For W. Soccer, bitter end to dream year

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- Penn senior Sarah Campbell sat at one side of the press conference table, barely able to hold back the tears. Freshman Katy Cross, at the opposite end of her Penn soccer career, sat on the other side with a similar reaction.

For the Penn women's soccer team, Friday's 2-0 loss to Villanova was a bitter end to a dream season.

"From the opening moment, I knew this was a very special team," tri-captain Campbell said. "Everything just came all together from our first scrimmage. From then on it was really exciting.... It's disappointing leaving this way."

The Quakers' worst game of the season came at the worst possible time. In the first round of the NCAA College Cup, playing a lower-ranked Villanova squad, the Quakers were expected to win and move on to try and upset national power Penn State.

But the Red and Blue came out sluggish and perhaps had a bit of a letdown after their historic 3-1 upset of Harvard a week ago.

Despite the loss, the Quakers still finished their season well above all expectations. With half of the team in the freshman class, many thought the Red and Blue would finish in the bottom half of the Ivy League.

But Penn did not lose between Sept. 29 and Friday night, and finished 13-2-3, with a 5-1-1 Ivy League record, winning the Ancient Eight title for the first time in the program's 10-year history.

Cross was one of the reasons the Quakers turned around their season, as she led the league in points, goals and assists.

"We were real successful this year," Cross said. "I think it's just the base of what we're going to grow on the next few years -- we have so much more room to grow."

Despite the disappointing finish, the squad does not feel that its season was a failure because of a first-round exit.

"It's disappointing to play such a great season and then get to the most important game and let down," Penn goaltender Vanessa Scotto said. "We accomplished a lot this season -- I would rather remember the regular season than this game."

The Quakers also believe they will be back next year. They only lose seniors Campbell and Sabrina Fenton, leaving them with 10 of their 11 starters back. With a more mature squad, the Red and Blue should be able to contend once again.

"It's upsetting leaving such a good program now," Campbell said. "This program is going to be an NCAA Tournament team every year from now on."

Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.