PHILADELPHIA - The opening of both the 2018 season and
Brian Gill era of University of Pennsylvania men's soccer ended on a high note Friday, with the Quakers walking away with a 3-2 overtime victory over the visiting Monmouth Hawks. It was a back-and-forth affair throughout, as Penn saw what was once a 2-0 lead vanish, before sealing the victory in extra time on a header from sophomore
Alex Touche.
PENN NOTES
*The Quakers won their season opener for the first time since a 2-0 win over Drexel in 2014.
*Penn's three goals are its most in a season-opening game since scoring six against Lehigh in 1984.
*
Jerel Blades led the team on the night with three points on a goal and an assist. The senior captain now boasts six goals and two assists for 14 career points.
*Both
Joey Bhangdia and
RC Williams recorded their first collegiate minutes after being sidelined with injury a year ago. Bhangdia scored the opening goal for the Quakers, in the second minute, while Williams played all 98 minutes and change for Penn.
*
Jake Kohlbrenner led the team with four shots, including two on goal. He finished the night with one point, assisting on the second score of the night for Penn.
*
Isaac McGinnis,
Ben Stitz,
Anthony Rovito and
Matt Leigh all earned minutes off the bench in the first game of their collegiate careers. All four took a shot in the game.
*Senior
Scott Forbes earned the win in goal, the fifth of his career, tying a career-high with six saves.
*The win is Penn's first overtime victory since a 2-1 win over Brown in 2016.
*Penn improves to 1-1 all-time against the Hawks, after dropping a 2-0 decision to Monmouth to start the year a season ago.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Quakers shot out of the gate quickly, earning their first goal in just 69 seconds as a blitzing Blades found Bhangdia in the box from the right side, who confidently finished into the left corner of the goal, giving Penn an early 1-0 lead.
Penn would continue its chances, posting shots from Kohlbrenner and Blades, before Monmouth recorded its first attack on goal in the 13th minute. A flurry of corner kicks would spell doom for the Hawks however, as
Brandon Bartel dropped a ball into the box in the 17th minute, finding the head of Touche, who sent it directly to the foot of Kohlbrenner. While the sophomore couldn't find the back of the net, the ball bounced off Monmouth right to Blades, who finished the job for the second score of the night for the Red and Blue.
The Hawks would then find their footing in the remainder of the first half, controlling the run of play before finding a goal off a corner kick from Ramon Bernad, drawing the score to 2-1. Monmouth continued to maintain possession before the whistle blew for the halftime break.
Penn looked to regain control of the game to open the second half, earning a pair of shots from Bartel and Bhangdia, but it was again the set piece that cursed the Quakers, as Monmouth struck again in the 64th minute. Michael Luke bent an impressive ball into the net from a corner kick, evening the contest at 2-2.
The Quakers proved to be the aggressors to end the game, searching to break the tie with shots from McGinnis,
Erumuse Momoh, Leigh, Touche and Rovito. A late flurry nearly sealed the win for the Red and Blue, as both Bartel and Kohlbrenner had decent looks in the waning minutes, but couldn't break through.
Reenergized heading into overtime, Penn held off a motivated attack from the Hawks, and found the opportunity it was looking for in the 98th minute. After a foul send Blades to the ground, Bartel set up shop in the center of the field. The junior captain arched the ball beautifully to the far post, finding the leaping head of 6-4 Touche for the game winner.
WHAT'S NEXT?
Penn continues its opening weekend of play with a Labor Day showdown vs. its University City neighbor, Drexel. The Battle for 33rd Street kicks off at 7 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 3 on Rhodes Field.
#FightOnPenn
