For the Penn men's soccer team, the defense has not rested much this season. In fact, it has had plenty of work to do.
During the Penn Soccer Classic, coach Rudy Fuller's three-man backline was under near-constant pressure and he switched to a four-back formation after losses to Lehigh and Villanova.
And defenders have scored three of the Quakers'(2-2-2) six goals this season.
But Fuller believes that the team's level and method of goal-scoring are "a bit misleading."
"We've created a bunch of chances and even [Monday against La Salle], with what little soccer was played, we had a number of quality chances that the keeper either came up big or we hit right at the keeper," he said. "So I think I'd be more concerned if we weren't creating those chances -- but we are, so I think we keep plugging away."
"Now that's not to say that our front six don't need to do a bit better on the finishing," he added.
Penn traveled to La Salle and battled to a 1-1 tie on Monday. Freshman defender Andy Howard scored the Quakers' only goal, slotting home a set-piece service.
Sophomore defender Erik Violante, who has scored twice this season -- both from the penalty spot -- did not play against the Explorers because of a leg injury, but he also believes that things will get better soon.
"The forwards are starting to gel a little bit better and the offensive players are coming together a little bit more to create creative runs and things like that," he said. "I think we're going through a little dry period, and maybe a little luck in scoring a goal will maybe break through everything."
In particular, Violante believes that classmates Jon Abelson, Richard Brushett and John Rhodes -- who moved from midfield to forward this year -- are poised to break out of their slumps.
"It's not [Rhodes'] natural position so he's having a little trouble," Violante said. "Once he puts his first in, I think the rest will start flowing."
Both Fuller and Violante believe that things will start to turn around when Penn faces Cornell to open the Ivy League season on Saturday at Rhodes Field.
"This week was a challenging week for us," Fuller said. "We knew it going in, and coming out of those two road games in the city with a win and a draw, we're satisfied with that."
Violante feels that the Big Red will play a more open game than La Salle. The Explorers' defensive style and difficult playing surface flustered the Quakers, to the point that Fuller after the match called the contest "an embarrassment and disgrace to the game."
"There was not much soccer played," he added after the game. The field was strewn with rocks and dirt as the La Salle men's soccer team shares the facility with the school's football team.
"Against La Salle when you made a pass, the ball would bounce up in the air," Violante said. But he believes that Saturday's game will be different.
Cornell and Penn "both look to do things similarly, we both play the same style of soccer -- a possession game," he said. "When it's like that, it's easier because the opposing team isn't restricted to defense, they don't close down into a little nutshell."
