According to Penn men's soccer coach Rudy Fuller, every game his team has played this season should be treated as a cup championship.
This weekend's game will be no different.
The Quakers will try to keep their perfect Ivy League record intact against Columbia on Saturday at 11 a.m.
The Red and Blue (6-2, 2-0 Ivy League) are coming off a tough 1-0 double-overtime loss last week to Lehigh and are looking to regain their momentum heading into the core of their Ivy League season.
Similarly, the Lions (6-2, 1-0-1) are in need of a victory, having tied Brown last weekend.
As their nearly identical records suggest, Columbia and Penn are neck-and-neck in the league rankings and the outcome of this game will be significant in the final Ivy League rankings.
Currently, Penn stands in first place, as they are the only undefeated, untied team in the league. Columbia is second.
However, the teams are parallel in more than just their records. Each boasts a strong offensive line, but it is the defenses that are winning the games.
"It will be a hard-fought, fairly even game," Fuller said. "It will probably be decided by one goal."
In order to score this one goal and hold off the Lions' offense, the Quakers are going to try and keep the ball on their side of the field and to dominate the game physically.
"We cannot allow them to come forward with the ball," Penn sophomore David Maier said. "We need to keep them locked in."
It may be tough, however, to keep Columbia sophomore Thorsteinn Gestsson in check. Gestsson -- an import from Iceland -- has scored six goals this season and along with fellow Icelandic freshman Einar Bendeiksson, leads an offense that proves dangerous to defending goalies.
Completing the Lions' foreign frontline is Tommy McMenemy. The junior from Southampton, England, has scored five goals this season.
"They are a dangerous team on attack," Fuller said. "They have some guys we have to watch out for."
In the net, starting Columbia goalie sophomore Dean Arnaoutakis holds a 0.76 goals against average, allowing only five goals in as many games.
To counter the strong goalkeeping of Arnaoutakis, the Quakers have been concentrating on specific plays and working to create goal scoring situations.
"We think we can create the goals, especially on the corner kicks," Maier said.
Due to a cancellation of last Saturday's game against Philadelphia U. due to the weather, the Quakers have not taken to the field for a game in ten days.
Fuller, however, thinks this might be an advantage for the Quakers.
"We've been able to get fresh, well rested and healthy," he said. "That's a great place to be at this point in the season."
The players agree and see this game as an opportunity to show their strength and prove themselves to the rest of the league.
"It's our home Ivy League opener," Maier said. "Everyone's ready to play."
