The University of Pennsylvania women’s soccer team will play its first away games of the season this week, facing Fairleigh Dickinson University (FDU) on Thursday and Lafayette College on Sunday.
Penn, which currently holds a 2-0-1 record, will meet FDU at 6 p.m. on Thursday. The Quakers have won both previous matches against the Knights, including a 1-0 victory in 2022 when senior goalkeeper Annabel Austen recorded five saves in her first collegiate start. Their only other meeting was in 2013, with Penn winning 4-0. This will be Penn’s first road game against FDU.
On Sunday, Penn will travel to Lafayette for a match scheduled at 4 p.m. The Quakers have an all-time record of 8-3-0 against the Leopards and most recently defeated them 1-0 in 2023, with senior midfielder Mallory Lucas scoring the game’s only goal. Across eleven meetings between the two programs, Penn has outscored Lafayette by a margin of 31-16.
Sunday’s game also marks head coach Krissy Turner’s return to Lafayette, where she served as head coach from 1996 to 1998. It is her first visit back since joining Penn.
Penn has started the season strong, matching its best opening since 2021 with three consecutive shutouts—a feat achieved only three other times in program history (1998, 2011, and 2013). Senior goaltender Annabel Austen was named Ivy League Defensive Player of the Week for the fourth time after earning three honors last season en route to All-Ivy recognition.
Through their first three matches this year, Penn has outshot opponents by a combined total of 45-16 and earned more corner kicks by a margin of 17-6. The team’s opening win over Mount Saint Mary’s (5-0) marked its largest goal differential since 2018. Six different players—Abbey Cook, Taylor Ferraro, Mia Fuss, Mallory Lucas, Leigha Matter, and Lauren Stevens—have each scored once so far this season.
FDU enters Thursday’s contest with a record of 0-3-1 following a recent loss to Fairfield (5-0). Freshman midfielders Alexa Castro and Allison Nase and senior Dominique Liberto have each scored one goal for FDU this season. Goalkeeper Laia Oller Ramos leads her team with fifteen saves.
Lafayette stands at 1-2-2 ahead of its midweek match against Iona. The Leopards lost their most recent game to Texas A&M by a score of 7-1. Senior forward Katrina Santelli leads Lafayette with three goals from eleven shots this year while junior goalkeeper Catherine Apker has recorded sixteen saves and two shutouts.
