| Carey Maser and the Penn State defense has allowed just two goals in the last four games coming into Friday's matchup with Villanova. |
Penn StateGame Notes
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa., Sept. 8, 2005 - The Penn State field hockey team puts its four-game win streak on the line as it returns to Astroturf Field to play host to Villanova on Friday, Sept. 9 at 6 p.m. and Saint Joseph's on Sunday, Sept. 11 at noon.
Penn State (4-1) and Villanova (3-0) meet for only the third time in the programs' history. The Nittany Lions took the last contest in 2003, 1-0 and lead the all-time series, two games to none.
The Nittany Lions have played the Hawks eight times since 1988. The Lions have won all eight of those contests, including last year's 1-0 victory. The Hawks are currently 2-1 and play at Robert Morris on Friday before traveling to Penn State. At Sunday's game, fans will have a chance to win an iPod if they bring their football ticket stub from Saturday's game vs. Cincinnati. The upcoming games hold additional importance in the national scene, as the first edition of the STX/NFHCA poll is due out Monday, Sept. 12.
The Lions are coming off a tough midweek 1-0 victory at Princeton. Shaun Banta (Gibbsboro, N.J.) scored the lone goal for Penn State in the second half on a scramble in front of the cage. She now has two goals on the year.
Banta, along with Natalie Berrena (State College, Pa.) and Annelise Legel (Morgantown, Pa.) lead the team with four points each.
The defensive unit looks to continue its solid play as well. Anchored by All-Big Ten selection Sara Cahill (Virginia Beach, Va.) and goalkeeper Megan Akstin (Poughkeepsie, N.Y.), the Lions are giving up less than a goal a game. After giving three goals in the season opener at Old Dominion, Penn State has clamped down, only allowing two goals in the past four games.
Penn State head coach Char Morett currently has 334 wins in her career and is inching toward 300 at Penn State with 297. She is one of only five coaches to have reached the 300-career win plateau.