AMBLER, Pa. -- For a few moments yesterday, freshmen Michael Klein and Kevin Unger were back in high school again.
Doing what they have likely done several times before, the former high school teammates hooked up on a goal to lift their team to victory in the closing minutes of the game. This time, however, the beneficiary was not Marquette University High School, where they previously formed the scoring tandem.
Instead, the play sent the Penn men's soccer team on its way to a win in the season opener at Temple. The goal, scored in the 79th minute by Klein and assisted by Unger, was all the Quakers needed to close out the game 1-0.
"We played a combination in the middle and I kept running after a couple guys played the ball through," Klein said of the build up to his game-winner. "Then Kevin got it and played the ball first time. I kind of spun on my guy, hit a shot, and it deflected off his foot and went in."
Klein and Unger are members of a freshman class unlike any other in recent history for the Quakers. The group of 10, along with transfer Keith Vereb, were ranked 30th in the nation by Collegesoccernews.com. Now, with the loss of nine seniors, the newcomers find themselves playing an especially active role on the Red and Blue squad.
"This is obviously a very large class, they're very talented," senior defender Erik Violante said. "Through preseason, they've integrated really well into the team, they've worked very hard. They're one of the most talented freshman classes that we've seen since we've been here."
What better chance to prove themselves than yesterday, their first game with the team? Klein and Unger certainly showed off their poise and chemistry in combining for the score, as did other freshmen in starting and substituting roles. Still, Penn coach Rudy Fuller knows they have a good deal of improving to do.
"I think they did well," Fuller said of the freshmen. "I thought they came out and they made some freshman mistakes early but I think they battled through it and came through, obviously, with Michael Klein getting the goal. But I thought all of them, for their first game at the college level, did OK. They'll continue to improve."
For much of the game, it looked like the two teams might battle to a 0-0 draw. In the first half, offense proved hard to come by. Neither team looked particularly dangerous, as the only shots that were taken either screamed by well clear of the crossbar or floated harmlessly into the the keeper's hands.
The Quakers, however, came out after the break with increased poise and aggressiveness, threatening the Owls' goal on many occasions. Sophomore midfielder Derek Hobson almost broke through on a cross from senior forward Richard Brushett, but could not connect on the volley and sent the ball arching over the goal.
Off a corner kick, the ball fell at Unger's feet just outside the penalty box. The freshman drilled it one-time, forcing a solid save from Temple goalkeeper Bryant Hosler.
Despite the Quakers' renewed efforts, the win seemed to be slipping away with time winding down at the end of the second frame. That is, until Klein sent the Owls packing with the deciding goal in his season debut.
The win holds a special place for the seniors.
"Our senior class has never won the first game of the season, so we wanted to make a point of that during preseason," senior co-captain Jon Abelson said. "We really wanted to come out and start the season off on the right foot. So that's very important to us."
Fuller saw other encouraging signs in yesterday's opener.
"You have to like the fact that we got the shutout because in the first half, it was a bit choppy," Fuller said. "We weren't as organized as we wanted to be, but you come to expect that in the first game. But to be able to battle through those problems and to get the shutout in the end, that's a huge positive."
Despite the early-season kinks and the, at times, shaky play, Abelson is encouraged by the way the Penn managed to turn the game around and get the win.
"We are so talented that if everyone is just on the same page and we keep the ball moving, no one is going to be able to defend that."
Villanova will find out first hand if Abelson is correct when it squares off against the Quakers this Friday at Rhodes Field at 2:30pm.
PENN 0 1 -- 1Temple 0 0 -- 0
Scoring: 2nd Half -- 1, PENN, Klein 1, 79th.
