Loukas Tasigianis

IVY CHAMPS! Men's Soccer Edges Harvard in OT

Release: 11/16/2008

Courtesy: University of Pennsylvania

2008 Men's Soccer Ivy League Co-Champions

PHILADELPHIA - The Penn men's soccer team defeated Harvard, 1-0, in overtime Sunday afternoon at Rhodes Field. Loukas Tasigianis was the hero, scoring on a breakaway at the 4:08 mark of the first extra session to propel the Quakers to the sudden victory.

With the win, Penn (11-2-4) earns a share of the Ivy League title with a 5-1-1 record; however, Penn shares with Dartmouth, and since the Quakers beat the Big Green during the regular season they earn the conference's automatic bid into the 48-team NCAA Championship field.

After being rained out Saturday night, the Quakers and Crimson came out with high energy once they were able to take the field Sunday afternoon.

Both teams kept that pace through the second half after breaking scoreless at the half. Harvard (11-5-0, 5-2-0 Ivy) went hard to goal with 10 shots while senior goalkeeper Drew Healy made five saves to keep the Crimson off the board. Healy had eight in the game to secure his 11th clean sheet. The mark now stands at Penn's program record for shutouts in a season.

The Quakers got their chances too, but Harvard's Austin Harms did his part with four saves in the game.

In overtime, Penn controlled much of the action and after the ball was pushed to midfield, Tasigianis found the ball at his feet and an open field. Harvard's Kwaku Nyamekye made up the ground to catch Tasigianis, but the sophomore got his shot off. The ball rolled past Harms to the far corner, with the all of Rhodes Field holding its breath.

When the net rattled the Quakers stormed the field to celebrate their first Ivy League title in six years and Penn's second under head coach Rudy Fuller.

11/18/08