After trips to rural Pennsylvania and upstate New York, the men's soccer team is finally ready to play at Rhodes Field.
The team's opponents won't be traveling far, though, as Penn will take on Saint Joseph's and Duquesne this weekend in the Penn Soccer Classic.
"I think we're all excited to finally be home, here, opening on our field after what seems like forever," senior captain Dan Cepero said.
"It's a big boost," forward Ryan Tracy said. "We practice on Rhodes every day, so we know the environment, and it's good to have some home fans."
The Quakers host a pair of Atlantic 10 opponents who pose different challenges. Friday will be Penn's first Philadelphia Soccer Seven game, and although St. Joe's sports an 0-5 record, the game has real meaning.
"You know a bunch of these guys from playing them over the last three years," Cepero said. "So to be the best in Philly . it's bragging rights."
The Quakers won the city series last year, and it's clear that the games against their neighbors are always on their radar.
"One of our goals is to be the best in the city," coach Rudy Fuller said. "The games have definitely taken on a special tone."
While Duquesne isn't a Soccer Seven school, it may produce a stiffer challenge on the pitch than St. Joe's. The Dukes, 3-1-1 on the year, won a share of the regular season A-10 title last year before bowing out in the semifinals of the conference tournament.
Still, Fuller said that Penn would take a similar approach to both teams.
"We told our guys today: Our approach doesn't change depending on the opponent," he said. "As long as we come out and take care of our side of it, we have a good chance to be successful."
Fuller noted that staying focused was critical, particularly during a home opener that could be rife with distractions.
"You always want to play at home, but playing at home there are also more distractions," Fuller said. "You're in your own house with your buddies and your girlfriends and your classes. So we have less control over environment, and it's a greater challenge."
On the pitch, Penn continued to work on its defense in practice this week. In an area that has seen steady improvement, Fuller felt there was still work to be done.
"Even with the weekend we had, there were still some things defensively that we needed to tighten up," he said. "We put in a little time working on those things this week, and hopefully we'll see some improvements this weekend."
