Preparation for Saturday's matchup against Yale has been keeping men's soccer coach Rudy Fuller up late at night.
But strategy and scheming ahead of tomorrow's game at Yale don't have him tossing and turning in bed. It's the actual on-field practices that have Fuller burning the midnight oil.
The Quakers have been training on Franklin Field's turf in preparation for their trip to New Haven, Conn., and because of limited access, Fuller had to schedule practices that end as late as midnight.
"It's obviously in our best interest to be training on the field turf and we're fortunate enough to have a field like that on Franklin Field," Fuller said. "It's late for me - it's past my bedtime. But I think for these younger guys, it's fun."
Yale's Reese Stadium features the same Sprinturf as Penn's football home. Fuller wanted the Quakers (8-2-3, 2-1-0 Ivy) to properly prepare for the game situation just as they have before past games there.
"Turf is a lot quicker and there's no blemishes on the field, so it's going to be a pure soccer game," senior forward Omid Shokoufandeh said. "You're going to have to be able to show your skills on the field."
But the field may end up being the least of Penn's concern as the Bulldogs (5-6-2, 1-2-0) are playing their best soccer of the season. In the past 10 days, they dropped a game to defending Atlantic Coast Conference Champion Boston College on a buzzer-beating goal, trounced Cornell and tied No. 15 Connecticut.
Yale has been successful largely due to its strong defense that has allowed multiple goals only once since Sept. 14; junior goalkeeper Travis Chulick has 68 saves and six shutouts in 12 games. A stingy defense has been necessary, too, as the Bulldogs have failed to score in seven separate contests.
And the offense should continue to struggle against the Red and Blue's defensive unit, which appears to have regained its early-season form by shutting out Dartmouth, 1-0, last Saturday. It was senior goalkeeper Drew Healy's first blank slate since beginning the year on a seven-game shutout streak.
"We were all on the same page defensively and everyone was committed to the team effort," senior defender John Elicker said. "It's a mindset more than anything. If people can stay committed to the defensive effort, we'll have success."
Provided they do stay committed, a Quaker victory would give them much-needed momentum heading into next week's Homecoming matchup against No. 22 Brown. And if they don't win, it won't be because they didn't prepare.
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