Junior forward Clare Robke defends against Columbia on Sep. 28.
Credit: Carly ZhaoWith the weather forecast for cloudy skies, Penn women’s soccer’s (1-6-3, 0-1 Ivy) chances to top the Ivy League this year look just as bleak following a 3-0 loss in its in-conference opener to Columbia (3-3-3, 1-0).
The Quakers struggled to gain momentum against the Lions, resulting in an additional sour chapter in what has been a difficult season thus far for the Red and Blue.
“Obviously not the right ones,” coach Krissy Turner said when asked about the halftime adjustments the team made. “We went back to the same group that started the game, but we just never really got ahold of the ball.”
An early yellow card, issued to Penn forward Clare Robke, followed by Columbia’s free kick drifting just wide of the net set the tone for the remaining 90 minutes. Columbia largely dominated control of the ball, with Penn’s defensive efforts initially keeping the team in the game.
Junior goalkeeper Annabel Austen had a solid save in the seventh minute to deny the Lions their first goal of the game and was the first of six saves Austen would make throughout the game.
But over time, Columbia's volume of opportunities became overwhelming. A dangerous cross in the tenth minute found a wide open Lion at the top of the six, but fortunately for the Quakers, the shot was skied over the crossbar. The Lions also tested Austen with a shot from afar, but she was able to handle it comfortably with another save.
On a breakaway by Columbia forward Nata Ramirez, a last-ditch slide tackle by sophomore midfielder Leah Finkelman resulted in a second yellow card for the Quakers. Finkelman almost made up for it on the opposite end of the field in the 22nd minute when it seemed like her header was about to put the Red and Blue up by one. However, the referee deemed that the ball did not cross the line and the score remained knotted up at zero-all.
Having built some momentum, Penn threatened a few more times to go into the break with a lead. But all it took was one corner kick to turn the tides. After initially making a great reaction save to help the ball over the crossbar, Austen was unable to do the same on the header from the following corner kick. Austen was able to get a hand to the ball, but it was not enough to deny Lions defender Sam Cohn.
After taking some time to grow into the game, Penn entered the halftime break with painstakingly little to show for it.
The second half started with a few more opportunities for Penn. A free kick and a messily-handled corner both resulted in near goals, but ultimately the Quakers were unable to capitalize on the chances.
Columbia wasn’t going to wait for Penn to find its footing, and Austen had to make multiple stops to keep the deficit at just one. In the 60th minute, the Quakers caught a lucky break to keep them in the game when the Lions were able to get one past Austen — fortunately, the goal was called back due to offsides.
As the time drained off the clock, the Red and Blue began sending more attackers forward in search of the equalizer. This strategy made Penn's well-organized backline vulnerable to the counter.
“Three-nothing is not a true reflection of how the match was played,” Turner said. “We went to try to tie it up, and they punished us.”
In the 85th minute, Finkelman committed to a two-footed slide tackle that surely would’ve meant a second yellow if Columbia midfielder Dema Elder hadn’t scored in the same run of play. Once again, Austen was able to get a hand on the ball but it wasn’t enough to redirect it from bouncing into the side netting.
Less than three minutes later, Lions midfielder Stephanie Jung was able to tap in the cross from teammate forward/midfielder Maia Tabion to seal the deal for Columbia.
Conference play is the peak of regular season competition, especially when there are only four spots in the coveted Ivy League tournament. The Quakers will get the chance to bounce back in the standings in their next match against Yale on October 5 at 6 p.m.
“We want to try to win at home,” Turner said. “So right now it's pretty disappointing to let another team come to your field and take the game, but we’ll regroup and see what we can do next week on the road.”
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