Nov. 1, 2009
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.--There was plenty of emotion at Sunday's match against Purdue and Penn State's seniors shined, downing Purdue by a 4-0 score at Jeffrey Field on Senior Day. Danielle Toney (Northville, Mich.) tallied two markers, but it was Melissa Hayes (Cave Creek, Ariz.) and Tara Davies (Cape May Court House, N.J.) who stole the show with their first goals of 2009 to put away the Boilermakers.
After a sluggish opening 11 minutes, where Purdue (10-5-3, 3-3-2 Big Ten) controlled the ball and had some scoring chances, but Penn State (11-5-2, 7-1-1 Big Ten) broke out a counter attack to take a 1-0 lead 12:05 into the match. Toney and Christine Nairn (Bowie, Md.) connected on a give-and-go sequence about 30 yards, setting Toney up for a breakaway shot she put into the lower right portion of the net.
Sixteen minutes later, Penn State would continue its pressure when Nairn tapped a pass to Jess Rosenbluth (Gladwyne, Pa.) who one-touched a pass to a wide open Hayes in the goal mouth for a 2-0 lead at 28:18. The two teams would go into the half time by the same score as PSU out-shot Purdue 12-5.
The second half would prove to be much like the first, as the Boilers once again took control of the early play, but showed nothing for it. In the 62nd minute, Davies made a streaking play down the left wing and was 15 yards from net on the end line where she chipped a gorgeous ball into the far post for her first collegiate goal. The former forward in high school provided fans with a fantastic celebrating, somersaulting and flipping after the third Nittany Lion goal.
Ten minutes later, the Nittany Lions attacked again when a Nikki Watts (Hungerford, England) and Nairn set up Toney on another breakaway and the junior forward slotted home the fourth and final goal of the game in the 72nd minute. Toney now leads the Big Ten in scoring with 12 goals on the year.
Alyssa Naeher (Seymour, Conn.) stood tall once again in net, making two saves in 81 minutes in her final regular season game at Jeffrey Field. She was one of seven seniors honored prior to the match joined by Davies, Hayes, Watts, Alli Rago (Fairfield, Conn.), Maura Ryan (Doylestown, Pa.), and Katie Schoepfer (Waterford, Conn.).
Penn State held advantages in shots (18-15), shots on goal (9-2), corner kicks (1-0), offsides (6-2) and fouls (12-3) for the game. Purdue recorded five saves to PSU's two in the game.
Nairn's three assists are the most by a Penn State since Hayes notched three against Bucknell in 2007. Additionally, the 4-0 win is the worst loss Purdue has suffered all season and gives Penn State a league-leading 27 goals in conference play.
The Nittany Lions now run their unbeaten streak to eight straight games including six straight wins at home. They are tied atop the Big Ten standings going into the final week of play with Ohio State, who won against Indiana on Sunday.
Penn State concludes the regular season with an away match at Michigan on Sunday at noon. A win secures at least a share of the Big Ten title for Penn State for the 12th consecutive year.
--NITTANY LIONS--