For the Penn women’s soccer team , this season has been filled with ups and downs. And Saturday’s game at Yale proved to be no different.
The Quakers entered the game in New Haven with high hopes of redeeming themselves in Ivy League play after a disappointing start, but a late goal for Yale stifled their efforts, resulting in a 1-1 double-overtime draw.
Despite being unable to maintain possession of the ball for the majority of the game, the Red and the Blue (5-5-3, 1-3-2 Ivy) showed glimpses of offensive excellence.
In the 38th minute, freshman forward Juliana Provini displayed her fancy footwork and shooting skills when she sent the ball past Yale senior goalkeeper Elise Wilcox off a brilliant assist from junior midfielder Erin Mikolai , her fourth of the year.
Just when it looked like Provini, who has scored two game-winning goals this season, would be the hero again, Yale (6-4-3, 1-1-3) evened the score in the 74th minute off senior forward Melissa Gavin ’s beautiful volley, impressively shot with her back to the goal over the leaping junior goalkeeper Kalijah Terilli .
Nevertheless, the Quakers still had their chances to win the game. Two corner kicks in the last minute of regulation seemed promising, but the Quakers were unable to capitalize on their set pieces.
With a 1-1 tie after 90 minutes, the game at Reese Stadium headed to overtime, which consisted of two sudden-death 10-minute periods.
As tiredness and weary legs began to set in, the play became sloppier than either team would have liked. Back and forth kicks around the midfield made the game more akin to pinball than to soccer.
However, the intensity and heart for both teams was evident until the very last second. Both the Quakers and Bulldogs came painfully close to victory in the closing minutes of the game, with Mikolai launching a shot off the crossbar and Provini also missing a shot high for Penn. The Bulldogs too almost won the game in the final five seconds, but Terilli beautifully blocked a shot as time expired.
Although they did not claim the victory, Penn has still not lost a game at Reese Stadium since 2004.
The Quakers will lace up again on Tuesday night at Lehigh with the hopes of winning their final non-conference game.
