Men's Soccer takes on Engineers

At the beginning of the season, Penn men's soccer coach Rudy Fuller had one goal -- to reach the NCAA College Cup.

The Quakers came a step closer to that goal yesterday when they broke into the top-25 of the National Soccer Coaches Assoction of America poll.

Penn (6-1 overall, 2-0 Ivy League) is ranked 21st in the nation, tied with University of Virginia, a feat that could help them earn a coveted at-large tournament bid.

However, the new ranking will be in jeopardy today, as the Red and Blue face Lehigh in what promises to be a hotly contested game between the two teams.

The Quakers boast a six-game winning streak and are coming off of a pivotal Ivy League win, shutting out Dartmouth, 1-0.

The Engineers (7-4-1) hold a five-game winning streak of their own, including a huge win last week over then-No. 18 Duke.

The Quakers know that this is not a game to take lightly.

"There really isn't a weak link in their lineup," Fuller said. "It's a very capable team."

A capable team that knows how to both display individual skill and also play as a cohesive unit.

"They are very organized defensively," Penn coach Rudy Fuller said. "They have some players that can break you down on your own. They're very talented players individually."

Lehigh senior co-captain Evan Bruno leads the Engineers' attack. He has scored five goals -- scoring on 11.6 percent of his shot attempts -- and has totalled 16 points so far this season.

"He is a very good attacking player," Fuller said. "He's scored a lot of goals for them, he has the overwhelming number of their shots taken."

Also on the attack for Lehigh will be co-captain Dan Perciballi. The center midfielder has three goals, connecting on more than 18 percent of his shot attempts.

"Perciballi is a very talented center midfielder that we have to make sure we take care of," Fuller said.

The Quakers are entering the game looking for vengeance against Lehigh. The last time the two teams faced off, the Engineers pulled out a 3-2 victory with 10 seconds left in double overtime.

"It's a big game," Fuller said.

The pursuit of revenge, combined with their recent victories, give the Quakers the confidence and the desire they will need to come out on top in today's game.

"The group is very confident right now," Fuller said. "They're very confident in their ability to win games and they're very comfortable with one another, it's a very tight group. So, it's put us in position to do some good things."

The Red and Blue hope for good things both today and on Saturday when they face Philadelphia University.

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