Finding the silver lining: The highlights of 2012

Even amid a tough season, Penn soccer had some great moments in 2012. Check out our countdown below.

3. Penn picks up first win against Fairleigh Dickinson

When recollecting the top moments from the men’s soccer season, their first win is the natural first stop. Then-goalkeeper Max Kurtzman came into that Sept. 21 weekend ranked second in the country in saves-per-game with seven, and it was his work that sealed a 3-2 victory against Fairleigh Dickinson. Kurtzman made 10 saves on the day with his last being his biggest. Holding on to a tight lead, he laid out to save a laser from Dickinson’s Nico Wright to put the game away.

2. Baker explodes against Rider

Much of the trouble that the Quakers faced last season revolved around shots simply not falling in the back of the net. That issue held Stephen Baker back more than anyone on the roster, but he exploded on Sept. 23 against Rider at the Princeton Invitational, a day after the Quakers had picked up their first win of the season against Fairleigh Dickinson. He unleashed on the Broncs, scoring four goals on seven shots in the Red and Blue’s second win of the year, a 7-2 rout.

“We kind of sat down as a team after starting 0-6 and just said, ‘Guys, this is embarrassing, we’re a lot better of a team than this,’” Baker said after the win. “We made some changes mentally … and we realized that if we’re going to make a run, we need to start working harder.”

1. Penn ends the season on a high note by beating Harvard

The Quakers’ huge second half against the Crimson allowed the Red and Blue to end their season on a high note. After the two teams traded goals within the first three minutes of play, Penn broke out after halftime. In the 53rd minute, Sam Engs headed in a lob pass from 12 yards out following a corner to put Penn up by one. A little more than 10 minutes later, Travis Cantrell, in his last game as a Quaker, nailed the ball into the back of the net following nice passing between Sam Engs and Duke Lacroix. Cantrell, the sole senior on the squad, went out on top in a 3-1 win.

“There are a lot of people that would have folded over the course of the season,” coach Rudy Fuller said after the contest. “And [Cantrell] continued to put forth a good effort each and every day.

SEE ALSO

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Penn dynamic duo all set to strike

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Penn soccer learns from ‘summer school’

Three’s company for set of ascending sophomores

Ivy outlook: Penn men’s soccer looking up at Bears and Big Red

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