The men’s soccer team picked up their first conference win of the season and took a step toward defending their Ivy League championship by defeating Cornell 1-0 on Saturday at Penn Park.
Penn entered the game with a 2-3-3 record, including a 0-1-1 mark in conference play. They beat the Big Red for the second straight season and 63rd time overall to improve to .500.
Neither team scored a goal, or even recorded a shot on goal, in the first half and the game was scoreless at halftime. Fourth-year midfielder Michael Hewes executed a shot on goal in the 47th minute, but it was saved by the Cornell goalkeeper.
Third-year forward Stas Korzeniowski, the reigning Ivy League Offensive Player of the Year, broke the tie in the 59th minute by scoring a goal off a penalty kick, which turned out to be the game-winner. Fourth-year goalkeeper Nick Christoffersen recorded three saves and his fourth shutout of the season.
Korzeniowski leads the Quakers in goals (four) and points (10). He ranks fourth in the Ivy League in both categories. Christoffersen is tops in the conference in goals against average (.778), save percentage (.767), and shutouts.
On Tuesday at 7 p.m., Penn (3-3-3) takes on Monmouth (5-3-3) at Penn Park. It is the Quakers’ final non-conference game of the season.
