Men's Soccer to put win streak on line today

When two teams come into a game riding on the momentum of a big win, it can mean only one thing: one of those teams is poised to take a fall.

The Penn men's soccer team hopes to snap Georgetown's five-game winning streak today when it faces the Hoyas on Rhodes Field.

Georgetown (6-8) is coming off of a season-defining win against then-No. 13 Notre Dame. The Hoyas upset the Fighting Irish 3-2 last week, scoring the final goal with only 24 seconds left in the game.

"They're obviously back on track and feeling good about themselves," Penn coach Rudy Fuller said. "So, it's going to be a challenge for us."

But Penn (9-2) comes into the game with momentum of its own. The Quakers strengthened their hold on the top spot in the Ivy League last weekend with a 2-1 win over Yale.

"I think we certainly feel good about any game we're playing right now," Fuller said. "I think the biggest thing is that this team understands the hard work that's necessary to be successful and to win games."

Penn has also recently moved up in the national rankings to the No. 22 position.

Although the new ranking may be an honor, the Quakers view it as little more.

"It's a well-deserved honor, but unfortunately nothing comes out of it," Fuller said. "You get it for the first time, but now you look at the important things. You concentrate on opponents, and the ranking doesn't get you any goals; the ranking doesn't win any games for you."

Georgetown has already defeated two top-25 schools this season and is looking to add another victim to its list.

And with outstanding players across the field, the Hoyas' goal may be a reality.

"They've got quality in their line-up," Fuller said of the Hoyas. "They've just got talented kids at just about every spot on the field."

Leading the Hoyas in scoring is freshman forward Kemmons Feldman. Feldman, a forward from Eden Prairie, Minn., has scored six goals this season and is just one of a number of freshmen who compile Georgetown's lethal attack.

But Penn is ready to face the onslaught.

Despite recent injuries that will force a change in the line-up, the Quakers' offense is gearing up to take control of the game early.

"We're just trying to possess the ball," Penn midfielder John Rhodes said. "We want to play the game."

Fuller expects his team to play this game to the fullest of its ability.

"They've been pretty consistent with how they approach games," he commented. "I expect them to come out the same way tomorrow."

In addition to being an important opportunity to add a win to the Quakers' record, this game is momentous for Penn, as it can make national headwaves with yet another big win.

However, this game will feature a rivalry between the coaching staffs whose roots run far deeper than an ephemeral burst of national respect. Penn's leading man, Fuller is by all means a product of Georgetown. He played there in as an undergraduate for four years, before coaching the Hoyas' for five seasons.

Across the field, Georgetown's assistant coach Jonathan Pascale used to coach at Penn. Though Pascale graduated from American University in 1998, he was quick to make his mark upon becoming an assistant at Penn that same year.

Pascale is the founder and former Director of the Junior Quakers' Soccer Camp.

Add in the fact that Penn has never won a game against Georgetown -- the Quakers dropped the teams' first-ever meeting last season, 2-1 -- and you've got the makings of what promises to be a great game between two top regional powers.

"It's never really said," Penn sophomore forward David Maier admitted. "But I guess you can really see that this is going to be an important game."

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