Coaches are fond of saying that defense wins championships. Naturally, it wins some games along the way, too.
Last night against American, Penn supported the old adage, providing a backbone of play that allowed the Quakers to add one more win to its season total.
As has been a concern in the past, Penn's offense had trouble early on in the game converting breakaway opportunities into on goal shots.
Senior midfielder Derek Hobson said he was "a little surprised by the way [American] came out. We were expecting to play to feet more and less long balls. . We just had to adjust to that, which we did a pretty good job of, winning 50-50 balls."
Though the Penn offense had a number of opportunities off of corner kicks, up until the very last minute of the first half the offense could not finish a drive on goal.
In games like this, it is the defense that keeps a team in contention for a victory.
American proved to be a tough opponent with its fast offensive touches, and Penn's defense had its work cut out for it.
But an experienced Penn defensive backfield led by seniors Jeff Livingston and Keith Vereb was able to hold off the Eagles. Penn allowed just one goal in a game that, for the first half, was played mostly on its own defensive end.
But Quakers coach Rudy Fuller emphasized that last night the midfield was "really where the game was being won and lost, on first and second balls."
Experience proved crucial in that battle.
"We have an experienced team," Fuller said. "Maybe they would not have figured that out until halftime a year or two ago. The guys really turned around in the midst of the first half."
Livingston and Vereb were able to anchor Penn's backfield, holding off the American offense and buying time for their own offense.
Fuller summed it up: "You gotta win those individual battles in the midfield and then when we get it we've got to continue to be dangerous on the attack."
Last night, it proved to be the winning formula.
