| Aubrey Aden-Buie scored two goals against the Wolverines. |
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.; Sept. 24, 2006 ?C Penn State women??s soccer team remains undefeated in the Big Ten with a 4-1 victory over the Michigan Wolverines after a physical battle. Ninth-ranked Penn State raises its record to 6-2-2 (2-0 Big Ten), while Michigan goes to 4-4-2 (0-1 Big Ten) with the loss. Senior midfielder Sarah Dwyer (Califon, N.J.) scored the Lions?? gamewinner, her second in the past three games, and also added the assist on one of Aubrey Aden-Buie??s (Allentown, Pa.) two goals on the day.
After an opening 20 minutes without much recordable action in a driving rain at Jeffrey Field, Penn State finally scored off a corner kick deep into the first half. In the 38th minute, the ball was headed out off the corner to sophomore midfielder Sheree Grey (Toms Rivers, N.J.), whose shot bounced off the crossbar and back into traffic. Michigan goalkeeper Madison Gates made the save on Penn State??s ensuing attempt from junior forward Aubrey Aden-Buie (Allentown, Pa.), but Aden-Buie was not to be denied and followed her own shot for the Nittany Lions?? first goal. The Lions kept the 1-0 advantage heading into the locker room while the rain tapered off and gave way to sunny skies in Happy Valley.
Penn State started the second half with renewed purpose with six shots on goal early and never let up their intense pressure on the Michigan backline. Dwyer got another goal for the Lions in the 57th minute when freshman Katie Schoepfer (Waterford, Conn.) found her with a beautiful cross, improving Penn State??s lead to 2-0.
The Wolverines tried to fight back, however, and brought the score within one goal less then five minutes later. Senior Katelin Spencer scored off a corner kick scramble in front of the net despite a defensive save off the line from Lion back Heather Tomko (Manchester, Md.) making the tally, 2-1, with just under 30 minutes left in the game.
After the Lions had several great breakaways and near-misses, Penn State got on the board again in the 78th minute. Sophomore midfielder Allie Long (Newport, N.Y.) bent a beautiful strike from the far end line of the field into the opposite corner after beating two UM defenders on the end line. Long??s first goal of the season increased Penn State??s lead to 3-1.
| Midfielder Allie Long had her first goal of the season. |
Penn State??s icing on the cake came in the form of the Lions?? fourth goal of the day. Dwyer found Aden-Buie in front of the net on a great cross to the head of the 5-10 striker, who buried it past Wolverine keeper Gates for the 4-1 final score. Gates made six saves in the loss, while winning Lion keeper Alyssa Naeher (Seymour, Conn.) tallied four, all in the second half. The win was the fifth of the season for the Penn State freshman keeper.
The Lions dominated statistically with 19 shots, including 14 in the second half, to Michigan??s seven and seven corner kicks to the Wolverines?? three.
The Nittany Lions begin a four-game Big Ten road swing when they take on the Iowa Friday, Sept. 29 at 7 p.m. CT in Iowa City before meeting No. 19 Illinois on Sunday, Oct. 1 at 1 p.m. Games at Purdue and Indiana follow the next weekend before Penn State returns home to Jeffrey Field to finish out the Big Ten schedule starting with a match on Oct. 13 vs. Minnesota at 7 p.m. and another on Oct. 15 vs. Ohio State at 1 p.m. The regular season home slate rounds-out with an Oct. 20 contest with Wisconsin and an Oct. 22 match with Northwestern, which will be senior day. All upcoming promotions will be listed on www.GoPSUsports.com for the remaining four games, so check back often.
Penn State hosts the 2006 Big Ten Women??s Soccer Tournament Nov. 2-5 at Jeffrey Field. Check www.GoPSUsports.com for ticket brochures and a full schedule of events for this and other championships coming to Happy Valley this year.