PHILADELPHIA - Things only got better as the clock ticked on for the University of Pennsylvania men's soccer team on Tuesday night, but after fighting back from a one goal deficit early and creating winning chances late, the Quakers would eventually settle for a tie against the 24th-ranked Rutgers Scarlet Knights. The results pushes Penn to 2-1-1 on the year.
PENN NEWS AND NOTES
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Alex Touche netted the equalizer in the 70th minute for the Quakers. It's the junior's first goal of the season and sixth of his career. Five of Touche's six career goals have come off assists from Bartel.
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Brandon Bartel tallied his second assist of the season on the goal, whipping the ball to the far post for Touche to find. He now owns 11 career assists.
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Dane Jacomen finished with three saves in goal for the Quakers.
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Joey Bhangdia led Penn with five shots on the night.
*Penn's defensive and primary midfield unit played all 110 minutes in the draw, including Bartel, Touche,
Casey Barone,
Kai Lammers and
RC Williams.
*The draw is Penn's first result against a ranked opponent since a 0-0 decision with #7 Washington to open the 2015 season.
*Penn outshot Rutgers 11-4, including six shots on goal to four for the Scarlet Knights. Rutgers had a slim 53-47 percent advantage in overall possession, but Penn was attack heavy, with 57 percent of its possession coming in the attacking half.
*The draw between Penn and Rutgers is the first in 17 matches between the two sides. Penn leads the all-time series with the Scarlet Knights, 9-7-1.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The two sides were testing the waters early on with no serious threats, before Rutgers took advantage of a foul in the box in the ninth minute to earn a penalty kick, which it would convert off the foot of Pablo Avila to take an early 1-0 lead.
Having to reenergize themselves after the quick deficit,
Ben Stitz nearly equalized the match for the Quakers, using crafty footwork in the box to get a shot off that was saved by the incoming Rutgers goalkeeper in the 15th minute.
Penn did well to stifle any momentum Rutgers may have had on offense, locking down the majority of any real chances the Scarlet Knights hoped to put together, while continuing to knock on the door itself.
Jake Kohlbrenner would give things a try in the 26th minute, heading a cross on frame that was again gobbled up by the opposing netminder.
The start of the second half was evenly contested with neither team able to tilt the field heavily in their favor.
Amado Lozano would hammer a chance off to the left, while Williams tested the waters from deep and nearly found a seam to the back of the net.
Penn's efforts would be rewarded in the 70th minute, as Bartel set up on the far corner and placed a ball perfectly to where only Touche could reach it, and the junior captain finished the job to level the game at 1-1.
The Quakers weren't done there, nearly grabbing their first lead of the night on a shot from Bhangdia that hit the top of the crossbar and nearly fell into the goal, painting the end line to the relief of Rutgers just minutes later. Penn controled the final portion of regulation, earning shots from both Lammers and Kohlbrenner, but the winner couldn't be found and the Quakers ventured into overtime for the first time this season.
Another shot from Bhangdia in the final seconds of the first overtime period was all either team could muster offensively on the stat sheet, and both teams dialed up the aggression in the last 10 minute segment, including another shot at goal from Bhangdia, but the final whistle blew with Penn settling for a tie in a game it was able to tilt in its favor the longer it went on.
WHAT'S NEXT?
The Quakers will continue their three-game homestand with a matchup against Philadelphia Soccer Six rival Temple on Saturday, Sept. 21 at 7 p.m. on Rhodes Field.
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