Box Score (PDF)

PHILADELPHIA - Two goals and a clean sheet proved to be the recipe for success for the University of Pennsylvania men's soccer team, as the Quakers took down 2016 Sweet 16 participant SIUE 2-0 on Sunday night for their first win of the season. Joe Swenson and Jake Kohlbrenner tallied goals for the Red and Blue, while Etan Mabourakh corralled nine saves to stave off the Cougars.

QUOTABLE
"Winning does a lot. More than anything, you're talking about the intangible side of it: confidence, belief and work rate. I think this gives the guys a good bounce heading into a really difficult week of games in the city." - Rudy Fuller

KEY MOMENTS
*The opening moments of the game featured little to no action, as both teams took time to gain momentum in the midfield. The first shot of the game came from senior captain Austin Kuhn in the 11th minute. 

*Penn's first goal came from Swenson at the 15-minute mark, as the senior found himself in front of a deflected ball from Sam Wancowicz in the six-yard box. Swenson took his time, evaded a defender, and calmy struck a left-footed rocket into the far left post to put the Quakers on top.

*The field continued to tilt in Penn's direction following the first score, as Kuhn and Wancowicz each notched another shot each before SIUE's first strike in the 20th minute.

*The Quakers doubled their advantage in the 27th minute, as the rookie Kohlbrenner found ball on the right side of the field from a throw-in. The New York native drove into the top corner of the box and hammered home a goal into the far left post past the Cougar goalie, making it 2-0.

*Penn entered the break with a 7-4 lead in shots, while SIUE failed to send a shot on goal in the first 45 minutes.

*Wes Maki nearly made it 3-0 Penn in the 55th minute, taking a beautiful ball from Jerel Blades and sending it just high of the cross bar.

*The Cougars amped up the pressure near the finale of the contest, beginning with about 15 minutes left. A handful of free kicks helped to restart the SIUE offense, while the visitors began to send a barrage of shots towards the Penn defense. 

*In the final 10 minutes alone, the Quakers faced 11 shots and six corner kicks, but held strong. Mabourakh made save after miraculous save, oftentimes having to block two-to-three shots in a row after deflections. When the final whistle blew, Penn held on to its 2-0 shutout.

PENN NOTES
*Penn's win was the first of the season for the Quakers and the first against SIUE. 

*Mabourakh boasted nine saves on the night, one shy of his career-best 10. The shutout was the third of his career and first of the season.

*Swenson now owns two goals on the year, leading the team with four points. The goal for Kohlbrenner was the first of his career after earning the starting nod for the first time.

*Wancowicz and Erumuse Momoh continued their string of consecutive minutes played, as each has been on the pitch for all 450 possible minutes of game action this season.

WHAT'S NEXT?
Next up, the Quakers head to La Salle for their second road game of the season and first Philadelphia Soccer Six contest of the year. Kickoff is slated for Wednesday, Sept. 20 at 7 p.m. at McCarthy Stadium.