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Penn draws Pitt in first ever meeting

Colin Brezniak scored for the visitors and Jerel Blades for the Quakers

Marcony Pimentel on the ball for Pitt with Gavin Barger defending
Matt Ralph

Cross-state rivals Penn and Pitt shared the spoils in the first ever meeting between the two programs in a spring exhibition match on Saturday afternoon at Rhodes Field in West Philly.

Former D.C. United and Philadelphia Union Academy forward Colin Brezniak (Hanover, Pa.) got the goal for the Panthers, while New York Red Bulls Academy alum Jerel Blades scored for the Quakers. Brezniak thought he had a second goal early in the second half, but it was waived off by the linesman’s flag.

An early enrollee to Pitt who last played for the Union for the U16s in 2015, Brezniak is one of six mid-year additions for head coach Jay Vidovich ahead of his second season at the helm.

Fellow newcomer Marconi Pimental, a Brazilian-born midfielder who has featured for German youth national teams and the youth squads of Bundesliga side SC Freiburg, helped Pitt control much of the tempo and possession throughout the match.

But Penn’s defense proved difficult to break down, something that happened all too often during the regular season last year (the team conceded 29 goals in 17 matches). Brandon Bartel was at the center of much of the action on both sides of the field for the Quakers. The back line, anchored by Erumuse Momoh and Gideon Metrikin, did well under pressure to hold off the up and coming ACC foe through the rest of the match.

Saturday’s game was the first of the spring for Penn, which will host the annual Philly Soccer Six event at Penn Park on April 8. Penn is scheduled to play Temple. The times and full schedule of games have not yet been announced.