Oct. 16, 2008
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - SETTING THE SCENE
The Nittany Lions enter this weekend with a 9-6 (4-1) record after a convincing 4-0 win over Michigan and a 3-1 loss to Michigan State. Minnesota enters Friday's match 14-1 (4-1) after 1-0 wins over both Purdue and Illinois. Iowa will meet with Ohio State before Sunday's contest. The team's record prior to meeting OSU is 8-6-1 (2-2-1) after a 1-0 win over Illinois and a 2-1 loss to Purdue. The Nittany Lions are continuing their quest to win an 11th straight conference championship.
A DECADE OF DOMINANCE
The Nittany Lions have won 10-straight Big Ten titles dating back to the 1998 season. Over that same span they have only lost six Big Ten games going 89-6-4 in conference play. They enter the 2008 season as favorites once again with hopes of attaining that 11th championship. The championship streak is tied for the second longest in Big Ten women's championship history with a current string of women's tennis championships at Northwestern. Michigan women's swimming & diving leads all-time with 12.
HOMECOMING TRAFFIC
When entering and leaving Jeffrey Field on Friday, fans will need to use the traffic light at Park Avenue on the East side of Beaver Stadium. University Drive will be closed for the Homecoming Parade which will start at 6 p.m.
LAST YEAR AGAINST MINNESOTA
In double overtime, then-No. 8 Penn State dropped its first and only Big Ten match of the year to Minnesota 1-0.
An inopportune foul proved to be the difference in another hotly contested Big Ten women's soccer match. In double overtime, Penn State fell after a rebound goal off a free kick found its was to the back of the net to give Minnesota the 1-0 upset victory on its home field.
Minnesota's golden goal came when Lindsey Schwartz sent a free kick off the post. Teammate Kaitlin Wagner was there to send the rebound into the upper right corner of the net for her third goal of the season and the day's gamewinner.
2008 PENN STATE VS. MINNESOTA
Penn State will look to recover from its first the Big Ten loss while Minnesota is looking to dethrone the 10 year champions.
The Nittany Lions and Golden Gophers have each scored 27 goals on the season while Minnesota has the shooting advantage at 311-255. Penn State has allowed 36 corner kicks while the Gopher defense has limited opponents to 24. Each team is nearly even in fouls with the Lions leading 141-130. Penn State has more than twice the saves at 63 while Minnesota has 31.
Lindsey Schwartz leads the Gophers with six goals while Molly Rouse has tallied six assists. Lindsey Dare is the only keeper to have seen action and has collected 31 saves en route to 12 shutouts.
The dynamic duo of Katie Schoepfer and Danielle Toney continue to lead the Nittany Lion offense. Schoepfer leads the team with eight goals, four in Big Ten action, while Toney has contributed six goals and six assists. Goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher has scooped up 60 saves and contributed to the team's six shutouts.
Friday marks the 17th meeting with Minnesota. Penn State leads the series 13-3.
LAST TIME AGAINST IOWA
Then-No. 8 Penn State improved its record to 6-0 in Big Ten women's soccer play with a 1-0 shutout victory at Iowa. Senior tri-captain Aubrey Aden-Buie scored the deciding goal for the Nittany Lions in what was their fourth shutout in the previous five games.
Penn State applied steady pressure all game, but it was a corner kick sequence in the final minute of the first half that was the difference in Friday night's game. Redshirt-junior Zoe Bouchelle found Aden-Buie for her eighth goal of the season with 10 seconds left before halftime. Bouchelle's assist continued her scoring streak, increasing it to three consecutive games after two goals and two assists during last weekend's action.
2008 PENN STATE VS. IOWA
Prior to Friday's games with Minnesota (PSU) and Ohio State (Iowa), the Nittany Lions held an 9-6 (4-1) record while the Hawkeyes were 8-6-1 (2-2-1).
Penn State has out-shot Iowa 255-161,and has scored 27 goals to the Hawkeyes 20. Iowa's defense has allowed 60 corner kicks to Penn State's 36. The Hawkeyes have the advantage in saves with 72 over Penn State's 63.
Penn State keeper Alyssa Naeher has grabbed 60 saves and has a 1.46 goals against average while Emily Moran and Kali Feiefeisel of Iowa have combined for 72 saves and a .92 goals against average.
Top scorers for the Hawkeyes are Alyssa Cosnek with seven goals followed closely by Keli Mclaughlin with five. Morgan Showalter has set up the most offensive opportunities with 8 assists.
The dynamic duo of Katie Schoepfer and Danielle Toney continue to lead the Nittany Lion offense. Schoepfer leads the team with eight goals, four in Big Ten action, while Toney has contributed six goals and six assists. Goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher has scooped up 60 saves and contributed to the team's six shutouts.
Sunday will be the 13th meeting of Penn State and Iowa. The Nittany Lions are unbeaten in the series with 12 wins.