Coming off three straight defeats and toiling in the Ivy League cellar, Penn men’s soccer needed some big performances Saturday against Yale if it wanted any shot at running the table for an Ivy League title.
It just so happened that two freshmen were the ones to deliver, each achieving impressive firsts to spark the team to victory.
Freshman goalkeeper Garon Smith recorded his first collegiate shutout, while forward Travis Cantrell tallied his first goal in Red and Blue late in the second half, which proved the difference in Penn’s 1-0 defeat of the Bulldogs at Rhodes Field.
In a game marked by rainy weather, swampy field conditions, and extremely physical play, the Quakers (5-6-3, 1-2-1 Ivy) felt fortunate to squeak out the victory at home against a solid Yale squad (4-7-3, 1-3-0).
“Both teams were hungry for a win,” Penn coach Rudy Fuller said. “Everything was coming down to it looking like a one-goal game, and we’re happy to be the team that got that goal.”
For much of the contest it seemed like that elusive goal would never come. The Red and Blue were outshooting the Bulldogs 6-2 by halftime, and they created some very promising scoring chances. In one instance, senior midfielder Alex Takakuwa watched his shot beat the diving keeper, only to see it deflect off the right post.
However, some bad breaks coupled with a few great stops by Yale goalie Travis Chulick kept the Penn offense at bay.
“We were upset at the half,” Fuller said. “We felt like we squandered some golden opportunities to get on the board. We put ourselves in a predicament where the game still hung in the balance and we wanted to come out in the second half and raise it to another level.”
As the second period dragged on and conditions worsened, it seemed increasingly likely that the contest was headed into overtime. However, with 22 minutes remaining, Penn sent a corner kick in toward a sea of white and blue jerseys. Quakers midfielder Kevin Unger attempted to send a one-timer at the net, but his shot was blocked by the Yale defense. Luckily for Penn, the ball fell right at the feet of Cantrell, who was able to send home the only score of the contest.
The fact that Cantrell’s goal stood as the game winner was due in large part to the outstanding play of Smith, who frustrated the Bulldogs’ offense all day for an impressive shutout. He made numerous diving plays, and tallied four saves in what was his third career game.
“Our defense did a fabulous job,” Smith said. “None of the shots [Yale] got were very clean. It feels great if the ball is constantly in the offensive third.”
The Quakers travel to Providence, R.I., next Sunday to take on Ivy League-leading Brown.
“We need to keep this positive momentum going,” Smith said. “We can beat any team on any day, as long as we bring our competitive nature.”
