Senior forward Stas Korzeniowski evades a Brown defender on Oct. 12.
Credit: Derek WongThree hundred and thirty-seven days.
It had been 337 days since Penn men’s soccer suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of Brown during the 2023 Ivy League tournament, preventing it from earning an automatic bid in the Division I NCAA tournament. Almost a full calendar year later, the Quakers got their chance at revenge — an opportunity that they rose to in resounding fashion with a 2-0 win.
As the saying goes, revenge is sweet, but it is even better when it comes against a rival. No. 18 Penn (9-1-1, 3-0 Ivy) emerged victorious against Brown (4-6-1, 0-3 Ivy) on a sunny Saturday evening. The weather, which was unusually warm for this time of year, was in stark contrast to the bitter cold that the Quakers felt after last year’s stunning loss.
“100% today was personal. We take a lot of pride in the way we play at home and winning at home and never letting a team come in here and impose themselves on us,” senior forward Stas Korzeniowski said. “Last year was really upsetting to lose when hosting the Ivy League tournament and to lose our first round, [this] meant everything to us.”
Indeed, in 2023, the Red and Blue finished on top as the Ivy League regular season champion. The result earned them the No. 1 seed heading into the inaugural Ivy League Tournament. However, the story wouldn’t see its fairytale ending as the Quakers were bounced in the semifinals by Brown on penalty kicks, overshadowing a season of success.
Freshman forward Romeo Dahlen evades a Brown defender on Oct. 12.
On Saturday, the Quakers once again played host to the Bears, this time competing with a chip on their shoulder. Evident in the opening minutes of the game, Penn came out aggressive on offense. Just nine minutes into the game, Korzeniowski would find the back off the goal on a swift left-footed kick. The start couldn’t have been any better for the Quakers. The team imposed its will on the Bears — and it wouldn’t end there.
At the 27th-minute mark, the star of the show once again showed out for the Quakers. Off a ricochet pass from junior midfielder Patrick Cayelli that deflected off a Brown defender, Korzeniowski headed the ball into the goal, marking his third consecutive game with a goal. Already with a brace, Korzeniowski sent a clear message to Brown that he was a force to be reckoned with. Now at nine goals on the season, Korzeniowski continues to deliver for this Penn squad that is on a roll.
“I am able to do my job because the guys behind me are so good at theirs. These guys out here are so talented and I’m so blessed to be able to play with them,” Korzeniowski said. “I’m very happy with my momentum, but I’m more happy with the team’s momentum, which has allowed me to excel in my own position.”
Down 2-0 at the half, the Bears would try and cut the lead early in the second half. To no avail, the Quakers would continue to put the metal to the pedal with two consecutive shots on goal by junior midfielder Erickson Sakalosky. The best chance of the half for the Quakers to extend their lead came in the 83rd minute, when Korzeniowski sent a right-footed shot just wide of the goal left that would’ve given him a hat trick.
Minutes later during the 85th minute, Brown was awarded a penalty kick after a Penn handball. After a beautiful stop by sophomore goalkeeper Phillip Falcon III leaping to his left, a jubilant Penn team rejoiced and fist-pumped the air to the delight of a raucous Penn crowd. A scuffle ensued right after, which resulted in Korzeniowski being awarded a yellow card — the only thing that could seemingly stop the 6-foot-4 forward.
“3-0 [in Ivy play] is as good of a state as you can ask for,” Korzeniowski said. “You just want to keep the train moving… and that’s our mentality. Take it one game at a time and climb the mountain slowly.”
Remaining undefeated in Ivy League play, the Red and Blue return to action against Monmouth on Tuesday, October 15th, before rounding out the regular season with a slew of Ivy League matchups.
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