PHILADELPHIA - Two teams coming off of outstanding 2011 seasons and having high expectations again in 2012 met in Philadelphia on Friday evening. The battle between the Penn Quakers, who posted 14 wins last season and the Marist Red Foxes, who won 13, went to the visitors as senior Jackie Frey (Monroe, N.Y.) and junior Maria Moreno (Oyster Bay, N.Y.) netted goals. In goal, sophomore Andrea Wicks (East Northport, N.Y.) denied four Penn shots on goal for the shutout.
Frey got Marist onto the scoreboard just 9:25 into the match, as she received a pass in front of the net from junior Alycia Cartica (Pleasant Valley, N.Y.). This was Cartica's first career assist as a Red Fox.
Though the action started fast, the following 35 minutes would slow down offensively. Marist would register just one shot the rest of the half. The Quakers had three situations in which they could've answered the Red Foxes, but Marist came away unscathed. Wicks saved the first shot, while the second was blocked and a third hit the post.
In the second half, the Red Foxes looked for another quick score as junior Rycke Guiney (Naperville, Ill.) placed a strong corner kick into the box and found sophomore Marjana Maksuti (Delmar, N.Y.), who put a header on goal just 2:39 into the period. Penn countered Marist within two minutes as Wicks was tested in net by a Callan Parra shot.
Each team continued pressing, though it would be the visiting Red Foxes, who broke through. In the 64th minute off of a Samantha Panzner (Livingston, N.J.) corner kick, Maria Moreno controlled the loose ball in a scramble in front of the net to score her first goal as a Red Fox. She had previously played two seasons at NYIT.
Marist would hold on down the stretch over the final 26 minutes, as Penn would earn six corner kicks, but only muster two shots, one on goal.
For the game, Penn outshot Marist 12-8, though the visitors went 6-4 in shots on goal. Penn had a 13-4 advantage in corner kicks.
Wicks earned her second career shutout on the strength of four saves.
The Red Foxes, who improved to 4-2 will be in action on Sunday at 1 p.m. at home versus the Hofstra Pride of the Colonial Athletic Association.
