In the aftermath of the No. 17 Harvard women's soccer team's 2-1 victory over Penn on Saturday, the rejuvenating return of sophomore goalkeeper Cheryl Gunther has provided the Crimson (2-1, 1-0 Ivy) with just as much reason for optimism as the win itself.

After missing the first two contests of the year with bone chips in her knee, Gunther was back in her regular starting role between the pipes on Saturday. Though she was still feeling some lingering effects from her injury, she played as well as she needed to, holding Penn to a single goal while making two important stops.

Altogether, her performance was quite remarkable, considering she had been cleared to play just four days earlier. Coming into the weekend, she was simply trying to speed her recovery along in order to be ready for Saturday.

"Although it is frustrating getting back, I am confident I will be back to full strength soon," Gunther said last week. "I definitely feel a little pressure after our defensive success last year and that is probably the most frustrating part of trying to get back."

Last season saw Gunther break a school record for goals-against average in a season (0.48) while also leading the Ivy League in save percentage.

Gunther will surely be able to return to that level of domination as her knee improves. For now, though, she can only take it one game at a time as she fights her way back to full health.

"Although I am getting better every day, I know I am not playing at the level I had been during the summer [before the injury]," she said. "I worked very hard since the summer to come in as a much stronger keeper. I feel good with a year of experience under my belt and my defense is looking good."

Even at less than a hundred percent, Gunther is an asset to the Crimson, and she could not have picked a better time to rejoin the team. Saturday's tilt with Penn marked the start of a tough five-game road trip that includes a swing along the West Coast for a pair of contests.