After appearing in net 46 times in his four-year career, Penn senior Matt Haefner will man his position between the posts for the last time in the red and blue tomorrow, as the Penn men's soccer team travels to Harvard.
The experienced goalkeeper has certainly left his stamp on the Penn men's soccer program. During his career, the Quakers have won their first Ivy League championship in 22 years and their first NCAA College Cup match in 29 years.
These team accomplishments were achieved last season as Haefner garnered Ivy League Player of the Year honors for his outstanding play as Penn's netminder. During his breakout junior season, Haefner posted 10 shutouts and was named a third-team All-American.
Penn's goalkeeper has mixed feelings surrounding his last time in net for the Quakers.
"I want to have it be my freshman year and start all over," he said. "But at the same point for me, it's good to maybe move on and tend to some stuff down the road that I'm trying to do with soccer, too."
Despite what future playing plans Haefner is considering, the Amherst, N.Y., native is looking to take full advantage of his final appearance for the Quakers (5-9-2, 1-5 Ivy) against the Crimson (8-5-3, 2-3-1).
"It's just a big game to come out with a 'W' in the last game of our season," Haefner said. "We want to show well."
After a season that has not met the expectations that resulted from winning the Ivy title in 2002, the rest of the Quakers are looking forward to using the Harvard game as a stepping stone for next year.
"It's been a tough season, but to go up there and get a win would be a nice way to end it," junior forward Stephen Kroculick said. "It would make us feel like we started the spring season off on the right foot.
"We have a lot to look forward to next year. We've got a lot of guys returning, pretty much the core of the team is still there, so it's a lot to build off."
The game is the season finale for both squads as Brown has already clinched the Ivy League crown and an automatic bid to the College Cup.
Junior defender Erik Hallenbeck pointed out that the game provides a unique opportunity for a soccer team to end their season with a win.
Most conferences organize an end-of-the-season tournament to decide the conference champ, while the Ivy League champion is decided by the regular season standings.
With Haefner as the only senior starter leaving the program, the Quakers view the Harvard game as an opportunity to build for next year.
"Winning on Saturday would be huge for next year," Hallenbeck said. We want to "end the season on a good note, on a winning note, and carry that momentum forward."
