Weekend Wrap
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SHAREIn what was a sophomore weekend for most teams, Penn was all over the map in more ways than one. The men's soccer team traveled to the West Coast to take on Cal Poly and UCSB, fighting a good fight but ultimately falling by a margin of two to both teams. Back here in Philly, women's soccer came out on top with two victories against Drexel and St. Joseph's. Meanwhile, a stone's throw away, the cross country teams were starting the year off right with solid performances in the Big 5 Meet at Beaumont Plateau. Both volleyball and field hockey had their own ups and downs this weekend, finishing the weekend with split records, while sprint football fell 35-12 to Army. For all the details and full recaps, here's this week's Weekend Wrap:
Women's Soccer
Coming off a successful shutout opening weekend, Penn women's soccer was looking to keep up its exceptional record - and that's exactly what it did. But the back-to-back 1-0 victories didn't come easily this weekend. Friday's match against Drexel went deep into 108 minutes. There were shaky plays, missed opportunities, and three failed free kick attempts during regulation play before senior captain Kerry Scalora was able to send a free kick sailing into the upper right 90 corner to win the game in overtime. On Sunday, the team did a total 180, outshooting St. Joseph's 14-1 and scoring the only goal of the game late in the first half.
Defense is key as Penn women's soccer stays undefeated
Men's Soccer
Things didn't go as well for the men. Despite putting up good fights against their West Coast opponents, the Quakers fell to Cal Poly and UCSB at the hands of two late goals in each game. Friday night, against a Cal Poly squad that had a victory over No. 6 UCLA in its belt, the Red and Blue kept the Mustangs at bay, allowing only one goal in the first 80 minutes of play while scoring two themselves. With a 2-1 lead, Penn missed a breakaway shot just before Cal Poly came back with shots in the 81st and 86th minutes to leave the scoreboard at a final 3-2. A couple of days later, the Quakers found themselves in a stalemate 1-1 tie against UCSB at the end of the first overtime. A dramatic shot off the head of Gauchos junior Charlie Miller ended the sudden-death overtime and the Quakers' weekend campaign in California.
Penn men's soccer drops two straight on late goals
Volleyball
After a rough start to the season, Penn volleyball set out to make a comeback in the Crowne Plaza Philadelphia West Penn Invitational this weekend. With three tough matches lined up and key players out of the roster, the Quakers held it together to come away with two victories, putting them back on the right track. Things did not look good Saturday night at the Palestra when the team fell 3-0 to American. But that all changed on Sunday when the Red and Blue defeated not only Temple but also Weber State with matching scores of 3-2. Senior captain Kristin Etterbeek - the sole captain on the court this weekend - carried the team to victory with 16 kills and 13 digs.
Quakers finish weekend with chins up
Field HockeyThe Quakers exploded into the weekend with a 5-2 victory over St. Joseph's, netting three goals in the first 10 minutes of play. Junior Emily Corcoran hit one first, just one minute into the game, followed by two goals against just as many goalies from freshman Jasmine Cole. But the fizz fell flat on Sunday against Bucknell. Freshman Elise Tilton, who has scored in every game this season, started the Red and Blue on the right path with a goal at the beginning of the second half, but it would be the Quakers' only goal of the game. Bucknell's man-to-man pressure proved too much for Penn and they fell, 2-1.
Bright spots in weekend split for field hockey
Sprint FootballIn their first official game of the season, the Quakers were no match for defending CSFL champs Army. The Black Knights shut the Red and Blue down with 298 yards from quarterback James Wartski and a strong defense in the second half. Yet, Penn managed to pull off some big plays from junior quarterback Keith Braccia, who surpassed junior running back Mike Beamish in total yards and rushing yards during the game, and freshman linebacker Robert Diorio, who notched 10 solo tackles and a sack for an eight-yard loss. Ultimately, the Quakers could not hold their own at West Point, leaving a final score of 35-12 on the field.
Army dismisses Penn sprint football, 35-12
Cross CountryThe men and women of Penn started off their seasons on the right foot in the Big 5 Meet on familiar ground at Beaumont Plateau. A short 6K to ease into the season, the meet was designed for the Philadelphia coaches to monitor their teams' fitness levels. The plan was to keep it simple, running in packs for the first few loops and breaking to test for fitness toward the end. Keeping in line with their strategy, the Quakers came out on top, freshman Cleo Whiting finishing third overall on the women's side and junior John Trueman stepping out in front for the men.