PHILADELPHIA - The Pennsylvania women's soccer team opened its 2024 Rhodes Field account with a 1-1 draw to Towson. Penn's lone scorer was sophomore Abbey Cook, who put the ball into an open goal in the 40th minute of play. 
 
The Quakers now sit at 0-3-3 overall, while the Tigers moved to 2-2-4. 
 
Quaker Notemeal 
*Penn led in shots, 18-12, and forced Towson goalkeeper Riley Melendez to make 10 saves. 
 
*Cook's goal was her first of the season and the fourth of the sophomore's collegiate career. 
 
*Kat Peroulas, Maya Leschly, Leah Finkelman, Eden Veenema all clocked a full 90 minutes on the pitch. 
 
*Junior goalkeeper Annabel Austen had a career high with eight saves.
 
*Megan Lusher had her first start of the 2024 season after scoring her first career goal against Delaware in Thursday's 1-1 draw with the Blue Hens. 
 
How It Happened 
Freshman Lily White, freshman Mila Maltby, Lusher and Peroulas put up early shots in the first eight minutes of play, only to be stymied by Melendez. The Tigers finally got their first chance to score in the 11th minute from Brooke Birrell, but Austen was equal to the challenge to keep the match scoreless. 
 
Penn had an opportunity to put one on the board with a penalty kick in the 20th minute. However, Melendez dove to her right and made a tremendous stop on Peroulas' PK and the score was still 0-0.
 
Cook scored the first goal of the day in the 40th minute to get the Quakers on the board, assisted by Stewart. 
 
Leah Finkelman looked like she might double the lead in the 82nd minute, but her shot hit Melendez's hands and then went off the crossbar. After a collision, Finkelman was awarded a penalty kick but her attempt was saved by Melendez (this time a diving stop to her left) to keep the score at 1-0. 
 
That proved to be massive, as the Tigers tied things up just a few minutes later when Sophie Thibeault played a ball across the goal and Chiara Menegatti deflected the ball in off her right foot. Three minutes after that, Thibeault and Rebecca Groseibl had back-to-back opportunities to find a winner but Austen stopped both to keep things level to the final whistle.
 
Up Next
The Quakers will head down to Annapolis, Md. to face Navy on Thursday night, kicking off with the Midshipmen at 7 p.m.

For the latest on Penn women's soccer, follow @PennWSoccer on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram, and on the web at PennAthletics.com.
                                                            
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