It has been said that elite teams win even when they have a bad game.
Perhaps the Penn women's soccer team proved yesterday they belong in that elite group.
The Quakers rode freshman forward Rachelle Snyder's goal scored midway through the first half all the way through, shutting out La Salle, 1-0. Penn extended its shutout streak to three full games with the victory on the road.
The Red and Blue improved their record to 4-0-1, while the Explorers fell to 2-5.
La Salle mustered just four shots in the contest, with only one registering on goal. The Quakers held the Explorers without a shot in the second half, and Penn goaltender Vanessa Scotto's only test was on a breakaway that she came out and smothered.
Despite extending their shutout streak, the Quakers were not happy with their single-goal performance.
"We didn't play like we're capable of playing," Penn coach Darren Ambrose said. "We got away with one today."
The Quakers had trouble finishing against the Explorers. Two of their shots were cleared on the goal line by La Salle defenders, and a possible second-half goal was called back due to a handball. Penn registered 12 shots in all, nine of them on goal.
Freshman forward Katy Cross registered three shots, and Snyder, junior midfielder Jen Valentine and sophomore midfielder Heather Issing each had two.
Despite these chances, only Snyder was able to put the ball in the back of the net. Taking a corner kick, she curved the ball into the goal at the 24:57 mark of the first half. It was her fifth tally of the season, the first since her four-goal explosion against Delaware on Sept. 9.
"We've been working that play in practice for a while now, especially [Tuesday]," Ambrose said. "Rachelle was just able to hit a nice kick and convert it."
Despite the offensive struggles, the Red and Blue's defense stood strong once again. The Quakers have been scored on in only one contest, a 6-4 home win against Delaware in early September.
Since then, they've had just over 320 minutes of shutout soccer.
"The defense -- and the whole team -- is just playing so well," said Scotto, who has tended the net for the entire streak. "They're the ones who keep shutting out opponents. Everyone's really gelled well together and stepped it up a level."
Scotto may indeed be correct, as she has only faced eight shots on goal in the current three-game streak.
Another bright spot yesterday for the Quakers' defense was the play of senior Sarah Campbell. Campbell, who had been sidelined with an injury and has seen limited time this season, came on to play defense at the 60-minute mark.
"She was really a bonus to have out there on the field," Ambrose said. "She really helped us solidify the victory."
The Quakers are not surprised at their fast, undefeated start and their excellent defensive play.
"I'm not really surprised at the way we played at all," Cross said. "We're looking great in practice, and we're playing the same way in the games -- so why shouldn't we be undefeated?"
The Quakers will begin their Ivy League season against Dartmouth Saturday at 2:30 p.m. on Rhodes Field.
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