PHILADELPHIA, PA. 4/6/2104 – In a game that featured two of the top defensive teams in the country, goals would be at a premium. The number 6 Northwestern Wildcats got the ball and stayed patient on offense to earn a 7 – 2 win over the 12th ranked University of Pennsylvania Quakers at Franklin Field. Penn Coach Karin Brower-Corbett said that the Quakers rushed on offense which contributed to the defeat.
“In the possession we had, we did not do a good job,” Brower-Corbett said. “We knew what to expect from the on defense, but we didn’t work their defense enough. We went for the first thing rather than work the defense and look for good opportunities. If we had taken care of the ball and not gotten behind, it would have been a different game.”
The Wildcats had a big advantage in draw controls holding a 9 – 2 edge over the Quakers. Attack Alyssa Leonard won 8 for the visitors.
Penn started out well getting the first goal of the game when freshman attack Sarah Barcia scored at the 27:44 mark. Sophomore attack Nina Corcoran was credited with the assist. Northwestern responded by scoring the next three goals, two by midfielder Kayleigh Craig. Midfielder Kat DeRonda added the other tally to give the Wildcats a 3 – 1 halftime lead. The second half began with Northwestern getting two scores in the first two and a half minutes by DeRonda and Leonard.
The Red and Blue got a score back as sophomore midfielder Lely DeSimone with 23:23 to play to cut the gap to 5 – 2. Penn would give up two more goals to midfielder Christy Turner and attack Kara Mupo to close out the scoring.
“When it was 5 – 2 we had an opportunity, but when we got down there it was a shot,” said Brower-Corbett. “It was five seconds, It’s hard to play defense. They’re going to make a mistake or two. Our attack ahs to do a better job of controlling the tempo.”
The Wildcats outshot the Quakers 17 – 12. Junior goal keeper Lucy Ferguson recorded 9 saves for Penn. Bridget Bianco from Moorestown, NJ made 8 saves for Northwestern. The visitors from Chicago had a 15 – 11 edge in ground balls.
The Red and Blue will return to Ivy League play. The next five games will be against Ancient Eight foes starting with the next two games at Dartmouth and Princeton. The Quakers still hold the top spot in the Ivies, and have played only two games in conference compared to four for the other teams.
“The next five games are critical for the Ivy League,” said Brower-Corbett. “We have a tough road ahead of us. Most of the Ivy League teams have three or four games under their belt, and we have two. Every game is so important. We are taking it one game at a time. Brown had a huge win against Princeton, and that’s who we are looking to.”
Penn is now 6 – 3 overall with all three losses coming to teams ranked number one, two, and six in the nation. Northwestern is 8 – 3.
Written By: Glenn Papazian
Contact: Glenn@PhillyCollegeSports.com
Be the first to comment