After loss, M. Soccer out of title contention

This was a game the Penn men's soccer team had to win to salvage its season. After two consecutive league losses, only a win over Princeton on Homecoming weekend could bring the Quakers back into the championship hunt.

Better luck next year...

Losing 3-0 to the Tigers on Saturday effectively dashed Penn's hopes for Ivy league supremacy and postseason play.

"Three losses in the Ivy League knocks you out of the race," Fuller said.

From the opening touch, Penn played inspired soccer, creating the scoring chances it would need to convert if the Quakers were to knock off a squad as talented as Princeton.

"We were really fired up for the game," Penn sophomore midfielder Louis Lazar said. "It's Princeton, and that's always a big game because of the rivalry and tradition."

The pinnacle of the Quakers first-half shooting barrage came in the middle of the half, when Evan Anderson, breaking away from the Tigers defense, had a clear shot on Princeton goalkeeper Jason White. Anderson, striking the ball on the Tigers net, saw his rocket caught by White.

"If Anderson scores there, I think it's an entirely different game," Fuller said.

With the blown scoring opportunity, the game began to unravel for Penn.

Five minutes later, the Quakers gave up the first goal of the game. Princeton's Matt Douglas, assisted by Lucas Moskowitz and Ryan Rich, beat Penn goalkeeper Matt Haefner.

Despite owning a 10-1 shot advantage, the Quakers headed into the locker room with a one-goal deficit and an all-too-familiar goose-egg on the scoreboard.

"We played a good first half, but it wasn't good enough because we didn't have a goal on the board," Lazar said.

Penn's scoring woes continued in the second half, as Princeton began to step it up on the defensive end, limiting the Red and Blue to only two shots.

While Penn backpedaled on the offensive end, the Tigers defensive strength served to further fuel their potent offense.

Led by offensive playmakers Mike Nugent and Matt Benhcke, the Tigers tacked on two more goals in the second half, as Princeton's high-flying attack gutted the Quakers formidable back four.

"Princeton has a couple of special players in the attack," Fuller said. "Mike Nugent is head and shoulders above the league. And Benhcke, who sits in the center of the midfield, is really talented."

Although it was Nugent who orchestrated the offensive attack, it was Benhcke who had a hand in both of Princeton's second-half goals.

After scoring the Tigers' second goal of the game in the 64th minute, assisted by Benjy Diggs, Benhcke assisted on Princeton's final goal in the 70th minute. Moskowitz netted that goal.

"Our better players are in the back half and their better players are in the attacking half," Fuller said. "We just weren't up to it."

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