PHILADELPHIA – Two of the stingiest defenses in the Ivy League both flexed their muscle on Saturday night as the University of Pennsylvania men's soccer team and the Yale University Bulldogs played to a scoreless draw at Rhodes Field.
 
Quaker Notemeal
*The scoreless draw was the first of the season for the Quakers and seventh as a program under fourth-year head coach Brian Gill.
 
*Penn's +3 advantage in shots on goal tied for its third-best margin of the season.
 
*With the clean sheet, senior Dane Jacomen has now allowed just a single goal in his last 245:00 minutes in net, lowering his goals-against average to a season-low 1.17.
 
How It Happened
Scoring opportunities were scarce early on, as only freshman Charlie Gaffney and senior Ben Stitz managed a single on-target attempt each through the first 28 minutes.
 
In the 29^th minute, Yale finally registered a shot on goal when Paolo Carroll headed one toward the net, only to find the waiting gloves of Jacomen. Penn had an opportunity in the following minute when graduate Joey Bhangdia took aim for the top right corner but was denied with a diving save by Elian Haddock. Bhangdia's effort stood as the last on-target attempt of the half.
 
The high-level defense continued into the second half as neither side managed a shot on goal until senior Matt Leigh had a shot off a corner kick cleared off the line in the 58^th minute. Carroll had another good look in the 73^rd minute, but his attempt went off the crossbar. Eric Lagos let one fly in the 78^th minute, but Jacomen was well-positioned for the save.
 
Senior Isaac McGinnis had a header off a well-placed delivery from junior Kai Lammers in the 87^th minute, but Haddock read the play well to make the save. In the closing seconds of regulation, McGinnis had a shot blocked right to Bhangdia, who missed just right.
 
Seven minutes into the first overtime, Kai Moos had a right-side opportunity, placing a shot toward the low left corner that a sprawling Jacomen deflected wide.
 
Neither side managed a shot on goal the rest of the match.
 
Up Next
The Quakers hit the road next Saturday for the first time in three weeks for a 3 p.m. opening kick against Brown, against whom Penn has gone to overtime in six of the last seven matches.