NEWARK, Del. – The University of Pennsylvania men's soccer team dropped its first match of the season on Tuesday night, dropping a close 1-0 battle at Delaware.
 
Delaware scored the lone goal of the game in the 25th minute to shift to 5-0 on the season, while Penn dropped to a 1-1-1 record.
 
Quaker Notemeal
*The win marks the first for the Blue Hens in the all-time series with the Quakers.
 
*Penn's offense applied pressure the entire battle, outshooting Delaware in shots on goal 5-3.

*Goalkeeper David Howard stopped two of three shots faced.
 
*Connor Dawson, Howard, Malachi Neal, and Oliver Pratt played the full 90 minutes in the non-conference match.
 
*Marco Bottene, Patrick Cayelli, Romeo Dahlen, and Owen Sullivan accounted for Penn's shots on goal in the game.
 
How It Happened
Michael Howard started off the scoring chances in the seventh minute of the battle, slamming a shot towards the goal that was blocked, resulting in a Quaker corner that the offense ultimately could not capitalize on. Forward Dahlen docked the first on-target shot a few minutes later, but Delaware's keeper, Jojo Elliott Jr., made the save to keep the game scoreless early.
 
The Blue Hens' first real opportunity in the Quakers' zone came from back-to-back shots in the 19th minute, but the Red and Blue's defense blocked both before they could reach goalkeeper Howard. Gaining momentum, Delaware drew a foul on Erickson Sakalosky, allowing Freddy Jeffreys to break the scoreless tie in the 24th minute off the free kick.
 
Senior Cayelli and George Herbert tried to retaliate in the 27th and 28th minutes with shots, but both soared above the crossbar. Both keepers were busy during the 37th minute as junior Sullivan chipped a shot towards Elliott, and Marius Stenner slammed the ball at Howard, with both being scooped up.
 
The Quakers' last muster of offense in the first half came from back-to-back shots on goal from midfielder Cayelli and sophomore Bottene right before the 40th minute, but both were saved to end the period.
 
Bottene tried to kick things off to open the second half, tallying his second shot of the game, but Delaware's goalkeeper held strong with his fifth save of the outing. The Blue Hens tried to double their lead with three shots and two corner opportunities between the 51st and 53rd minutes, but Howard and his defense were able to keep the game at 1-0.
 
Delaware kept their foot on the gas, with two more corner shots in the 61st minute to keep the Quakers' backline busy but ultimately could not capitalize. Penn's next shot in the battle came ten minutes later when sophomore Dahlen forced Elliott to smother the ball before he could he the back of the net. The final shot of the game came from the Blue Hens in the 78th minute as goal scorer Jeffreys blasted another one towards Howard that he was able to stop to keep the deficit at one.
 
The Quakers tried to up their intensity in the final five minutes of regulation, staying on Delaware to force four straight throw-in plays to keep them from reaching Howard and the box, but it was too late for a comeback as the Blue Hens held the offense off to keep the game at its final score of 1-0.
 
Up Next
The Red and Blue (1-1-1, 0-0 Ivy League) open a four-game homestand on Friday, Sept. 12, hosting VCU at 7 p.m. at Rhodes Field.