Brief | Penn soccer gets first Ivy victory in final game

On Saturday, Penn men’s soccer picked up its first Ivy win of the year, defeating Harvard at Rhodes Field, 3-1. In doing so, the Quakers (3-13, 1-6 Ivy) avoided finishing in the cellar of the Ivy League, a status they relegated to the Crimson (3-11-3, 0-6-1) instead.

But only 122 seconds in, it didn’t seem that would be the case.

The last stand of the season had barely started and the Quakers, facing the prospect of losing every Ivy match for the first time since the league formed, already trailed Harvard, 1-0. Quakers fans lining the bleachers of Rhodes Field might have thought at least their hopes would be dashed with a quick blow.

Those fans didn’t have much time to think. Just 51 seconds later, sophomore Kamar Saint-Louis found the equalizer for his first career goal.

Going into the weekend, the Red and Blue hadn’t won since Sept. 23. Saturday was over a month in the making, and allowed the Quakers to end a tough season on a positive note.

The win was also a product of a true team effort. The defense stepped up, allowing only one goal for just the third time this season. Three different players scored the three goals. And goalkeeper Tyler Kinn turned away Harvard on a breakaway late in the game to deny the Crimson any momentum.

One constant in the team’s effort all season was Travis Cantrell. The senior assisted Penn’s first two goals and scored the third. He finished the season with eight goals and four assists for 20 points, a team high.

Although the final whistle clinched Penn’s first Ivy League victory of the season, it also signaled the last time Cantrell would represent the Quakers.

SEE ALSO:

Bagherzadeh | Quakers don’t have to start at square one

Penn men’s soccer’s second-half woes continue in final road test

For Penn soccer’s Kurtzman, the wins will come

Men’s soccer shut out by No. 11 Brown

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