PHILADELPHIA - The University of Pennsylvania men's soccer team suffered its first Ivy League loss Saturday evening, dropping a 1-0 decision to Dartmouth on Rhodes Field. The Quakers are now 1-1-1 in conference play.

PENN NEWS AND NOTES
*Ben Stitz led the Quakers with four shots on the night, including two on goal in 81 minutes of play.

*The Penn backline did a good job of helping keeper Dane Jacomen most of the night, as the Quaker goalie only faced two shots on goal.

*Penn dominated corner kicks, 8-1.

*The one goal allowed by Penn to Dartmouth is the best defensive performance the Quakers have mustered against the Big Green since 2015.

HOW IT HAPPENED
Neither team featured a shot attempt in the early going, with each side jockeying for position in the midfield. Kai Lammers showed promise in spurring the Penn offense, sending a beautiful ball into the box in the ninth minute, but the Quakers were unable to get a touch.
 
Penn's first shot came in the 17th off a corner kick from Bartel found a home on the head of Ben Stitz, who redirected it on goal but into the hands of the keeper.
 
Dartmouth would seize control of the possession game soon after, putting the Quakers on their back foot and peppering in probing opportunities. The Penn defense would hold strong, relying on a clutch blocked shot from RC Williams in the 22nd to avert crisis.
 
With substitutions entering for either side play leveled out with the whistle for halftime sending both teams off the field tied at zero.
 
Penn looked strong in the opening moments of the second half but things quickly turned sour for the Quakers as Dartmouth would take the lead in the 55^th minute on a goal from Tiger Graham.
 
The Quakers would string together some strong play on offense in the 10 minutes following with two-straight corner kicks, and a blocked shot attempt from Amado Lozano. Penn had two golden chances in the late stages, first on a cross that bounced off the Dartmouth keeper and onto the body of Stitz, who couldn't generate enough power to get it past the Big Green on a second try. Alex Touche had a good look at a header in the 87th but sailed it wide. 

Altogether, Penn generated eight shots in the second half compared to only two in the first, but Dartmouth's goal against the run of play was enough to secure the win.
 
WHAT'S NEXT?
The Quakers conclude non-conference action with a shot to finish first in the Philadelphia Soccer Six, facing Drexel on Tuesday, Oct. 22 at 6 p.m.