M. Soccer boots No. 11 team

Going into yesterday's Penn-Seton Hall men's soccer game, few people would have predicted the Quakers would win.

Penn was 0-2 on the season, with losses to Lehigh and Lafayette -- a pair of average opponents.

Seton Hall, on the other hand, was ranked No. 11 in the nation.

But even the rain that poured down in South Orange, N.J., could not drench Penn's spirits.

The Quakers, who have not played since Sept. 9, were more than anxious to get back out on the field -- and it showed, as Penn came away with a 3-2 upset victory on the road.

"We were ready to play at the opening whistle," Penn coach Rudy Fuller said. "We were focused on what we needed to do. They weren't particularly good at the start and we got on top of them early and got command of the game."

Junior midfielder William Libby led the Quakers attack against the Pirates.

Libby recorded the first goal of the game 36 minutes in, giving the Quakers a 1-0 lead at halftime.

"Billy did what we expect him to do," Fuller said. "He came off the bench and gave us a good spark with his goal."

The Quakers continued on the offensive, as Penn midfielder Alex Maasry blocked Pirates goalkeeper Efren Aguirre's attempt to clear the ball out of the backfield. The ball was deflected into Seton Hall's net at the 49:19 mark, giving the Red and Blue a two-goal lead.

Led by its midfield, primarily freshman Chris Fisher and sophomore Louis Lazar, Penn continued its attack.

Libby charged the ball down the left side of the box and took a shot on Aguirre. The Pirates' goalkeeper was unable to hold on to the ball, and senior tri-captain Sam Chamovitz was there to knock the rebound in at the 60-minute mark, putting the Quakers up 3-0.

But Seton Hall charged back, unwilling to lose the game without a fight.

Pirates sophomore Ingo Dittel hit a solid shot into the lower right corner of Penn's goal at 64:53.

As the rain began to fall even harder, Seton Hall kept up the pressure. Pirates junior Phil Swenda drilled a shot past Penn goalie Matt Haefner at the 73:51 mark, putting Seton Hall within one.

"The first 60 minutes or so, it was a pretty good soccer game," Fuller said. "The last 35 minutes, the field became unplayable. It just became a battle."

But the Quakers were too determined to let another win slip out of their rain-drenched hands. They managed to hold on to the lead for the last, soaking-wet 15 minutes of the game.

The win is a major ego boost for Penn, a team determined to show that this season is going to be different from seasons past.

"This win feels excellent," Chamovitz said. "Its about time that we actually put our best effort forward.... I think it has definitely increased our confidence."

By bumping off the 11th-best team in the nation, Penn has proved that it is not only capable of winning, but also working through adversity. The Quakers won without the help of starting keeper Jeff Groeber, who tore his MCL last week in practice.

Haefner stepped in and made four saves against the Pirates' strong offensive attack.

"We have to bring that effort every time," Penn senior tri-captain Evan Anderson said. "[We must] use [this game] as an example of what we can do when we play well."

Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.