Aug. 31, 2008
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Junior Katie Schoepfer (Waterford, Conn.) had two goals and an assist and junior Nikki Watts (Hungerford, England) scored her second goal in as many games as the No. 9 Nittany Lions cruised past Hofstra, 4-1, Sunday afternoon to close out Penn State Invitational action. The ninth-ranked Lions are 2-1 on the year, while Hofstra falls to 1-2 on the season. Sophomore Danielle Toney (Northville, Mich.) also scored a goal for the victorious Lions.
"Today was a better team effort. It was much more fun on this side of the score then on Friday," said head coach Erica Walsh. "I'm excited about the combination of Schoep and Dani. Add Nikki along with that tandem and we'll have a lethal front this fall. With Jackie Hakes and Emma Thompson both coming out of the back like we had today, we had much more variety in our attack that way and we'll be much more dangerous."
Penn State jumped out to a quick start when Toney scored off of a Schoepfer pass less than two minutes into the game. The shot came off the breakaway and Toney, a Freshman All-Big Ten selection in 2007, buried the helper in the back left corner. Toney has now recorded at least one point in each of the Nittany Lions' three games this year.
Schoepfer got a goal of her own at the 10:36 mark when Toney returned the favor with a well-placed cross that Schoepfer headed on frame. The goal was the first of the year for the All-America striker.
Watts added the Nittany Lions' total when she converted on a header. Assisting on the Nittany Lions' third goal of the day was redshirt-senior Zoe Bouchelle (Cockeysville, Md.) and junior midfielder Melissa Hayes (Cave Creek, Ariz.).
In the second half, Hofstra scored their lone goal of the afternoon when a corner resulted in a scramble in front of the PSU goal. Tiffany Yovino eventually tapped the ball through to make the score a 3-1 Penn State advantage.
Schoepfer put the icing on the cake when she scored off a breakaway pass from Megan Monroig (Northumberland, Pa.) signaling her second goal of the day and the end of a great effort for the team in its 4-1 victory.
Penn State travels to Rutgers this Friday, Sept. 5, at 7 p.m. before returning home on Sunday, Sept. 7 for a 6 p.m. match-up with Bucknell. The Bucknell game will put a cap on a triple-header at Jeffrey Field that day. The Nittany Lion men's soccer team will open its 2008 home schedule next weekend by welcoming Ohio State, Bucknell, and Tulsa to Jeffrey Field for the annual Penn State Classic. Sunday's games will pit Ohio State men's soccer versus Tulsa (noon) and the men's soccer team against Bucknell (3:30 p.m.) followed by the women's game at 6 p.m., also versus Bucknell. Admission to the Penn State Classic as well as to all home men's and women's soccer games is free.
No. 5 Florida State blanked No. 12 Connecticut, 3-0, earlier in the day in other Penn State Invitational Action.
--NITTANY LIONS--