Nov. 20, 2007
University Park, Pa. - Five members of the Penn State field hockey team were named to the NCAA All-Tournament team at the conclusion of the NCAA Tournament on Sunday, Seniors Shaun Banta and Mallory Weisen, along with juniors Jen Beaumont, Jen Long and Allison Scola were all named to the NCAA All-Tournament team. The five players honored on the team is the most-ever for a Penn State team at the NCAA Tournament. All five players played crucial roles in Penn State NCAA Tournament run, helping the team advance to the NCAA national championship game for the second time in school history, where the Lions finished as the national runner-up for the second time as well.
Banta had the best tournament of any Nittany Lion from an offensive standpoint as she scored two goals and recorded two assists for six points in the four games. Her two goals came on only four shots, all four of which were put on goal. She had a point in three out of the four games. Against Virginia in the first round, Banta assisted on the first Penn State goal of the game by Britney Long, which was the game-tying goal, and also scored the third Penn State goal of the game, which was the eventual difference maker in a 3-2 win over the Cavaliers. In Penn State's 1-0 upset win over Maryland in the second round, Banta assisted on the only goal of the game by Long. Then, against Wake Forest in the national semifinals, Banta scored the second Penn State goal of the game with just over 10 minutes remaining in the contest to put the game away in a 2-0 win.
Allison Scola was also a big part of the defensive effort in the Big Ten Tournament and also recorded two assists in the four games. |
Weisen wrapped up her career by scoring two goals, both of which were game-winners, in the four NCAA games. She scored the eventual game-winner in the game vs. Virginia, putting the Nittany Lions up 2-1 in the game. She also scored the first Nittany Lion goal against Wake Forest in the semifinals in the 15th minute, giving Penn State the early lead it would never give up. Her two goals in the tournament gave her 11 for the season and eight game-winners as she became the second straight Penn State player to lead the Big Ten in game-winning goals. Weisen also made an incredible defensive save in the championship game against North Carolina on Sunday, saving a sure goal to keep the game at a 1-0 deficit during the first half.
Beaumont played some of her best field hockey of the year in goal during the NCAA Tournament. Along with the defense, she recorded two shutouts in the tournament, blanking the No. 2 and No. 3 seeds in Maryland and Wake Forest to help advance the Nittany Lions to the championship game. Against Maryland, she made a season-high nine saves to shut out the two-time defending national champions and she followed that up with four saves against the Demon Deacons in the semifinals to record her ninth shutout of the year. Her nine shutouts this year were tops in the Big Ten as well.
Jen Beaumont recorded a season-high nine saves against Maryland and had two shutouts in goal as she played some of her best field hockey of the year in goal in the NCAA Tournament. |
Jen Long gave the team an emotional lift as well as a lift on the field when she came off the bench to start the second half in the first round vs. Virginia with the Nittany Lions trailing 1-0 at the break. After not starting the first round game, the first time in her career that she has not started a game, Long gave the team a boost on defense and also assisted on Weisen's game-winning goal in the second half against the Cavaliers. Long then proceeded to key the defensive efforts against Maryland and Wake Forest, including a defensive save against the Terrapins, that led to shutouts and she also recorded another assist on Weisen's game-winner against Wake Forest in the semifinals. She finished tied for first in the Big Ten in assists.
Scola also assisted on Weisen's two game-winning goals in the tournament in the wins over Virginia and Wake Forest and her play on defense was also a key in all four games, especially the two shutouts. She also displayed outstanding stick control as she continually cut off passes and disrupted the flow of the opposing offenses in the tournament. Scola, who was moved to a back position for most of this year, also blocked a pair of shots off penalty corners in Sunday's championship game against North Carolina.