Sept. 7, 2010
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UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Following a nine-day layoff, the No. 16 Penn State field hockey returns to game action on Sunday when it hosts local rival Lock Haven. Gametime is set for 12 p.m. at the Penn State Field Hockey Complex.
Fans can follow all the action through and the Penn State Field Hockey Twitter Page.
Despite a 1-2 record thus far, the Nittany Lions have impressed out of the gate. After beginning the season ranked No. 18 in the NFHCA National Poll, the team moved up two slots in the latest poll released on Tuesday.
The Lions opened the year by shutting out then 16th nationally ranked Old Dominion before falling to No. 3 Virginia and No. 5 Connecticut. Both games were up for grabs, however, especially against the Huskies when Penn State fell by a single goal.
Penn State has been recognized for its strong play, earning a Big Ten weekly award in each of the first two weeks. Sophomore Kelsey Amy (Sweet Valley, Pa.) was named offensive player of the week after scoring two goals against Old Dominion, then redshirt sophomore Ayla Halus (Hershey, Pa.) earned defensive laurels following 12 saves against the Huskies.
The Lions face four consecutive teams from the Keystone State beginning with Sunday's matchup against Lock Haven. They then host Lafayette (Sept. 15) before traveling to Temple and West Chester the following weekend. Bucknell comes to town on Oct. 19.
Sunday marks the return of Lock Haven assistant coach and former Penn State All-American Mallory Weisen, who suited up for the Nittany Lions from 2004-07. She was on the sidelines last season when Penn State topped the Eagles in the home opener.
The teams have met 29 times all-time, but Sunday will be the first with Lock Haven as a member of the Atlantic 10. Penn State was in the A-10 all the way until its first in the Big Ten in 1992. Three of the next four opponents are in the Atlantic 10 - Lock Haven, Temple and West Chester.
Morett, who enters her 24th season as head coach at her alma mater, remains within three of her 400th career victory. She is one of three Nittany Lion coaches approaching the same milestone. While head football coach Joe Paterno entered 2010 with 394 career wins and new soccer coach Bob Warming has 383, Morett remains the closest, looking to become only the fourth Division I coach in NCAA field hockey history to reach that plateau.
The all-time series is tied at 14-14-1, but Penn State has won eight in a row. Its last loss against Lock Haven came all the way back 15 years ago to the day of Sunday's game - Sept. 12, 1985.
Follow Penn State field hockey on Twitter: www.twitter.com/PennStateFH.
The game features a number of additional storylines, as well (below).
Ayla Halus Named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week
• Redshirt sophomore Ayla Halus was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week, as announced on Monday.
• Penn State's last defensive player of the week came when senior Ali Meves was honored last Oct. 5 after making 11 saves vs. No. 18 Ohio State.
• The award comes only a week after sophomore Kelsey Amy was named Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week.
• Halus made 12 stops against the Huskies, 10 coming in the first 35:00 to keep the game scoreless at the half. In her first three games, she has made 13, 10 and 12 saves, respectively, with all coming against ranked foes. Two of the three teams - Virginia and UConn - were among the top five in the nation.
• The 12 saves were one shy of her career-high set in the season-opener vs. No. 16 Old Dominion. It also marked Halus' second 10-save half of the season. She also made 10 in the first-half against the Monarchs. Overall, Halus owns a Big Ten-leading 87.5 save percentage, stopping 35 of 40 shots sent her way.
• Halus dazzled in the dominating 4-0 win over No. 16 Old Dominion, making a facility-record 13 saves while not allowing a goal. She made 10 of those stops in the first half to keep the Lions in the game.
• The previous Penn State Field Hockey Complex mark was 12 by Jen Beaumont in 2008.
• Halus now has two career shutouts.
Kelsey Amy Named Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week
• Sophomore Kelsey Amy was named this season's first Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week, as announced by the conference office on Monday, Aug. 30.
• Amy scored two goals against No. 16 Old Dominion, accounting for half of the Lions' offensive outburst during the 4-0 season-opening win.
• Those two goals tied a career-high and marked her third career multi-goal game.
• It also marked the second straight year that a Nittany Lion scored two goals in the home-opener. Redshirt sophomore Hannah Allison had a pair against Lock Haven last season.
• The offensive player of the week honors marks Penn State's first since Allison Scola earned the honors on Oct. 13, 2008.
At Home In 2010
• Road games will be a rarity for the Nittany Lions this season.
• The squad has 11 home games and six road contests, their most home tilts since 2003.
Scouting Lock Haven
• A perennial force out of the NEC, the Eagles won their sixth straight conference championship last year.
• This season is much different however, their first in the Atlantic 10.
• As of Tuesday, Lock Haven has gone winless through three games thus far. It does play at Saint Francis and home vs. Longwood before the Sunday showdown with the Lions.
• As of Tuesday, Amy Hordendorf leads the way with both Lock Haven goals and four points overall. Her success is among the best in the nation - her 59 career goals and 132 career points currently stands third among active Division I players. Two others - Kristi Shepps and Abbey Hordendorf - have picked up an assist this season.
• Senior Erin Terreson has posted a 2.33 GAA and .611 save percentage thus far. She actually stands second in the nation in career minutes played (4,091) and fourth in career GAA (1.11).
On The Verge Of A Milestone
• Morett entered the season only four wins shy of her 400th career win.
• She currently owns a 397-161-17 career record, which includes her three seasons at Boston College where she posted a 34-16-8 mark.
• She would become only the fourth Division I coach in NCAA history (ninth overall) to reach the 400-win plateau, joining three others who are all still active: Old Dominion's Beth Anders, UConn's Nancy Stevens and North Carolina's Karen Shelton.
Penn State Field Hockey Ranked 18th In Preseason NFHCA Coaches Poll
• The Nittany Lions entered the 2010 season ranked 18th in the preseason Kookaburra/NFHCA Coaches Poll. They were one of five Big Ten teams in the top 20.
• In total, the Lions will face five of the top 10 teams in the nation and nine of the top 20: Virginia (3), Princeton (4), Connecticut (5), Michigan State (7), Duke (10), Ohio State (14), Old Dominion (16), Indiana (17) and Iowa (19). Six of those games come at home with only Connecticut, Michigan State and Ohio State on the road.
• Four other 2010 opponents - Northwestern, Michigan, Lafayette and Lock Haven - are also among others receiving votes.
Alloway & Zug Named Team Captains
• Penn State field hockey senior Daneen Zug (Manheim, Pa.) and redshirt junior Lauren Alloway (Hummelstown, Pa.) have been named team captains for the 2010 season.
• Zug has excelled on and off the field, being named a two-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree while also earning Second Team All-Big Ten laurels in 2008. After playing 12 games as a freshman, she broke out as a sophomore with 23 points which included a team-leading 10 goals. Last year, Zug scored three goals, two of which came in a memorable 6-4 win against Pacific (Oct. 24), the same afternoon that her brother Graham scored three touchdowns in Penn State football's 35-10 rout at Michigan.
• Alloway enters her fourth year in the program as well, which includes a redshirt season in 2007. After limited action in '08, she saw significant playing time last year, playing in 17 games (six starts). She started the first five games of 2009, anchoring a solid defensive core which allowed only six goals in its first four games. Three of the games were against nationally ranked opponents (No. 16 Old Dominion, No. 6 Virginia, No. 5 Connecticut).
2010 Yearbook Now Available Online!
• The 2010 field hockey online yearbook is now available! In it, you can find everything you need to know about Penn State field hockey including stats, player bios, a complete history section and much more. Just click here to view.
Sign Up For Penn State Field Hockey News
• Fans, want to stay up to date on the Penn State field hockey team? Sign up today by contacting Justin Lafleur (jal47@psu.edu) in the Penn State Athletic Communications Department. You will receive game previews, game recaps, news releases and more, straight to your inbox!
Follow Penn State Field Hockey On Twitter!
• Penn State field hockey is now on Twitter! You can find exclusive notes and features to help you stay one step ahead when following the Nittany Lions.
• Included will be live in game scoring updates, so if you can't make it to Happy Valley, you'll still be able to follow all the action. Go to www.twitter.com and search for the username PennStateFH. Or just click here.