Box Score RICHMOND, Va.  – The nationally ranked University of Pennsylvania men's soccer team dropped a 2-0 road contest to VCU on Monday night to close its Virginia road trip.
 
Quaker Notemeal
*The loss marks the first of the 2024 season for #15 Penn.
 
*Senior Charlie Gaffney led the offense in shots with a team-high of four.
 
*Seniors Brandon Curran and Stas Korzeniowski accounted for the Red and Blue's two shots on goal in the match.
 
*Goalkeeper Phillip Falcon III tallied two saves in the match.
 
How It Happened
VCU applied pressure five minutes in the match, attempting three straight shots, but all were blocked or misdirected before they could reach Falcon.
 
The first shot on goal in the match was from the Rams during the 17th minute, but the reigning Ivy League Defensive Player of the Week held strong to hold the match scoreless. The Rams added another shot to the board in the 24th minute, but it went high and wide before it could be registered on goal. A minute later, the Quakers tallied their first shot in the bout as Patrick Cayelli tried to muster up some offense, but his shot was blocked by VCU.
 
VCU kept up their intensity, slamming another shot toward Falcon that was blocked by the defense. Curran attempted the first on goal shot in the 34th minute off a corner taken by Joaquin Niehenke, but John Ermini made the save to hold the battle at 0-0 with less than 12 minutes left of the first.
 
Entering the final few minutes of the half, both teams recorded shots, as the Rams tallied one in the 42nd minute and Marco Bottene in the 43rd, but like most other shots in the quarter, both were deflected before they could reach either goalkeeper. Right as time was expiring, VCU snuck one past Falcon with six seconds on the clock to lead 1-0 to end the half.
 
The Rams opened the second half with fierce momentum after their late goal, adding another to the board in the 47th minute to lead 2-0. Both teams were fairly quiet for almost ten minutes till senior Korzeniowski attempted his first on the net of the night, which Ermini ultimately saved.
 
Senior Gaffney tried to spark some offense shortly later, attempting three shots between the 63rd and 65th minutes, but all three were misdirected or blocked before they could do any damage.
 
VCU's defense held strong following Gaffney's shots, not allowing the Red and Blue to attempt another till the 75th minute when Curran recorded his second of the match that went wide.
 
With five minutes left of the game, both teams were feeling the pressure, as VCU slammed one towards Falcon that was saved in the 83rd, while Korzeniowski and Bottene each tried one in the 84th and 85th that were blocked.
 
In the final minute of the match, Gaffney tried to light one final offensive spark, but his shot was misdirected to hold the battle at its final tally of 2-0.
 
Up Next
The Red and Blue (4-1, 0-0 Ivy League) return to Rhodes Field on Saturday, Sept. 21, for a 5 p.m. battle with Manhattan.