Tomorrow's game against Princeton is a do-or-die situation for the Penn men's soccer team. The Ivy League match is the last chance the Quakers have to turn their season around and go out on a positive note for next year.
The Red and Blue (6-7-2, 2-2-1 Ivy) have not won a game in their last six contests, and have been beaten in their last five. The low point of the streak was a 4-0 drubbing on their home turf by visiting Brown.
One can't help but notice the contrast between the first half of the season and the second half. Before the skid, the Quakers found themselves sitting atop the league standings at 2-0, with a 6-2-1 record overall. Not as easy to trace are the reasons for the team's recent transformation.
"I don't think I can point to anything in particular, really, that can get us out of this slump," senior captain Erik Hallenbeck said. "I just think we need to have a game where we don't have any lapses, and just put a full game together.
"During this losing streak, I think a majority of the games we have played pretty well, but not for long enough stretches of the game."
Despite the losing streak, there have been some reasons for encouragement. Since its loss to Brown, Penn has shown signs of improvement.
On Wednesday, the Quakers traveled down to Washington to face a strong American team. The Red and Blue struck first, and played well on the whole, before conceding a tying goal and eventually losing in overtime, 2-1.
"I do know that our game [Wednesday] against American was a good game for us even though we lost," Penn coach Rudy Fuller said. "We played well for most of the game, and American did well to equalize it and go on to win in overtime."
If recent play is any indication that the team will pull out of its slump, now is the ideal time. The Quakers are not yet mathematically eliminated from the title chase, and their two remaining opponents are both above them in the Ivy standings.
Princeton (7-4-4, 2-1-2) is currently tied for second in the Ancient Eight. For the Quakers, a win would not only be the first step in revitalizing their season, it would also be a significant mental victory. The Tigers have beaten the Red and Blue in each of their last three contests.
"Princeton is the only Ivy League team that my senior class hasn't beaten since we've been here," Hallenbeck said. "So there would be nothing better than to beat them our senior year."
Not to be left unmentioned is the ever-important Penn-Princeton rivalry. Even in the unfavorable position in which it now finds itself, Penn needs no motivation to knock off Princeton.
"I think Penn and Princeton have a special rivalry," Fuller said. "It's one of the best rivalries in college sports, so I think our guys will be ready to go."
