Oct. 7, 2007
Bloomington, Ind. - First-half goals by Mallory Weisen and Britney Long stood up for the remainder of the game as visiting Penn State recorded its second shutout in Big Ten play to defeat home standing Indiana 2-0 on Sunday afternoon in the Nittany Lions' first game on the Big Ten Network. The win is a season-long fourth straight for ninth-ranked Penn State, which improves to 9-4 overall and 2-1 in the Big Ten.
The win also avenges the regular season-ending loss to the Hoosiers last year, which ended Penn State's perfect all-time record against the Hoosiers. Sunday's game improved Penn State's all-time record against Indiana to 10-1 and also marked the first time in the last four meetings that the game with Indiana was not decided by just one goal. Penn State has also now outscored the Hoosiers 42-6 in its 11 all-time meetings.
The Nittany Lions opened the scoring just 12:46 into the contest when Weisen netted her sixth goal of the year off a penalty corner as she one-timed the shot into the lower left corner of the cage and just past the outstretched reach of Indiana keeper Haley Exaner. Jen Long recorded her ninth assist of the season on the goal, giving her a new career high for assists in a season, and Kiersten Wood also got an assist.
A little more than five minutes before halftime, in the 30th minute, Britney Long scored her team-leading ninth goal to put the Nittany Lions up 2-0, giving her a goal in her second straight game. Shaun Banta set up the play when she sent a ball into the circle from the right side of the end line. The ball trickled off the pads of Exner and right to Long, who was standing right in front of her, and she finished with a tip-in. The assist was the fifth of the year for Banta, which is second on the team and is a career high in a season for the fifth-year senior.
Jen Long recorded an assist for the fourth straight game. |
Both Long's, Britney and Jen, recorded points for the fourth straight game. Britney has goals in three of the last four games while Jen has at least one assist in each of the last four games. Jen also was tremendous on defense as she blocked two shots that came off Indiana penalty corners.
The Nittany Lions were outshot by Indiana 6-4 in the first half as they scored on two of their three shots on goal. Penn State turned up the offensive pressure in the second half, outshooting the Hoosiers 8-3 and despite not scoring, kept the ball in the Hoosiers end for the majority of the half. The Lions had more penalty corners as well, 6-3. Jen Beaumont made three saves to record her and the Nittany Lions' fourth shutout of the year and second in the last three games.
Penn State will remain on the road this week but will not have to leave Pennsylvania, as the Nittany Lions will travel to Easton, Pa. to take on Lafayette on Wednesday night at 6:00 p.m.