Listen here as PSD's Ben Medland recaps Penn Ivy League showdown with Harvard
PHILADELPHIA -
On Saturday, Penn hosted Harvard for their final home game of the 2018 season. The Quakers failed to contain Harvard in a cold homecoming game, in which Harvard ultimately won, 29-7. Harvard snapped Penn’s three-year winning streak between the teams, dating back to 2015.
Harvard jumped out to an early lead after Aaron Shampklin ran it in for a touchdown in the first quarter. The Harvard Crimson moved the ball extremely well in the first quarter and they also added a field goal with 3:57 to play in the opening quarter.
Ray Priore Post Game Press Conference
Penn bounced back and moved down field on a drive of their own. However, the score stayed at 10-0 heading into the second quarter of action.
The second quarter started with the Quakers set up on Harvard’s one-yard line, but it was the Crimson who won that battle as they had an impressive goal line stand and kept the Quakers off the board. Both defenses played very well in the second quarter, forcing each offense to punt a few times. Harvard quarterback, Tom Stewart, was injured on a big sack, that allowed Jack Smith to come into the game.
Smith led his team down field on a scoring drive in the final moments of the first half. Smith found Brian Dunlap in the back of the end zone for a nine-yard touchdown to put Harvard up 16-0 before the half.
Smith ended the game with a stat line of 7-11, 76 yards and two touchdowns.
Harvard Post Game Press Conference
With the second half starting up, the Crimson looked to extend their lead. After a few three and outs by
both teams, Harvard intercepted Ryan Glover, which led to another Dunlap touchdown for the Crimson.
After another quick turnover by Penn, Harvard scored yet again, making it 29-7.
Penn turned the ball over a total of four times. Quakers’ Head Coach, Ray Priore, knew that if they were
going to have a chance, they needed to cut down on their turnovers.
“There were open opportunities early on. If we can hang onto the ball early on…things change all
around,” said Priore.
In the fourth, the Quakers finally got on the board from a Glover touchdown pass to Kolton Huber, but it
came too late. The late push was not enough as the Harvard Crimson easily won the game by a score of
29-7.
Penn senior captain, Nick Miller had six tackles and 0.5 sacks on the afternoon. Afterwards, Miller touched on the fact that next week will be his final game for the Quakers.
“It’s been 39 games, that’s how the Ivy League goes, just trying to make the last one as special as possible,” Miller said.
The Harvard Crimson move to a record of 5-4 and will play Yale at Fenway Park next week. As for the Penn Quakers, they will move to 6-3, and will travel to play the undefeated Princeton Tigers next weekend in New Jersey. Both teams are now 3-3 in the Ivy League.
