Revenge is a dish best served cold. As the temperatures dropped in Philadelphia, No. 12 Penn men’s soccer got its chance to cook in front of its largest crowd all season on Homecoming weekend.
Last year, in the inaugural Ivy League Tournament, Penn fell to Brown in the semifinals in a penalty shootout after ending regulation play in a 2-2 deadlock. This year, the Quakers were able to get the job done before a shootout was needed off a golden goal from junior defender Oliver Pratt to seal the deal in the first extra-time period of a 2-1 win.
“I think it made this game easier in the sense that it was easier to be motivated,” Pratt said. “I think we’re all so hungry to get back to where we wanted to be last year. We felt like there was so much left in the season to play last year, so it was really hard. So it was — it was amazing to get that, to get back and continue our run to Sunday.”
Junior defender Oliver Pratt celebrates with his team after scoring the game-winning goal against Brown on Nov. 15.
After dominating much of the first meeting between the two sides earlier this season, today was very much a tale of two halves. The Bears (8-7-1, 3-4 Ivy) marched into Rhodes Field fired up and unintimidated by the nationally ranked home side. Only a strong hand from sophomore goalkeeper Phillip Falcon III was able to deny Brown the opening goal off a header in the second minute.
Less than a minute later, Falcon was called upon again as Brown’s first team All-Ivy forward Lorenzo Amaral had a dangerous take on goal that Falcon was just able to parry. The trailing Brown attacker was unable to stay over the ball, and the Quakers (14-2-1, 7-0) caught a lucky break as the ball lofted over the crossbar of an empty net.
The Red and Blue’s luck didn’t hold though, as some miscommunication in the backline meant that Brown midfielder Jack Cloherty was left wide open at the back post in the 25th minute. As the ball made it through the six-yard box untouched, it was an easy tap-in for the midfielder to give the Bears a lead they never had the first time the two sides clashed.
In the 33rd minute, the Red and Blue’s best chances at an equalizer fell at the feet of junior midfielder Patrick Cayelli. After Brown goalkeeper Henrik Weiper was forced out of his net to deal with the long ball, a collision with senior forward Stas Korzeniowski meant that the net was wide open. Cayelli turned and shot, but his attempt was rushed and just kept drifting up and away.
The Quakers headed into the locker room down one at half time and looking to regroup.
“It was a bit of, like, strange tranquility,” sophomore midfielder Jack-Ryan Jeremiah said of the locker room at halftime. “There was no panic. We were very calm and very confident in our skills. And even when that goal went in, I knew we were gonna get another and probably more.”
Coming out of the break, the Red and Blue faithfuls didn’t have to wait long before the team delivered. In the 51st minute, an ill-advised tackle by a Brown defender gifted the Quakers with a game-tying opportunity in the form of a penalty kick. Jeremiah stepped up to the spot. And despite Weiper diving the right way, there was no chance at denying Jeremiah as his kick found the side netting.
“That’s the kind of player that he is really,” coach Brian Gill said of Jeremiah. “And I think he’s very comfortable in the moments when they’re big.”
Falcon did his part to keep the Bears out of net in the second half, with a fingertip save on a Brown set piece denying the Bears the go-ahead goal in the 68th minute. In the 74th minute, Ivy League Defensive Player of the Year and unanimous first team All-Ivy selection senior defender Leo Burney showed why he was worthy of all those honors as he put his body on the line in a slide tackle that denied the Brown attacker an easy one-on-one with Falcon.
“Those guys are doing a great job. They’re making great plays, and thankfully, they’re comfortable in that moment to do that,” Gill said. “Leo’s one of the best players in the country, and we’re fortunate to have him.”
Korzeniowski had been causing trouble for the Brown defender Harri Sprofera for much of the game. As the two battled, things came to a head when Sprofera cleared the ball but not before also taking out both of Korzeniowski’s legs. Sprofera and Korzeniowski had a brief confrontation that ended with a mini brawl as both sides rushed to the defense of their players. Korzeniowski would leave the game with an apparent injury and would not return.
His presence was unneeded for the Quakers to see the game through regulation with the score tied up at 1-1. Up next was extra time. This year’s extra time featured a rule change from the previous year: In last year’s tournament, two 10-minute periods were played regardless of whether or not either team scored. This year, the league adopted the golden-goal rule, in which the first team to score would win the game.
“I think overall, the golden-goal scenario makes for an interesting outcome either way,” Gills aid. “Obviously, you’re happy when it goes your way.”
After Falcon denied Brown’s shot attempt from just outside the 18-yard box, it didn’t take long before Pratt found himself on the other end of the field with the ball at his feet. After his first kick was blocked, his second had better luck, sliding between defenders and past Weiper into the back of the net to end the game and punch Penn’s ticket to the finals.
“It feels amazing,” Pratt said of scoring the game winner as a defender. “It doesn’t happen often, but I think on this team, defenders have made big plays, big goals, and I’m glad I got on the end of it.”
Penn men’s soccer will take the field again on Sunday at Rhodes Field at 1 p.m. where it will face off against the winner of tonight’s second semifinal game between No. 16 Cornell and Princeton. The Quakers are currently undefeated this season while playing at Rhodes Field.
“I mean, props to the home crowd and credit to the guys for always bringing it when we’re at home,” Jeremiah said. “But yeah, I think it’s a tough place to play when you’re the away team, and hopefully we can keep it going.”
Penn men's soccer moves onto the finals of the Ivy League tournament after beating Brown on Nov. 15.
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