Sept. 2, 2007
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - The seventh-ranked Nittany Lions bounced back from an opening-game loss to No. 24 Tennessee on Friday by beating UCF, 1-0, in women's soccer action Sunday in Knoxville. The victory signaled new head coach Erica Walsh's first victory at Penn State and brought the Nittany Lions to 1-1 on the year.
Play was scoreless through most of the game, with the teams keeping the shots just about even throughout. The Nittany Lions were able to break the game open in the 72nd minute when senior captain Aubrey Aden-Buie (Allentown, Pa.) blasted a shot from 15 yards out to give Penn State the eventual game-winner.
Sophomore forward Katie Schoepfer (Waterford, Conn.) and senior forward Carly Bedesem (Holland, Pa.) led the Nittany Lions' offensive pressure with three shots each. Aden-Buie found the back of the net on her only shot of the day.
Nittany Lion sophomore keeper Alyssa Naeher (Seymour, Conn.) made six saves to UCF's Jennifer Manis' two to get the win.
Penn State has a tough test up next at No. 16 Connecticut on Thursday night live on Fox Soccer Channel. The Nittany Lions' game with the Huskies will be the first NSCAA College Soccer Match of the Week this season and begins at 8 p.m. Penn State's unofficial BIG EAST challenge continues on Sunday, Sept. 9, at Top 25 West Virginia.
The Nittany Lions come home on Friday, Sept. 14, to host the Penn State Invitational to open regular season play at Jeffrey Field. Invitational action starts with No. 5 Texas A&M vs. No. 21 West Virginia at 5 p.m. and continues with No. 7 Penn State hosting James Madison with kick-off at 7:30 p.m. The top 10 match-up between fifth-ranked Texas A&M and seventh-ranked PSU is then slated for Sunday, Sept. 16, at 1 p.m. and will be broadcast live on the Big Ten Network.
--NITTANY LIONS--