FAIRFAX, Va. - Not even Drew Healy could get to this one.
With Penn and George Mason deadlocked at 0-0 early in the second half of their NCAA men's soccer tournament first-round match, the Patriots' Eber Martinez took a pass from just outside the Quakers box and drilled the ball into the upper 90.
Frozen by the surprise and power of the shot, Healy was late to jump and had to watch as it sailed past his outstretched arms. It was the eventual game-winner, as Penn was knocked out of the tournament, 1-0.
"I didn't see it until late on, then all of a sudden it's in the top-shelf," Healy said.
"There isn't a keeper in the world who would've gotten to that one," Quakers coach Rudy Fuller said in defense of Healy, the senior keeper who posted a Penn-record 11 shutouts this season.
Early in the game, though, it was all back and forth, as the Patriots (14-6-2) came out of the box attacking with strength and athleticism. Forwards Axel Levry and Irvin Martinez (brother of Eber) used fancy footwork and superior stop-start speed to create space for runs through the middle and crosses into the box.
The approach on the other half of the field was more controlled. Penn utilized midfielder Alex Grendi with feeds to the corner, but the Patriots stuffed several attempted crosses and a pretty baseline run.
In the 28th minute, though, the Quakers got their best chance when a Patriots' handball set the Quakers (11-3-4, 5-1-1 Ivy) up for a penalty shot.
But George Mason had the scouting report on Omid Shokoufandeh, who tends to shoot right and nailed his only other PK attempt this season. To the Patriots' surprise, he shot low and to the left but right into the gloves of a diving Sean Kelley.
"My assistant coach gave me a good scouting report before the game . but when [Shokoufandeh] lined up, I thought he was going to go the other way," Kelley said. "I just got a good jump on it."
Kelley appeared to come off his line a bit early - possibly throwing off the shooter - but there was no call by the official.
"I started my movement and changed my mind," a choked up Shokoufandeh said. "One rule about taking a PK is you don't change your mind."
Five minutes later, the tables turned. With the ball inside Penn's box, Lee Rubenstein caught a ricochet off his glove to give the Patriots a free shot.
But it was déj… v— all over again when Irvin Martinez lined up for the PK. Martinez nailed a bullet to the right, but Healy dove to his left to swallow the shot.
"To be honest with you, I know our sideline was pumped when he made the save - I didn't even blink an eye," coach Rudy Fuller said.
The first half finished scoreless, and both teams huddled for warmth in their tents.
The urgency set in in the last 15 minutes for the Quakers. Shokoufandeh broke into the box several times with the clock dwindling, but had two rips blocked by the defense and keeper and another scoot just wide of the post in the final minute.
When it was all over, even Healy had come out of the box to aid on the offensive end, but Penn fell just short.
George Mason will face No. 2 Maryland tomorrow, while the Quakers finished with their most wins since 2002.
