Here are the top Penn athletes to watch over fall break

Away for fall break? Too busy to watch all of the games happening across Penn Athletics? Here’s a list of the key players to keep an eye on during fall break. 

Kitty Qu, junior goalkeeper, women's soccer

It has been more than 380 minutes since goalkeeper Kitty Qu last allowed a goal. That streak — which has lasted more than four full games — along with her overall play this season has been one of the driving forces behind the Quakers' successful start to the season. Qu, only in her junior year, leads the Red and Blue in all-time career solo shutouts with 16. She is currently tied for No. 9 in the NCAA with a .906 save percentage on the season — allowing just three goals through nine full contests. 

Beyond the numbers, Qu has grown into more of leadership role this season. She directs Penn’s strong back wall of defenders and puts her body on the line every game, repeatedly making critical saves. This Friday, the Quakers will be facing a Columbia team that is averaging 1.5 goals per game this season. In order to stay unbeaten in Ivy League play, Kitty Qu will need to continue her excellent season and put together another great effort. 

Brandon Bartel, junior midfielder, men's soccer

While the Penn women’s team has had success in keeping other teams out of its own net, Penn men's soccer team has had recent struggles in producing goals. Six of the Quakers seven games this season have gone to overtime, with all but one entering overtime with a score of 0-0.

Playing in all 715 minutes of action, junior midfielder Brandon Bartel has paced the team in minutes for the second season in a row. Despite the team's struggles to get shots on net, Bartel has been able to get shots off in bunches, producing a shot on goal in five straight matches. Bartel, who has taken 22 percent of the team's shots on goal this season, will play a major factor in breaking past the stout Columbia defense this weekend. Columbia’s defense is averaging just .75 goals allowed per game. Bartel and the rest of the offense will need to find success and escape their early season lulls in order to win this game.

Alexa Schneck, junior defender, field hockey

Currently ranked No. 20 in the country in RPI, Penn field hockey is off to a quality start against excellent opponents despite the graduation of the possible best player in program history, Alexa Hoover. Penn has not been great offensively so far, but due to the stellar play of junior Alexa Schneck, Penn is sitting at .500 despite playing one of the nations hardest schedules. The Red and Blue have already faced six top-20 opponents in the first ten games of the season.

Coming off a weekend in which she recorded a season high in both shots and goals, Schneck has now scored in the both of the team's last two matches. With 11 points on the season, almost double the next highest Penn player, senior forward Rachel Mirkin, who has six points, Schneck has been the driving force behind the Red and Blue’s attack. However, after suffering their first Ivy League loss of the season this past weekend against No. 12 Harvard, it will be up to Schneck to get the team back in the win column against Dartmouth on Saturday.