Sept. 14, 2008
STORRS, Conn. - In the final game of the UConn Classic at Joseph J. Morrone Stadium, the No. 11 Nittany Lions shutout the No. 25 Huskies, 2-0. After a scoreless first half, junior striker Katie Schoepfer (Waterford, Conn.) and sophomore forward Danielle Toney (Northville, Mich.) each delivered a goal to improve the Nittany Lions overall record to 5-2 on the season. The shutout was All-American Alyssa Naeher's (Seymour, Conn.) second of the season.
When the Nittany Lions struck, they did so with force as Penn State fired three shots in the 17th minute to pass the two shots UConn had previously taken. Alyssa Naeher (Seymour, Conn.) made a crucial save in the 23rd minute from an off-center shot by Husky forward Brittany Tegeler. Connecticut kept the Nittany Lion defense on its toes throughout the remainder of the first half through multiple shots on goal including a shot from UConn midfielder Karen Gurnon just before the half, which took a leaping effort by Naeher to stop and send the teams into halftime scoreless.
Penn State came out determined in the second half and put immediate pressure on the UConn defense. The Huskies showed some mettle of their own as they went on the counter attack and Erin Clark blasted a shot that was deflected by Naeher, who then scrambled to make a fantastic point blank save off Cory Blidstein's foot.
After nearly 30 scoreless minutes, Schoepfer scored first for the Nittany Lions at 58:57. Her fourth goal of the season was an unassisted straight shot into the lower left corner that finally broke the stalemate. Not long after, Toney powered down the right side of the field and fired her shot past UConn keeper Stephanie Labbe into the lower left corner. Her fourth goal of the season came at 61:28 and put the Nittany Lions up, 2-0.
As the intensity of the match grew, field conditions continued to deteriorate. The rain had moved out of the area from Friday's games, but both teams battled conditions that were still less than desirable as large mud puddles were present all over the field.
Throughout the game Penn State fired 16 shots to Connecticut's 18 while Naeher and Labbe picked up seven saves each. Junior captain Jessica Davis (Fairfax, Va.), freshman Nikki Watts (Hungerford, England) and junior Schoepfer made the all-tournament team.
The Nittany Lions will travel to Harrisonburg, Va. for the NSCAA Fox Soccer Channel Women's Game of the Week match-up with James Madison Thursday, Sept. 18 at 8 p.m. Penn State then returns to Jeffrey Field for another Top 25 match, this time with No. 2 Notre Dame on Sunday, Sept. 21, at 1 p.m. The match signals the team's second tangle with a Top 5 opponent this year and will be televised on the Big Ten Network. That day, Penn Sate will show thanks to some of it's program's donors on Endowed Scholarship Day, welcome its alumni back for Alumni Day and continue its celebration of Youth Soccer Month.
--NITTANY LIONS--