With 30 minutes left and the women’s soccer team down 2-0 against a ferocious Yale squad Saturday, the Quakers were awarded the first of four critical cards that severely inhibited their chances of pulling out a come from behind victory.
As the stakes are raised in Ivy League matchups, emotions run deep as the games give way to highly physical play. So with two League opponents remaining on Penn’s schedule, the team must retain its composure.
After assistant coach Pete Pososki was awarded a yellow card for challenging a controversial call, head coach Darren Ambrose drew another card six seconds later in protest.
Although these fits of passion often play a positive role in inspiring the team, they can also have disastrous consequences.
Unfortunately for the Quakers, the latter was the case. Six minutes later, Ivy League leading scorer Jessica Fuccello was assessed a pair of yellow cards within a two-minute span and was ejected from the contest.
The senior’s early exit was a huge blow to Penn’s chances for a comeback.
After junior Sarah Friedman put Penn on the scoreboard with a goal in the 81st minute, it had several opportunities to even the score, and Fuccello would have been just the right player to have on the field.
“Ivy games can definitely get emotional as apparent in the Yale game,” junior Marissa Schoen said. “When emotions get high we need to stay positive, stay focused mentally.”
Penn’s first Ivy win of the season against Cornell featured a combined 37 fouls. In the second half, Cornell appeared visibly frazzled and was awarded three yellow cards — including one to their coach — and the Penn defense took advantage, blanking the Big Red down the stretch.
After the game, the players praised their coaches for keeping their emotions in check and keeping the team focused.
Mental toughness will be necessary in the team’s final two games as it hopes to climb out of sixth place in the Ivies.
“It’s been a long season,” Schoen said. “We need to stay mentally strong and really show that we are a good team even though our [Ivy] record doesn’t show it.”
