The one that got away

NEW HAVEN, Conn. - In a game that came down to field goals, Penn's struggles continued when it mattered most.

In overtime, Yale kicker Alan Kimball connected for the game-winning field goal from 35 yards out after Penn kicker Derek Zoch banged his 37-yard attempt off the right goal post during Penn's overtime drive. This left the Quakers with a 17-14 overtime loss to Yale Saturday.

The loss snapped Penn's five-game winning streak against Yale (5-1, 3-0 Ivy), and dropped the Quakers (4-2, 2-1) into a tie for third place in the league with Harvard, which fell to undefeated Princeton that day.

Although Penn coach Al Bagnoli was disappointed with the result, he said that his team gave a strong effort and the Ivy race is still wide open.

"We didn't lose to an 0-5 team," Bagnoli said. "We're on the road against a 4-1 team. It's a pretty good football game, and we've got some injuries on top of everything else. We're certainly not ready to fold the tent at this point."

Yale took a lead three minutes in when it reached the endzone on a nine-yard pass to Chandler Henley on its opening drive.

And after Penn quarterback Robert Irvin threw an interception on only his second pass attempt, the Elis looked poised to take control of the game early.

But Kimball missed his first field-goal attempt from 42 yards out, and the Penn offense immediately took advantage.

Irvin led the Quakers to touchdowns on their next two drives, with a six-yard pass to senior tight end Chris Mizell followed by a six-yard handoff to running back Joe Sandberg that put them up, 14-7.

When the Quakers recovered their own kickoff after their second touchdown, the team had a chance to add to its lead. But Sandberg got tackled on the 5-yard line, leading to a fourth and goal, and the lead remained at seven when Zoch missed a 25-yard field goal try.

"With two really evenly matched teams, you just can't leave points there," Bagnoli said. "When they're there you have to take them, and if you don't they ultimately come back and bite you in the tail."

And the Elis wasted no time tying the game. Yale converted on its ensuing drive, going 80 yards in 10 plays, including a 19-yard rush by running back Mike McLeod and a 20-yard run by quarterback Chris Polhemus.

The teams went to halftime tied at 14, and the score remained static until overtime.

"We had a couple opportunities and so did they, and both defenses stepped up and made some plays in big situations," Yale coach Jack Siedlecki said.

Penn was forced to use backup quarterback Bryan Walker for most of the second half when Irvin re-injured his ankle on a hit in the third quarter.

Walker embraced the opportunity, saying afterwards, "If you're going to play, why not play in a situation like that."

But the junior never built any momentum, and finished with 89 yards on 8-for-16 passing and only ran for four yards.

Penn won the ground war, with the senior Sandberg outrushing league leading runner McLeod, 125 to 122.

But the end the game came down to a battle of feet, and Yale's one field goal defeated Penn's zero.

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