PHILADELPHIA – Back in the win column, the University of Pennsylvania women's soccer team begins its stretch run on Saturday when Yale comes to Rhodes Field.
Penn readies for the weekend riding a two-match win streak after securing shutout victories over Dartmouth and Delaware State this week. The Quakers, with the 1-0 triumph over the Big Green, are fifth in the Ivy League standings with six points but remain just one game out of second place.
Ivy League on ESPN
You will be able to find all Penn home women's soccer matches, as well as road Ivy matches, on ESPN+ this fall with the same high broadcast quality you used to get from the Ivy League Network. ESPN+ is a new, subscription-based service that offers monthly ($4.99) and yearly ($49.99) plans. Go to plus.espn.com to subscribe, or go to ivyleague.com to find more information.
MATCH DAY 14 – Penn (8-4-1, 2-2 Ivy League) vs. Yale (10-3, 3-1 Ivy League)
Saturday, Oct. 26 | 4 p.m. | Rhodes Field | Live Stats | ESPN+
Series Information
Yale leads 12-11-6 | Last meeting: 2018, Penn 2-1
Penn is still rebounding from losing the first seven matches of the all-time series with Yale but since 1997, the Quakers are 11-5-6 against the Bulldogs. Furthermore, Penn hasn't lost to Yale since 2009 and has snatched all three points in seven of those nine contests since its last loss.
Last year was a hectic matchup in New Haven as the Quakers hunted its first Ivy League championship since 2010. After entering the halftime break deadlocked in a scoreless battle, Emily Sands scored in the 49th minute for the game's first goal. The Bulldogs leveled the match at 1-1 in the 65th minute and then Sands found the winner less than 10 minutes before the final buzzer for the Quakers' fifth win on the trot and 10th straight without a loss.
Rolling At Rhodes
Over the last two years, Penn has dominated at Rhodes Field. This season, the Quakers boast a 6-1-1 mark, matching their record from 2018 and have racked up four clean sheets in eight games, including last weekend's 1-0 win over Dartmouth – one of Penn's two Ivy League wins at Rhodes this season. In total, the Quakers have outscored opponents 16-6 in University City in 2019 to go along with 17 goals for and just one against a year ago.
Game Closers
A key characteristic for experienced, heady teams is the ability to buckle down and hold leads when they have them. On eight occasions this season, Penn snatched the game's first goal and the Quakers have yet to lose one of them. Penn is 7-0-1 when scoring first and now 7-0 when leading at halftime after holding down first-half leads against both Dartmouth and Delaware State this past week.
Sizzlin' Sizzy
The reigning Ivy League Rookie of the Week Sizzy Lawton scored the game's only goal against Dartmouth last weekend, pouncing on an 11th-minute opportunity. Lawton now has three goals and seven points, the most by a freshman this season, and has found the back of the net in each of Penn's Ivy League wins.
Mia And McRae's Mood
In the midweek clash with Delaware State, Penn improved to 4-0 all-time with the Hornets while outscoring them 14-0. This time around, Mia Shenk and McRae Fried each scored in Monday's 2-0 win. Shenk raised her total to a pair of goals this season and three overall while Fried netted the first of her career.
Allie's Assists
For the second time this season, Allie Schachter notched multiple assists, raising her season total to four – the second-most on the team.
Ivy League Standings
Through four match days, Penn is fifth in the Ancient Eight, but remain just one game out of a tie for second. Brown continues to lead the way with a perfect 12 points, and the Quakers will have their chance against the Bears next weekend. Harvard and Yale both have nine points and Columbia sits just ahead of the Red and Blue with seven.
Scouting Yale
Yale arrives in University City 10-3 and 3-1 in the Ivy League while riding a three-match win streak, picking up victories over Albany, Dartmouth and Cornell. The Bulldogs' other Ancient Eight win came over Princeton to open the league schedule. In non-conference action, Yale played similar opponents in Fairfield and Loyola and cruised to 5-1 and 3-1 wins over them, respectively.
#FightOnPenn
