Sept. 16, 2007
Chapel Hill, N.C. - Two days after holding West Chester to no shots in the game in a 5-0 win at home on Friday, it was the seventh-ranked Nittany Lions who were held without any shots in the game as Penn State fell to the hands of a powerful top-ranked North Carolina team on Sunday by a 6-0 score. Penn State is now 5-3 overall heading into Big Ten play, which starts for the Nittany Lions next Sunday at Michigan, which is their next game.
After having defeated North Carolina twice last year, once in the regular season at home and once in the NCAA Tournament, Penn State struggled to muster up any offensive attack on Sunday. The Nittany Lions had five penalty corners, just one fewer that North Carolina, but were unable to get any scores off of them. Meanwhile, North Carolina scored three goals off of its six penalty corners, all three by U.S. National Team member Rachel Dawson, who had a hat trick.
After having not allowed a goal in the last 283:15 heading into the game, goalkeeper Jen Beaumont extended that career-long streak to 286:25 before the Tar Heels scored their first goal of the game just 3:10 into the contest on Jesse Gey's goal. It became a 2-0 game at the 14:03 mark on Britt van Beek's goal, which came on a rebound following Beaumont's save on van Beek's initial shot.
It was still a manageable two-goal game at halftime but a little more than eight minutes into the second half, North Carolina scored the first of three straight goals by Dawson in a span of just over 12 minutes to make it 5-0, all coming off penalty corners. UNC scored its final goal at the 62:09 mark by van Beek, her second goal of the game.
Beaumont made four saves for the Nittany Lions.
Penn State will have the entire week off to prepare for the Big Ten opener next Sunday at Michigan. The Nittany Lions topped the Wolverines 4-0 last year in what was the Big Ten home opener for them. Penn State's next home game is next Wednesday against Lock Haven.