PHILADELPHIA – The University of Pennsylvania men's soccer team opens a four-game homestand on Friday night, hosting VCU for a 7 p.m. battle at Rhodes Field.
 
Penn (1-1-1, 0-0 Ivy League) vs. VCU (2-3-1, 0-0 A10)
Friday, Sept. 12 | 7 p.m.
Philadelphia, Pa. | Rhodes Field
Watch on ESPN+ ($) | Live Stats
 
The Penn vs. VCU Series
*The Rams hold the two wins in the all-time series, most recently topping the Quakers 2-0 last year in Richmond.
 
Quaker Notemeal
*The Quakers dropped their first game earlier this week, falling 1-0 at Delaware on Tuesday. Marco Bottene, Patrick Cayelli, Romeo Dahlen, and Owen Sullivan accounted for Penn's shots on goal in the game.
 
*Senior Cayelli and sophomore Dahlen lead the Quakers' offense with four points each. Midfielder Cayelli tallied two assists and a goal in the season opener versus Loyola Maryland, while forward Dahlen scored his first collegiate brace.
 
*Goalkeeper David Howard has stepped up in the box to start his senior year, carrying a 0.33 goals-against-average and 0.900 save percentage into Friday's match.
 
 
*The Red and Blue earned the top spot in the Ivy League men's soccer preseason poll for the third straight year, grabbing 120 points and ten first place votes.
 
*Penn returns a stacked lineup to the pitch including, 2024 All-Ivy honorees Cayelli, Connor Dawson, and Jack-Ryan Jeremiah, along with two other starters in Oliver Pratt and Erickson Sakalosky.
 
*Midfielder Jeremiah is turning heads entering his junior year, earning spots on the United Soccer Coaches (USC) Midfielder to Watch and the Hermann Trophy Watch List. Jeremiah recorded 12 points in 2024, including four goals against William & Mary, Manhattan, and nationally ranked Hofstra, as well as in the Ivy League semifinals against Brown.
 
Scouting the Rams
*VCU stunned #2 Clemson on Tuesday, posting a come-from-behind victory with second-half goals by Andrey Salmeron and Mohammed Ibrahim. The Rams handed the nationally ranked Tigers their first loss of the season, 2-1.
 
*The ranked win shifted the Rams to a 2-3-1 record heading into Friday's match.
 
*Kai Feng, Mohammed Ibrahim, and Andry Salmeron lead VCU's offense with two goals and four points.
 
*The Quakers will likely face Trevor Maloney in the box. The goalkeeper brings a 1.78 goals-against-average and 0.579 save percentage into the non-conference meeting.