PHILADELPHIA – The University of Pennsylvania men's soccer team opened its four-game homestand at Rhodes Field on Friday night, falling 1-0 to VCU.
 
Penn dropped to 1-2-1 on the season after VCU's Deniss Hayes netted the game-winner in the 17th minute. Goalkeeper David Howard tied his career-high in saves in the defensive battle, stopping five of six shots faced.
 
Quaker Notemeal
*Marco Bottene made his first collegiate start in the outing.
 
*Patrick Cayelli, Connor Dawson, Malachi Neal, and Erickson Sakalosky attempted all the Quakers' shots on goal in the battle.
 
*Sophomore Bottene lead the offense with two shots in the match.
 
*Defender Dawson, keeper Howard, defender Neal, and Oliver Pratt played the full 90 minutes.
 
How It Happened
Senior Sakalosky opened the game with force, attempting the first shot on keeper Trevor Maloney in the third minute, which was saved. Keeper made his first stop ten minutes later off a shot from Nikita Hayes. The Rams capitalized on a blunder on the Quakers' making their way deep into Penn's defensive zone to allow Deniss Hayes to sneak one past Howard and take a 1-0 lead in the 17th minute.
 
Right after the goal, junior Dawson tried to even things out with a header, but Maloney made the save to keep the deficit at one. The next shot in the tense battle didn't come until the 32nd minute, when midfielder Bottene slammed on towards the goal, only to hit the crossbar. Right as the first half expired, Joaquin Niehenke shot one through a cluster of Rams that soared right above the net to end the period.
 
VCU started the second half with fire, putting two shots on Howard in the 51st and 57th minutes that the senior had to stretch to save. Michael Howard attempted Penn's first tally of the half in the 61st minute, which ultimately went right above the net before it could do any damage. Senior Cayelli chipped a shot at keeper Maloney seven minutes later that was easily caught to hold the hole at one.
 
The Rams tried to muster some offense with back-to-back shots from goal scorer Hayes in the 70th minute, but Howard prevailed, making both saves. With time dwindling, the Red and Blue applied pressure in VCU's defensive zone, with Romeo Dahlen and defender Pratt registering shots in the 84th and 87th minutes, but the Rams' defense shut down both to hold the battle at 1-0 to end regulation.
 
Up Next
The Quakers (1-2-1, 0-0 Ivy League) continue their homestand on Tuesday, Sept. 16, hosting University City foe Drexel at Rhodes Field at 7 p.m.