Late handball controversy dooms Penn women's soccer in overtime loss to Brown

Although Saturday's contest lasted for 110 minutes, one second determined the final result.

Penn women’s soccer fell in Ivy League competition this weekend, but the scoreline does not do justice to how the game transpired. The Quakers were neck and neck with Brown for the whole game, but a last-minute penalty call handed the Bears the 1-0 win in double-overtime.

The Red and Blue (8-6-1, 2-4 Ivy) made the trek up to Providence, R.I. this weekend for its sixth Ivy League matchup of the season. With Brown (13-1-1, 6-0) at the top of the Ancient Eight standings, Penn knew that this game was going to be a challenge, but few saw coming what drama the day held. 

In a game that consisted of 35 fouls, it seemed like Brown and Penn could not seem to find their flow or move into a faster speed of play. Penn racked up 22 fouls while Brown committed 13. Both of these numbers are far above the average amount and truly indicative of how physical the game was.

Brown outshot the Quakers, 11 to five, in terms of shots on goal, but senior goalie Kitty Qu stepped up again with 10 saves. The double-digit mark was her second-most of the season and a huge factor in keeping Penn competitive in the game for so long.

The Quakers did their best to tuck away their chances in the back of the net, but they could not seem to notch a goal. Shots were masterfully deflected by Brown goalie Kayla Thompson, and the Quakers also hit a few right above the bar. The Bears' shots told a similar story of blocks and slightly mishit balls.

The goal that sealed Penn’s fate came deep in the second overtime. After almost two hours of play, losing a game due to a penalty kick in the box is a difficult result to digest. It is made worse when the reason for the penalty kick is highly controversial and a contested handball in the box. But, nonetheless, a call was made against the Quakers, handing Brown a golden opportunity for the win.

“Obviously, it’s pretty frustrating about how the game ended. We’ve had a couple of bad bounces this year that have affected the outcome of the game," Qu said. "But, ultimately, we can’t control what the ref calls or injuries that happen. … Our coaches always emphasize that we can only control what we can control, and I thought that we left everything out there."

Penn will strive to finish their season on a high note this Saturday at home against Princeton, when the Quakers celebrate both Senior Day and Homecoming as the 2019 campaign comes to a close.