Penn men's soccer coach Rudy Fuller guided his team into the nation's top 25 without even stepping on the field. Now he will rely on his playmakers to help keep them there.
The National Soccer Coaches Association of America national rankings released Sept. 8, saw the Quakers move up to No. 25 before they have played their first game.
"That was a bit surprising," Fuller said. "I think it goes to show you that rankings don't mean that much at this point of the season."
Fuller will depend on returning an offense that features his top three point-scorers from last year in juniors David Maier and Stephen Kroculick and sophomore John Rhodes.
"I would be expecting us to score more goals, there's no doubt about it," Fuller said. "I think with a year more experience under their belts, I would expect that the guys who have been on the field for us to be more comfortable and create more chances and finish them off."
Maier led the Ivy League champs last year with four goals and 11 total points and received All-Ivy Honorable Mention. The junior also was named a Philadelphia Soccer 7 All-Star.
"Dave is a really crafty guy with the ball," Fuller said. "He's got a lot of skill, and has the ability to open up a defense on his own, while also looking out for the guys making dangerous runs and slipping passes to teammates."
"Dave is, I think, the most offensively talented player on the team, in terms of his foot-skill and talent," Rhodes said.
Kroculick netted four goals including three game-winners in his sophomore year. In addition to winning the Quakers' Offensive MVP award, he was named a Philadelphia Soccer 7 All-Star and to the All-Ivy second team.
"Steve has turned into quite a finisher, he makes good hard runs," Fuller said. "He's a handful for defenders and he has a nose for the goal."
Maier echoed his coach's sentiments.
"Steve is a very tough player, very strong," he said. "His strength would probably be to hold off defenders and create a shot."
Rhodes is coming off a solid freshman campaign, which included three goals and two assists playing offensive center midfielder. This season, Fuller has decided to move the Philadelphia Soccer 7 freshman of the year upfield to the forward position.
"John has a knack for creating chances. He's really good at spinning guys," Fuller said. "He's a strong guy; he's competitive, and he too has a nose for the goal and just finds himself in front of the net quite often."
Given the experience of the returning offensive players and the confidence in their defense -- which includes Ivy League Player of the Year senior goalkeeper Matt Haefner -- the Quakers will look for more offensive opportunities as they shift to a 3-5-2 formation, as opposed to last year's 4-4-2. The move gives Penn an extra midfielder and one fewer defender.
"I'd just like the offense to be a lot more dangerous, now that we've shifted to a 3-5-2, that should allow us to attack more and be a more offensive-oriented team," Maier said.
"I feel like last year we were a bit defensive and maybe sometimes tentative in terms of pushing it out of counterattacks. I think this year with a 3-5-2 it will allow us to counter more, maybe get a few more chances during the flow of the game."
While Fuller does not give much credence to Penn's ascent into the top 25, he is glad to have the offensive players that can help the Quakers stay there.
