In 2023, first-seeded Penn men’s soccer was upset in the semifinals of the Ivy League tournament. Coming into this season, expectations were high with an experienced roster and team that had made a close run at the National Championship the previous year. The Quakers delivered, going undefeated in Ivy play and securing their third-straight Ivy League regular season title, but facing Princeton in the Ivy League Tournament Finals, they could not escape a repeated fate.
In a heartbreaking end to the Quakers’ 11-game undefeated streak at Rhode’s Field, they fell to No. 3 Princeton 3-1. Despite this loss, Penn sought to push forward and entered the NCAA Division One Tournament with an at-large sixth seed bid, which granted them a first-round bye.
Looking to defend Rhode’s Field in the single-elimination tournament and make a run at the championship, they faced off against the University of Massachusetts Amherst. In a shocking 1-0 upset, the Quakers' season ended. The game saw a scoreless first half with strong defensive efforts from Penn, but after a quick goal from the Minutemen in the second half, the Quakers were unable to recover.
This series of games was a tragic end for the seniors who had been with the team since their breakout season in 2022, but the season did not end without an impressive resume, including two defeats over then-nationally ranked teams and Penn’s third straight Ivy League regular season championship.
Read about the rest of The Daily Pennsylvanian Sports' End of the Year Awards for the 2024-25 season here.
