A view from the net: Delving into Penn women’s soccer's ‘D’

The Penn women’s soccer team looked to rebound from a tough loss to Harvard earlier in the weekend against Lehigh at Rhodes Field Sunday afternoon. Penn’s defense has been a fortress all season, allowing just four goals in seven games before facing the Mountain Hawks, so I followed junior goalkeeper Katherine Myhre for the entire match Sunday to find out just what makes the Red and Blue defense so impenetrable.

First minute: Katherine Myhre takes her place in the back of the net, ready to help the Quakers rebound from a loss in their Ivy opener to Harvard.

4’: Lehigh’s offense is struggling to settle into the attacking half of the field, thanks to a smothering Penn defense.

8’: Myhre has to deal with the first shot of the game but is easily saves it.

12’: Defense has stepped up when needed so far, leaving Myhre as a spectator at this point.

24’: Myhre gets more time to rest as offense dominates time of possession and keeps Lehigh out of attacking half.

31’: A Murphee Greeley cross hits junior Danielle Salans’ head and tucks right into the bottom right corner of the net. Myhre is just out of reach of the header. Lehigh takes a 1-0 lead.

36’: A nice Lehigh shot is easily saved by Myhre.

39’: Despite Myhre’s relatively easy day, she remains focused on the game, organizing her defense and putting herself in position to make saves.

Halftime: Penn has outplayed Lehigh for the most part, but the offense has failed to capitalize and so Lehigh’s lead remains 1-0.

57’: Myhre has spent maybe five minutes combined so far inside her box.

62’: Freshman midfielder Tahirih Nesmith averts disaster by stopping a Lehigh fastbreak just outside the box.

55’: Sophomore defender Jazmyne Simmons stops another Lehigh run just outside the right edge of the box before a cross could enter.

71’: Penn’s defense has been on lockdown mode so far, leading to easy shots for Myhre to handle.

76’: Myhre celebrates the Quakers’ game-tying goal quickly, then refocuses on the match.

86’: Most of Myhre’s work for the past 15 minutes has been keeping the sun out of her face.

90’: A last-minute putback goal by Lehigh is negated by a close offside call. Lehigh forwards try to argue with officials, but to no avail.

First overtime

95’: Myhre is visibly upset after Penn struggles to score on back-to-back close shots.

99’: Myhre gets more time to rest as Penn refuses to allow Lehigh to advance into attacking half.

Second overtime

107’: Myhre knocks away across in the box, but has nasty collision with Lehigh forward. She still gets up quickly.

109’: Myhre tries to give the offense a last-ditch effort to win the game. She is clearly upset after Penn misses two close shots at the end of the second overtime.

End of overtimes: Both teams have battled to a 1-1 draw.

Penn’s defense showed why the team has given up just five goals this season – the one-loss Quakers leave little for Myhre to do. When needed, she is there to step up, but if all she is doing for long stretches is shading her eyes from the sun, that’s a positive sign for Penn as it prepares for the bulk of its Ivy conference slate.

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