Last weekend in Hanover, N.H., the Penn women’s soccer team needed just one goal to defeat Dartmouth. But they never managed to put any points on the board, and the game ended a 0-0 tie.
This Saturday in New Haven, Conn., the Quakers found the goal they were looking for.
A goal from senior midfielder Sarah Friedman in the 43rd minute was enough to lift Penn over Yale, 1-0. With the win, the Quakers (7-6-1, 3-1-1 Ivy) stay in the hunt for the Ivy League title, now tied for first with Columbia.
Penn’s defense was, throughout the game, stifling. As a result, the Bulldogs (6-8-1, 1-4-0) struggled to create chances. Yale’s Becky Brown, the reigning Ivy League Player of the Year, was held to just one shot on goal.
“We talk about defending with pride, and defending wins games,” said Penn coach Darren Ambrose.
Friedman’s goal was the product of brilliant individual play. After receiving the ball on the right flank, Friedman faked a cross near the touchline with her right foot. Bringing it back onto her left, she beat a Yale defender and dribbled to the corner of the six-yard box. From there, she unleashed a curling left foot shot that beat the Yale goalkeeper and slipped inside the far post.
That goal proved to be all the offense the Quakers would need.
“We worked as hard as we possibly could [in practice] … It was a really big team effort and everyone worked really hard,” Friedman said.
