Penn men’s soccer ties Villanova 2-2

Despite being located just 20 miles apart, Penn and Villanova haven't competed against each other in men's soccer for several years. That all changed on Tuesday evening, when the Quakers traveled to the Main Line to face the Wildcats at Campolo Field. After an exciting opening 30 minutes, both teams’ defenses locked in to secure a 2-2 draw.

For Penn (5-1-1), this game offered a final tune-up opportunity before Ivy League play begins this weekend against Columbia. The Wildcats (0-4-4) came into this from a different place, looking for their first win on the season. 

From the opening whistle, both teams played with aggression. The first shot of the game was taken by Penn sophomore midfielder Jack-Ryan Jeremiah just three minutes into the contest, but it sailed wide of the Wildcats’ net. Six minutes later, senior forward Stas Korzeniowski was able to notch the first score of the game off a feed from junior midfielder Patrick Cayelli on a free kick. 

Villanova responded to the pressure. In the sixteenth minute, Villanova midfielder and former Penn midfielder Michael teDuits was able to turn one in from the top of the box. 

“It is a little bittersweet,” coach Brian Gill remarked. “Michael did so many great things for our program. Was I overly happy about the goal? No. But happy for the person? Yes.”

Villanova continued to push the tempo on offense. Villanova midfielder Jason Bouregy — with an assist from midfielder Jordan Canica — scored Villanova’s second goal just four minutes later. Then, with 17 minutes left in the half, Cayelli followed up his earlier assist with another stellar pass, this time setting up sophomore defender Owen Sullivan for an equalizing strike.

After the excitement of the game's early going, the pace of play slowed dramatically to finish the half. While there were chances, both defenses held firm. Villanova nearly found a third goal when a header off a free kick glanced off the crossbar, but at halftime, the game was still tied at two. 

“I am proud with the team’s response and refocus,” Gill said. “I think the team’s approach was good for our full group.” 

The match stayed even after halftime, with both teams trading possession and chances. Penn started the second half aggressively, with a corner kick that gave Jeremiah another chance getting knocked away by Villanova. Villanova’s defense held strong as the ball was knocked around the six-yard box. 

Villanova goalkeeper Sebastian Cutler-DeJesus made three saves in order to keep the Quakers out of the net. As the second half dragged on, both teams stayed focused offensively, each trying to net the winning goal. With four minutes left in the game, Cayelli fired off a shot of his own, but this one sailed over the net. 

As the game drew to a close, both teams remained at a stalemate. Shots in the last minute by both Penn and Villanova fell short to the opposite team’s defense.

“[The Ivy League games] are the sort of seasonal tournament that we set ourselves up for,” Gill said. “There are good teams ahead of us that way that we’ll be excited to see where we stack up to.”

Penn will return home to Rhodes Field this weekend to face Columbia on Saturday evening in its Ivy League conference opener. Following that, the Quakers have a full week off before a stretch of five games in 15 days.