As sophomore Mike Klein streaked down the right side of the box in the 105th minute, feelings of deja vu started to set in.
Only one year ago at Columbia, he had buried a game-winning goal in overtime to end a most physical and hard-fought match.
But Saturday at Rhodes Field was different. Klein blasted his shot just inches outside of the right post to punctuate a game of missed opportunities for the men's soccer team and all but ensure a frustrating draw with the Lions.
However, in what had been a game dominated by the Quakers, it was only a matter of time before they capitalized. And for the Red and Blue, the second 10-minute overtime period gave the team just enough time to secure a 1-0 win. The victory was the Quakers' seventh of the year, propelling them to a 3-0 Ivy record (7-2-1 overall) and keeping them atop the tables.
In the 107th minute, sophomore Omid Shokoufandeh quickly worked his way into Columbia's zone and slipped the ball to the right side of the box, finding Kevin Unger in almost the same spot from which Klein had missed just moments before. With goalie Alex Maffeo scrambling to the right post, Unger struck the ball into the lower left corner of the net.
The golden goal sent the fans and players into a frenzy, as Unger's teammates mobbed him on the sideline in front of the bleachers.
"There's not a better feeling than right now," Klein said after the game.
The Lions came out of the gates roaring, controlling much of the play early in the game and surprising the more-skilled Quakers. Columbia (5-5-1, 0-2-1) used its size and speed to play a physical game, winning a lot of balls at midfield and converting defensive stops into well-orchestrated runs.
And even after Penn stepped up its intensity in the second half, the Lions had their fair share of close calls as well, marked by a powerful shot in the 77th minute that ricocheted off the crossbar and was barely cleared out of the zone.
Still, senior captain Dan Cepero shined in goal, recording four saves and breaking up several crucial corner kicks en route to his fifth shutout of the season.
He was a bit surprised, though, by how hard Columbia fought.
"I'll give them credit: We didn't expect them to come out flying like they did," Cepero said. "They busted their tails for the better part of the game, and they definitely took it to us in the first half."
Aside from the euphoria that accompanied the exciting win for the Quakers, the victory served a much larger purpose: The undefeated Penn team now finds itself alone atop the standings, with only four games left in league play.
The win could provide the spark that the Quakers need to take on the remaining opponents, including second-place Brown.
"It's definitely a momentum boost," Cepero said. "To pull one out here, in the Ivy League - it's huge. We're really on a high right now."
