After an eleven win season in 2014, the Penn Quakers are looking to push even further than the first round of the NCAA Tournament in ‘15. The team returns many of its pieces, but the few that they need to replace will be difference makers all season. If Coach Murphy can continue his successful development of players, the ceiling can be higher.
The team rattled off eight consecutive wins after a 3-3 start to the season. The culmination of which was a two-goal win against Harvard to take the Ivy League Title. The end of the season also brought two new additions to the Penn staff in Pat Myers (UNC) and Jim Stagnitta (MLL). These two have long standing success on the Division I level.
The Quakers could put up goals in 2014. The team averaged over ten goals a game, which was also largely due to the success of now graduated Danny Feeney. Feeney and his goalie brother, Brian, are two major losses for the team.
At attack, there is a wealth of talent returning. Junior Nick Doktor returns, along with Isaac Bock and Kevin Brown. Hupfeldt also is a fourth option down low. Doktor led the team in points as a sophomore, so he is looking for even more production now as an upperclassman.
Bock was explosive until the last three games of the season. In the final three, he had one lone goal which is a feeling he didn’t often have. Hupfeldt ended the season with an even 8 goals, 8 assists and Kevin Brown added 18 goals of his own in his rookie campaign. The position is open for a third option to come in and produce immediately alongside Bock and Doktor. Hupfeldt’s younger brother did a post graduate year and will also be in the mix at attack.
The midfield felt the heaviest of burdens with graduation. Aside from Keeney, Zack Losco and Drew Belinsky will be sorely missed. Losco was second in assists and first in goals, which included a five goal performance against Cornell late last season. He scored in every contest. Belinsky produced evenly in his senior season, scoring in all but two contests.
Left behind are Joe McCallion, Pat Berkery, Jeff Puckette, and Andrew Staller. McCallion will be the elder statesman as a senior and evenly distributed his points last season in the midfield. Perkery is the last of eight scorers all in double figures on the season in points. It is not often that a team has eight total players with double digits in points on the season.
Highly touted freshman James Farrell will get strong consideration in the midfield as well. His other classmates are Chris Santangelo, Kevin McGeary, and Kyle Sheetz. There is room in the midfield for youngster to lead a charge, as the Quakers had a number of freshmen earn valuable minutes in 2015.
Kevin Gayhardt and Kevin McDonough return for their sophomore seasons and look to lead the pack at the defensive position. All the more important is that the players will be young in front of a young goalie. Two starting defensemen were lost to graduation. Look for a new comer like Connor Keating and veterans Matt Mcmahon, Zach Penfil, or Eric Persky to fill the void.
At goalie, the team loses an undeniable leader in Brian Keeney. He played started each game and gave way to a backup just twice in 2014. The backup returns in John Lopes. As a senior, he is the favorite for the position. Right now three others vie for contention for the job. Freshman Brian Zappala, sophomore Ahmed Iftikhar, and senior Jimmy Sestilio each will have their chance at the job as well.
The Quakers had an exciting 2014, which they hope to continue into 2015. The schedule is challenging, having played Towson, Duke, and Villanova out of conference. The improvement of the Ivy League will give them valuable experience to continue to develop. If they can find their way into the dance once again, look for them to try to crash the party at Championship Weekend in, of all places, Philadelphia.
Brian Davies
@briandavies15
