VILLANOVA, Pa. – The University of Pennsylvania women's soccer team battled Villanova on Thursday afternoon, but the Wildcats broke through in the 77th minute to defeat the Quakers, 1-0, at Higgins Soccer Complex.
The Quakers (1-3-1, 0-0 Ivy League) put together a strong defensive effort against a Villanova squad that entered the contest unbeaten and averaging over five goals per game. Penn goalkeeper Ria Desai made five saves, including a penalty-kick stop in the first half, in her first career start as the Red and Blue held the Wildcats scoreless through the opening 76 minutes.
Quaker Notemeal
*Penn registered seven shots, including four in the second half, while Villanova finished with 14 shots and six on goal.
*The Quakers earned four corner kicks, matching Villanova's total. Three of those corners came in the second half.
*Desai made five saves, the most by a Penn goalkeeper in a game this season.
*Desai also recorded the first save of her collegiate career and denied a Villanova penalty kick in the 36th minute.
*Hailey Adamsky and Magali Capdevila each recorded two shots to lead the Quakers. Emily Burnham, Abbey Cook, and Camarin Choi rounded out the group of Quakers who registered a shot, each attempting one.
*Villanova entered Thursday's contest having scored 22 goals through its first four games but was held scoreless in the opening half for just the second time this season.
How it happened
Penn created some early pressure in the opening 12 minutes, maintaining possession in the attacking third and getting the ball into the Villanova box, but the Quakers were unable to generate a shot.
The Wildcats earned back-to-back corner kicks early in the match, but Desai and the Penn defense kept Villanova off the scoreboard. The freshman goalkeeper recorded her first collegiate save in the fifth minute, turning away Tea Gambardella's shot.
Penn earned a free kick near the far sideline in the 17th minute, but the opportunity did not result in a shot. The Quakers began to generate more offensive possession as the half progressed, controlling much of the play after the 26th minute.
Villanova continued to pose a threat, however, Gabby Koluch rattled the crossbar in the 35th minute. Moments later, the Wildcats were awarded a penalty kick after a foul on Casey Forman. Koluch stepped to the spot, but Desai came up with a sprawling save to keep the match scoreless.
The Wildcats maintained pressure late in the half, but Desai made another stop in the 37th minute on a shot from Morgan Kotch. Penn earned its first corner kick of the afternoon in the 42nd minute but could not capitalize.
The Quakers then earned a free kick in the final minute of the half, with Forman sending the ball into the box, but Penn could not get a head on the delivery as the teams entered halftime scoreless.
Penn came out of the break with early offensive pressure. In the 55th minute, a nice passing sequence involving Choi, Capdevila, Cook, and Adamsky created an opportunity for the Quakers, but Adamsky's shot went wide.
The Red and Blue earned another corner kick in the 57th minute, but Villanova goalkeeper Hannah Dickinson came off her line to collect the ball. Two minutes later, Capdevila had a shot blocked, leading to another Penn corner in the 60th minute. Again, Dickinson was able to secure the ball without the visitors recording a shot.
Villanova began to control possession for much of the remainder of the second half, but neither side generated many dangerous scoring chances as the match remained scoreless.
The Wildcats finally broke through in the 77th minute. Isabelle Chukwu played a pass into the box for Avrie Nelsen, who fired a right-footed shot past Desai to give Villanova a 1-0 lead.
The visitors continued to search for an equalizer and earned a corner kick in the 80th minute, but Dickinson easily gathered the lofted cross to put an end to the scoring attempt.
Desai kept Penn within one in the closing minutes, making her fifth save of the afternoon on a shot from Kaydee Amorosa.
The Quakers were unable to muster a late offensive surge, as Villanova held on for the 1-0 victory.
Penn returns to action next Thursday when it hosts Saint Joseph's at Rhodes Field.
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