Sept. 22, 2010
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - After a 5-1-0 start to the 2010 season versus non-conference opponents, the No. 20 Penn State men's soccer team will open Big Ten play on Friday evening when it hosts archrival Indiana (3-3-0) in a showdown for early conference supremacy. The 39th meeting between the Nittany Lions and Hoosiers is scheduled for a 7:30 p.m. start at Jeffrey Field.
Penn State is coming off a banner weekend, capturing two road wins in the span of three days for the first time since 2000. The Nittany Lions thrived on an arduous road trip through Colorado, enduring unseasonably hot weather and the high altitude to gain shutout victories over Air Force (2-0) and Denver (4-0). On Friday in Colorado Springs, junior defender Mark Fetrow (West Chester, Pa.) and junior forward Corey Hertzog (Reading, Pa.) scored goals to lift the Lions past Air Force. Versus Denver in the Mile High City on Sunday, Penn State got goals from Hertzog, senior midfielder Matheus Braga (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil), sophomore forward Rafael Faria (Miami, Fla.), and junior midfielder Mackenzie Arment (Manheim, Pa.) to rout the Pioneers.
Following the Nittany Lions' highly successful visit to the Rocky Mountain region, Corey Hertzog and Matheus Braga earned national and conference honors for their standout performances. Hertzog, who leads the nation in points (17) and points per game (2.83) and the Big Ten in game winners (4), totaled two goals and one assist to receive Top Drawer Soccer National Player of the Week honors and recognition on the College Soccer News National Team of the Week. The NCAA's assist leader, Braga added his seventh and eighth of the season in addition to scoring his first goal of the year to take home Big Ten Co-Offensive Player of the Week accolades for the second time in his career.
Led by former Hoosier great Todd Yeagley, son of legendary IU head coach Jerry Yeagley, Indiana enters Friday's match coming off a split of a New England road trip last weekend. The Hoosiers, which have alternated wins and losses through their first six games, fell to Brown, 2-1, in Providence, R.I. on Friday before defeating Massachusetts, 2-1, in Amherst on Sunday. Indiana is 2-0 versus ranked teams this season, including a 5-1 dismantling of then-No. 5 UCLA on Sept. 5.
The Indiana offense is fueled by the potent 1-2 punch of junior forward Will Bruin and senior forward/midfielder Andy Adlard. Bruin tops the team in goals (5) and points (11) while Adlard is second in points (10), goals (4), and tied for the IU lead with two assists. The Hoosier defense is anchored by redshirt sophomore goalkeeper Luis Soffner, who owns a 1.13 goals against average and has recorded one shutout.
Penn State possesses a 10-26-2 record in its series with seven-time national champion Indiana. The Nittany Lions have won four of the last seven meetings, including the previous two held at Jeffrey Field. The Hoosiers have not won in Happy Valley since 2004. Penn State is 9-9-1 in Big Ten openers, including a 3-7-1 mark versus IU. Indiana has never lost a Big Ten opener, posting a 16-0-3 mark.
Fans can follow all of the action of the Penn State-Indiana clash on the Internet with live stats and instant scoring updates from GameTracker or with a live video webcast on Penn State All-Access. Find links on the official website of Nittany Lion athletics, www.GoPSUsports.com.
Penn State will finish out a two-game home stand by welcoming regional opponent Saint Francis (3-2-0) to Happy Valley on Wed., Sept. 29 for a 7 p.m. contest at Jeffrey Field. In the teams' last match-up, the Nittany Lions routed the Red Flash, 5-0, to open the 2009 season. Penn State holds a perfect 9-0-0 all-time record versus Saint Francis.