PHILADELPHIA – The University of Pennsylvania women's soccer team battled back from a second-half deficit and took a late lead, but Brown found an equalizer in the final minutes as the Quakers played the Bears to a 2-2 draw Saturday night at Rhodes Field.
The Quakers (5-4-2, 0-1-1 Ivy League) got a pair of goals from Abbey Cook, her first career multi-goal game, while Magali Capdevila, Lily White and Avery Chapel each recorded an assist. The draw gives the Quakers their first point in conference play this season.
Quaker Notemeal
*Cook scored twice for the first multi-goal game of her career and now has four goals this season. The total ties her with Mia Fuss for the team lead. The duo also lead the way with nine points a piece.
*Cook's first goal came in the 63rd minute, when she finished inside the far post after Capdevila and White combined to spring her behind the Brown defense.
*Cook put Penn ahead in the 76th minute, finishing off a sequence that included a corner kick and a ball from Chapel.
*Capdevila and White each recorded an assist on Cook's first goal, while Chapel assisted on the second for her first point of the season. White's assist marked a team high four on the season, while Capdevila sits right behind her with three.
*Josephine Hensley made her first career appearance and start in goal for Penn, making five saves.
*Penn earned its first Ivy League point of the season and is now 3-0-2 at Rhodes Field this season.
*The Quakers were outshot 15-9 but put six shots on target compared to seven for Brown.
*Brown held an 8-3 edge in corner kicks, while possession was even at 50 percent.
*Penn's defense held Brown scoreless through the opening 45 minutes despite the Bears putting three shots on target.
How it happened
Brown generated the first chances of the night, earning a pair of corner kicks in the opening four minutes before Hensley made her first save in the fifth minute on a shot from Kyra Treanor.
Penn's best chance of the opening 20 minutes came from Cook, who sent a shot just wide in the 11th minute. Brown continued to pressure, but Hensley turned away chances from Angelina Vargas in the 26th minute and Ella Weil in the 39th minute to keep the match scoreless.
The Quakers weathered Brown's pressure late in the half, with the Bears earning back-to-back corner kicks in the final two minutes. Hensley and the Penn defense kept Brown off the scoreboard, sending the teams into halftime tied 0-0.
Penn came out of the break with more attacking intent, as Capdevila forced a save from Brown goalkeeper Addison Etter just two minutes into the half. Taylor Ferraro also tested Etter in the 52nd minute from long range, but Brown continued to threaten at the other end.
The Bears broke through in the 57th minute. Joy Okonye lofted a corner kick into the box which found Birtwistle, who headed it home to give Brown a 1-0 advantage.
Penn answered less than six minutes later: White won the ball at midfield and played it forward to Capdevila, who rolled a pass ahead to Cook. Cook sprinted behind the Brown defense, entered the box and calmly finished inside the far post with her left foot to make it 1-1 in the 63rd minute.
Cook nearly struck again moments later, getting behind the defense once more before her contested effort went just wide.
The Quakers kept pushing and eventually took the lead in the 76th minute. After Camarin Choi's shot was saved by Etter, Penn earned a corner kick. Ferraro's service bounced around in the box before Chapel helped keep the ball alive, and it eventually found Cook, who headed it home from in front of the net to put the Quakers ahead, 2-1.
Brown pressed for an equalizer late, and Hensley made another important save in the 81st minute on a shot from Hannah Schapiro.
The Bears finally found the equalizer in the 87th minute. After Capdevila was shown a yellow card, Birtwistle sent a free kick from near midfield toward goal and found the back of the net for her second goal of the night, tying the match at 2-2.
Penn had one final opportunity in the closing seconds, but Cook's 90th-minute effort was saved by Etter as the teams settled for the draw.
The Quakers return to action next Saturday, traveling to Princeton for a 7 p.m. Ivy League matchup.
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