M. Soccer tames Lions in scoreless tie

Maybe the tone for the Penn men's soccer game against Columbia last Saturday was set when the announcer couldn't find the national anthem to play over the loudspeakers before the game. When the match actually started, neither the Quakers (1-7-1, 0-3-1 Ivy League) nor the Lions (3-3-2, 1-0-1) could find the back of the net. Quakers junior goalie Michael O'Connor, closing in on Mark Tepper's Penn record of 15 career shutouts, notched the 10th of his career Saturday on Rhodes Field. But Lions sophomore keeper Matt Hill matched him save for save, as the two Ivy foes played to a double-overtime 0-0 tie. "I'm disappointed that we didn't win because there was clear chances to win the game," Lions coach Dieter Ficken said. "But there's one thing about this game of soccer; if the ball doesn't go in, you can't win. And then you have to be satisfied that you don't lose." Once again, the Quakers offense could not get the breaks it sorely needed. Seven corner kicks and four free kicks from just outside the box were knocked aside by Hill and the Lions defense. Junior striker Reggie Brown and junior defenseman Ted Lehman led the Quakers with three shots apiece, but sophomore midfielder Henry Chen had the best chance of the afternoon. Off a feed from freshman striker Aaron Cohen, Chen hit both the crossbar and the inside of the left post with a shot during a mad scramble 90 seconds before the half. "I really give a lot of credit to the guys because they certainly don't let it affect them. They continue to go at it and they continue to give it their effort," Penn head coach Rudy Fuller said. "You can only say that one's going to come." Some of that effort turned into fouls as the afternoon wore on, limiting opportunities up front for both teams. The Lions earned two yellow cards and committed 29-of-59 total fouls on the day. "It was a little rough and tumble, and we were getting into some tough tackles," Brown said. "[Lions midfielder Chris Totman] was giving me some nicks here and there, and I was trying to return the nicks. He held me pretty tight." As frustrated as the Quakers were on offense, the Lions -- who had 10 goals in seven games coming in -- were even more so. This was due to the smart play of O'Connor in net and a very active defense led by junior Tom Hughes in front of him. In a two-minute span late in the first half, the Lions had two dangerous free kicks from just outside the box. Even though one clanged off the crossbar, O'Connor came away with two saves and the shutout intact. "I was sure it was in," Lions senior tri-captain and kick taker Greg Smalling said. "Even after the rebound, I thought we would've gotten it in." This first half, in particular, was telling of how Penn has evolved as a team. Whereas in the past they may have slipped up and found themselves in an early hole, the Quakers played one of their most complete games of the season. "Obviously we're not satisfied. We'd like to be on top of the game, but I think this is one of the best efforts I've seen on the year," O'Connor said. A late scare came in the 83rd minute, when a Quakers defender -- in an attempt to clear a cross -- accidentally headed the ball back toward the open Penn goal-mouth. But O'Connor's reflexes saved him, and he batted the ball over the net. The two overtime frames weren't quite as fast-paced as regulation due to fatigue and a rapidly decomposing field. Hearts stopped for both teams when Penn freshman striker Evan Anderson lofted a shot barely a foot over the top of an open Lions net with a minute to play in the second OT. Despite the Quakers' inability to net a goal for the past 381 minutes of play, the team did show marked improvement in its play. Unlike in recent losses to Harvard and Lafayette, the team was able to come out and dominate both sides of the ball early.

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