nike Classic in State College, Pa., with Penn State, Akron and Army. Tonight, the Red and Blue (2-1) will square off against Penn State (3-4-1) at Jeffrey Field in the second game of the doubleheader, set to start at 7:30. "The intent of playing in these national tournaments is to challenge our players," Penn coach George O'Neill said. "Playing in big tournaments like this with better opposition is the only way that players know that they can get better. Just because our players go to an Ivy League school doesn't mean they can't be and beat the best in the nation." Penn State, a former perennial top-20 team, slipped well below its regular win total in 1996 due to several injuries to key players. The Nittany Lions, however, return several players for 1997, and the Quakers are one of the easier opponents on the schedule. Earlier this season, the Nittany Lions upset 17th-ranked William & Mary before losing to No. 4 Duke the next night. The return of team captain Travis Berger, an All-Big Ten selection in 1994 and 1995 who sat out last year, has already boosted the team, as he leads them in scoring this season. The Quakers look to capitalize on Penn State's recent woes. Before Tuesday's victory over Lafayette, Penn State had dropped four in a row. The Quakers are looking to rebound from a crushing defeat as well, a defeat that stifled their climb up the rankings. "I think Penn is just one step away from being at that top level," Penn State coach Barry Gorman said. "Once they establish themselves on the national stage, they'll get there." On Saturday at 5 p.m., the Quakers will play their second game in 24 hours. The Red and Blue will square off against Akron (5-3), another team trying to climb up the rankings and establish themselves. "It's a fact that they are going to be fatigued," O'Neill said. "But all four teams are playing [tonight] and then we all have to suit up and play [tomorrow], and we're all going to be tired." As members of the Mid-Atlantic Conference, the Zips have competed against such teams as Virginia and Kentucky, and look at their two games against Penn and Army as their opportunity to shine in the spotlight. "We are going to make the most of this opportunity," Akron coach Ken Lolla said. "Playing these games against established programs will do wonders for our program." Last Sunday, the Quakers were unable to generate much offense or create many opportunities in the 1-0 loss to Dartmouth. O'Neill isn't ready to change his offensive scheme just yet. He is just looking for better execution from his players. "Against Dartmouth, when we got the ball, we didn't make good passes from the back to the middle, nor did we make wise passes from the middle to the front," O'Neill said. "It will have to be crisper." Next weekend, Penn will participate in the Hartwick tournament, along with Virginia Commonwealth University. VCU, currently ranked in the top 10, will be the toughest foe yet for the Quakers, who are looking to return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1971. "To get to that top level, it's going to take consistency, and a whole lot of scoring goals," O'Neill said, "but we need to play these teams to see where we fit in."