Sept. 13, 2007
Sept. 14, 2007 < 7:30="" p.m.="">
No. 20 Penn State (2-2) vs. James Madison (5-0)
Live Stats: GoPSUsports.com
University Park, Pa. < jeffrey="" field="">
Sept. 16, 2007 < 1="" p.m.="">
No. 20 Penn State (2-2) vs. No. 5 Texas A&M (3-1)
TV: Big Ten Network (Live) < live="" stats:="">
University Park, Pa. < jeffrey="">
THIS WEEKEND: PENN STATE INVITATIONAL VS. JAMES MADISON, LIVE VS. NO. 5 AGGIES ON THE BIG TEN NETWORK... The No. 20 Nittany Lion women's soccer team finally comes home this weekend and will host No. 5 Texas A&M, No. 18 West Virginia and James Madison in the Penn State Invitational this Friday, Sept. 14, and Sunday, Sept. 16. WVU (3-1) and Texas A&M (3-1) open action on Friday at 5 p.m., with the PSU (2-2) and JMU (5-0) kicking-off at approximately 7:30 p.m. Sunday's game will be a Top 20 battle between the 20th-ranked Nittany Lions and the 5th-ranked Aggies. September is Youth Soccer Month, which will be highlighted throughout the day's events. Gametime is set for 1 p.m. and the game will be aired live on the Big Ten Network. Both games this week be available live vs. Gametracker on the Gametrack PSU page on GoPSUsports.com.
WOMEN'S SOCCER FIRST PENN STATE OLYMPIC SPORTING EVENT ON THE BIG TEN NETWORK... Since the Big Ten Network's launch in August, only Joe Paterno's football team has been on the Network for a game, making the women's soccer game on Sunday the first Penn State Olympic sporting event on the Network.
YOUTH SOCCER MONTH FEATURED THIS WEEKEND... The month of September is Youth Soccer Month, and Penn State is celebrating all this weekend, particularly during the Texas A&M game, which will include a reading of the Youth Soccer Month proclamation by State College Mayor Bill Welch. In addition to youth activities featuring Centre Soccer at Friday night's game, there will also be youth games on Sunday before and during the match.
FIRST-EVER CODE BLUE GAME THIS SUNDAY... This Sunday's game vs. Texas A&M will be the first Code Blue event, representing an initiative by the Student-Athlete Advisory Board (SAAB) to get more students involved in supporting Penn State athletic teams. Code Blue T-shirts will be given out to the first 200 students and one lucky student will win a $100 gift certificate to the Penn State Bookstore.
2007 OFFICIAL TEAM POSTER TO BE GIVEN OUT THIS WEEKEND, AUTOGRAPH SESSION PLANNED... The Official 2007 Penn State women's soccer poster will be given out at all games this weekend. This will be fans' first look at the poster, so make sure to get yours! After Friday night's game, the Nittany Lions will be around to sign autographs for PSU fans.
GREAT PRIZES IN STORE AT JEFFREY FIELD... In addition to the $100 Penn State Bookstore gift certificate being given out in the Code Blue section, fans also have a chance to win a $100 gift certificate from Rockvale Outlets this weekend as a featured prize. Loyal Nittany Lion fans should also be on the lookout for the Lucky Program and T-shirts after each Penn State goal.
BE A TV STAR ON THE EAST SIDE SUNDAY... Penn State's women's soccer team is on the Big Ten Network for the first time on Sunday, so they're looking for their loyal fans to make them proud on national TV! Wanna be on TV? The cameras will be facing the East side of the stadium (the side closest to Beaver Stadium), so make sure to move to that side for your best chance!
RECAPPING LAST WEEK... Penn State split its games vs. two ranked BIG EAST foes last week, toppling No. 17 Connecticut, 1-0, in Storrs live on Fox Soccer Channel. On Sunday, the Nittany Lions gave up a late goal and lost, 1-0, to No. 23 West Virginia.
ALL-TIME RECORD VS. JAMES MADISON... The Nittany Lions and Dukes have met 13 times before with PSU holding a 9-3-1 advantage in the all-time series history. The last meeting between the two was in 2005, when on Sept. 18 Penn State beat JMU 2-0 at Jeffrey Field. The Nittany Lions hold a 7-0 record all-time vs. the Dukes on their home turf. The last loss for PSU in the series came on Oct. 25, 1998, in Harrisonburg, 1-0. In 2004, the two teams played to a scoreless tie at JMU, the only draw in the series.
SERIES HISTORY VS. TEXAS A&M... Last year's tie is the only blemish on Penn State's all-time record vs. the Aggies. Penn State has a 3-0-1 record vs. Texas A&M. Last year's tie took place in College Station. The two teams last met at Penn State during NCAAs in 2005 when Penn State outscored the Aggies 4-1 at Jeffrey Field to move to the quarterfinals. The Lions also met the Aggies during the NCAA Tournament in 2003, defeating visiting Texas A&M 3-0 in the third round. Penn State is 2-0 all-time vs. the Aggies at Jeffrey Field. The first meeting between the two was in the 2000 adidas College Classic in Spring, Texas, where Penn State came home with a 2-1 win.
ON THE HORIZON: PSU TRAVELS TO BUCKNELL, NO. 11 NOTRE DAME... Penn State hits the road again after this weekend, traveling to Bucknell mid-week and Notre Dame on Sunday for a live match on ESPNU at 12:30 p.m. The Nittany Lions' game vs. the Bison will take place on Wednesday, Sept. 19, at 7 p.m. in Lewisburg. On Sunday, Sept. 23, Penn State travels to South Bend, Ind., for a rematch of its 2006 NCAA quarterfinal game vs. the Fighting Irish. Penn State suffered a 4-0 defeat to the eventual national runners-up last season to be eliminated from the tournament.
MATCH WITH NO. 5 AGGIES WILL BE FOURTH OF YOUNG SEASON... After a 2-1 loss at No. 24 Tennessee, a 1-0 win in Storrs vs. UCONN and a 1-0 loss in Morgantown to the Mountaineers, Penn State is looking even-up it's 2007 record vs. ranked teams when it hosts No. 5 Texas A&M on Sunday.
PENN STATE ALL-TIME VS. RANKED OPPONENTS... Posting a 1-2 record this season vs. ranked teams, Penn State is now 53-32-8 all-time vs. opponents ranked in the NSCAA poll.
BIG TEN NETWORK HELPS BOOST TV COVERAGE TO AT LEAST SIX GAMES... Backed by the newly-launched Big Ten Network, Penn State's women's soccer team will enjoy national television coverage at least six times this fall. The then-No. 15 Nittany Lions' game at then-No. 17 Connecticut on Sept. 6 was the season's first NSCAA College Match of the Week and was televised live on Fox Soccer Channel. This weekend, its match-up with No. 5 Texas A&M will be broadcast live on the Big Ten Network, one of four matches on the Network this fall including three at home. A rematch of Penn State's 2006 NCAA quarterfinal match at Notre Dame will be televised live on ESPNU on Sept. 23 before the nine-time Big Ten champion Nittany Lions' conference match-up with 2006 runner-up Illinois on Sept. 30 on the Big Ten Network. Penn State's away match at Minnesota on Oct. 21 and its home match vs. Indiana at 1 p.m. will round out the Nittany Lions' Big Ten Network schedule for the year, making for six TV appearances before the postseason even begins.
GRAY, RILEY ON M.A.C. HERMANN TROPHY WATCHLIST... Nittany Lions have become staples among M.A.C. Hermann Trophy candidates and this year is no exception as junior midfielder Sheree Gray (Toms River, N.J.) and senior defender Denay Riley (Washingtonville, N.Y.) are among the preseason candidates for collegiate soccer's version of the Heisman Trophy. Penn State was one of 13 schools with two or more candidates on the preseason list.