Around the Ivies: Penn, Yale play well early

Penn (3-2-1)

The Quakers were Princeton’s toughest competition last fall, opening Ivy League play with five consecutive wins before losing a de facto conference championship game at Princeton 2-1. After reaching the second round of the NCAA Tournament, Penn returns a strong team for the 2011 season. The Quakers played to a 1-1 draw against No. 23 Georgetown— which beat the Tigers 3-0— and only have two losses in the season, both coming on a West Coast swing to San Diego. The shot-happy Quakers are the only team in the league averaging more than 20 attempts per game, and only one other team has allowed fewer goals per minute.

Dartmouth (1-3-2)

A Sweet-Sixteen qualifier in 2010, the Big Green — like Princeton — has struggled early this season. After being shut out for the first 200 minutes of the year, Dartmouth has scored eight goals in its last four games, but the outburst has only resulted in one victory. The Big Green played No. 21 South Florida to a draw on its home field, scoring to equalize at 3-3 in the 89th minute, but has lost its last two games. The Tigers will open their Ivy League slate with a date against Dartmouth in Hanover, N.H., on Oct. 1.

Brown (4-2)

Also coming off a Sweet Sixteen run, the Bears have the most wins in the conference, though a 5-1 drubbing by No. 22 Kentucky snapped a four-game win streak. Forward T.J. Popolizio has netted six goals in as many games, doubling up the league’s next-best scorer. Brown’s goalkeepers have saved only two-thirds of the shots on goal they have faced, however, the worst mark in the Ancient Eight.

Columbia (3-3-1)

After opening the season with three victories in the first week, the Lions’ luck has quickly soured. Columbia’s three wins each came by only one goal, and a 5-1 blowout loss at the hands of No. 11 New Mexico turned its season for the worse. The Lions have not scored since, tying one game and losing two others; the team looks to regain some momentum in two nonconference games before beginning Ivy League play. Columbia has played four overtime games already this season, winning two and tying another.

Harvard (2-3)

Though the Crimson’s defense has been rock solid, allowing only five goals in as many games, the team’s offense has struggled, finding the back of the net only three times. Two 1-0 wins have kept Harvard’s record respectable thus far, and it will likely continue to drag games out and limit shot attempts on both sides as it searches for consistent offense. Forward Brian Rogers has netted two of his squad’s three goals. After a trip to Stanford and two more nonleague games, the Crimson will open conference play against top rival Yale.

Yale (3-2-1)

The Ivy League’s top-scoring team also easily boasts the best scoring differential, as the Bulldogs have outscored their opponents 13-6 in six games this season. The impressive differential currently comes entirely from a 7-0 home rout of Marist, which featured a program-record five goals in 12 minutes midway through the first half. Yale has played the rest of its schedule to a draw on aggregate, including a 2-0 loss at No. 12 St. John’s; the Bulldogs will close their preconference slate at undefeated No. 2 Connecticut. Midfielder Jenner Fox ranks second in the league in points with three goals and three assists, while Yale goalies have stopped 84.6 percent of incoming shots, by far the best in the conference.

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Cornell (2-1-2)

Last year’s basement-dweller is above .500 so far this season, on track to improve on a 4-8-5 record, though they have faced a relatively weak set of nonconference opponents. The Big Red has scored at least once in every game this season and shut out its opponents in its two most recent games, both victories. Cornell has allowed the fewest goals per minute in the Ivy League, and midfielder Dan Haber leads the team with two goals.