Oct. 14, 2010
Friday vs. Minnesota (7 p.m.): • BigTenNetwork.com Live
Sunday vs. Wisconsin (Noon): • Big Ten Network Delay at 4:30 p.m.
Game Notes • Twitter/Facebook
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Penn State women's soccer hosts a pair of important Big Ten games as No. 15 Minnesota (Friday at 7 p.m.) and Wisconsin (Sunday at Noon) come to Happy Valley. Both games will have live stats coverage through GameTracker, while Friday's match will be streamed live on BigTenNetwork.com. Sunday's game will be featured on Big Ten Network, tape delayed at 4:30 p.m.
The Nittany Lions welcome back their alumni this weekend as the team hosts Oktoberfest at Jeffrey Field. Fans are encouraged to arrive early to the match against Minnesota on Friday and take part in the celebration, which will feature free frankfurters, sauerkraut and apple cider. Also, the Nittany Lions are attempting to break the Jeffrey Field Big Ten women's soccer single-game attendance record by welcoming 2,500 fans. The current record stands at 2,366 for a Sept. 24, 2004 match against Indiana. The largest post-Oct. 1 crowd stands at 1,878 for an Oct. 30, 2005 match against Navy.
Minnesota enters the game 13th in the latest NCAA RPI is ranked in each major poll (15th in NSCAA, 16th in SoccerTimes.com, 23rd in Soccer America, 30th in TopDrawerSoccer.com). Last year, the two teams played a thrilling match with Penn State prevailing 1-0 on a last-second free kick in St. Paul, Minn.
On Sunday, the Lions welcome Wisconsin led by former PSU head coach Paul Wilkins. Wisconsin's defense-laden style has produced positive results in the last 10 matches going 6-0-4 and riding a nine-game scoreless streak. Currently 3-0-2 in conference play, Penn State hasn't lost to Wisconsin in 17 straight matches following a 3-3 overtime draw in Madison last year. The PSU-UW match will be tape delayed on the Big Ten Network at 4:30 p.m.
The complete game notes can be found HERE.
GAME NOTES
IOWA DOMINATION CONTINUES: Penn State received offense from some unexpected places as the Lions rolled to a 3-0 win at Iowa on Sunday, Oct. 10. Julie Hubbard and Tani Costa each tallied three points on a goal and an assist, while Bri Garcia's 26th header began the rout. Garcia's goal was assisted by Christine Nairn, her fifth point of the weekend. PSU out-shot the Hawkeyes, 25-9, while Krissy Tribbett made five saves in a combined shutout with Kristin Hartmann. Penn State moved to 16-0-0 all-time against Iowa with the win.
LAKESIDE TRIUMPH:  Two nights earlier, Christine Nairn starred on Friday, Oct. 8 as she keyed a comeback for Penn State with two goals in a 2-1 win at Northwestern on Lakeside Field. Penn State gave up a 12th minute goal, but allowed only two shots the rest of the night as PSU won its 14th in a row over NU. Nairn equalized the match on a spot kick after a Northwestern handball in the penalty area in the 30th minute. In the 67th, Hayley Brock lofted a cross from the right wing and Nairn headed home the game-winner, completing PSU's first comeback victory since a 3-2 win against UConn (8/31/08), which also saw a Nairn header win it.
| PSU Women's Soccer Video Blog (10/13/10) |
BIG TEN WEEKLY HONORS:  The Big Ten Conference recognized the outstanding play of two Nittany Lions, Krissy Tribbett and Tani Costa, on Monday, Oct. 11. Tribbett was named the league's Defensive Player of the Week after posting a 0.51 goals-against average for two games and making six saves at Northwestern and Iowa with one shutout. Costa contributed a goal and an assist against Iowa while making one start in two appearances. The two awards are the first for each student-athlete.
Fallis: Hakes Fulfills Student-Athlete DreamLeaving one family and joining another is a tough transition for any student-athlete, but for junior defender Jackie Hakes, Penn State helped her fit right in. Read More |
SCOUTING THE GOPHERS: No. 15 Minnesota visits Happy Valley following a 4-1 win over Purdue on Sunday, moving the Gophers to 2-1-1 in Big Ten play. The potent Minnesota attack features four players with at least 10 points on the year including Shari Eckstrom (6G, 3A) and Katie Bethke (3G, 9A) each with 15 points. In net, sophomore Cat Parkhill has been outstanding allowing just eight goals in 14 starts (0.57 GAA) while posting a .800 save percentage with five shutouts.
SERIES HISTORY: Penn State has dominated the series with Minnesota posting a 16-3-0 all-time record. Most recently, the Nittany Lions have been a thorn in the Gophers collective side as PSU has taken three straight during UM's most successful soccer seasons. Last year, Katie Schoepfer's free kick with six seconds left concluded a game that saw 40 shots combined, 12 of which were saved by Alyssa Naeher. At Jeffrey Field, Penn State has won seven straight dating back to 1998.
SCOUTING THE BADGERS: Wisconsin enters Sunday's game riding a nine-game scoreless streak, a school record. During that stretch, Wisconsin has gone 6-0-4 since a 2-0 loss to Portland in Seattle on Sept. 3. Last week, Wisconsin battled No. 21 Illinois to a 0-0 draw to move to 3-0-2 in Big Ten play. Defense has keyed the resurgance of the program, allowing just five goals thanks to outstanding play by Michele Dalton (6-2-3), who has eight shutouts this season. Dalton has let in just three goals with a 0.26 goals-against average with an amazing .938 save percentage. Up front, striker Laurie Nosbusch leads the team with four goals, while the rest of the Badger squad has just five.
Hughes: Rosenbluth Holds Steady in LineupJess Rosenbluth has started each of the 13 games this season and has 26 overall starts in her career. The junior will look to take the field for starts number 27 and 28 in her career against Minnesota on Friday and Wisconsin on Sunday. Read More |
SERIES HISTORY:  Last season, UW rallied for a 3-3 draw with Penn State to push the series record to 15-1-4.  The Nittany Lions are unbeaten in their last 17 against the Badgers including a 6-0-1 mark at Jeffrey Field all-time. Wisconsin hasn't won a game in the series since 1995.
BIG TEN OPENING WIN: Penn State earned its first shutout of the season in a tense 1-0 win over Michigan State on Sunday, Sept. 26 at Jeffrey Field. Christine Nairn converted a penalty kick in the 20th minute for the deciding goal. Maya Hayes took a pass down the left wing and was brought down by MSU's Annie Steinlege, drawing the penalty kick. The spirited opening conference match saw 27 fouls combined from each team including four bookings. In the end, Krissy Tribbett's two saves in the final 90 seconds sewed up the victory for PSU who won their 17th straight Big Ten home opener (17-0-0) and upped their unbeaten streak against Big Ten competition to 10 (9-0-1).
OSU HEARTBREAK: Penn State suffered a tough 1-0 overtime loss at Ohio State on Sunday, Oct. 3. A defensive miscue allowed OSU's Paige Maxwell to give the Buckeyes the win. After a tough 90 minutes of scoreless play goalkeeper Krissy Tribbett misplayed a passback. Maxwell gathered the mistake and put the shot from eight yards out to the left post and give the Buckeyes the win.
BIG TEN OPENING WIN: Penn State earned its first shutout of the season in a tense 1-0 win over Michigan State on Sunday, Sept. 26 at Jeffrey Field. Christine Nairn converted a penalty kick in the 20th minute for the deciding goal. Maya Hayes took a pass down the left wing and was brought down by MSU's Annie Steinlege, drawing the penalty kick. The spirited opening conference match saw 27 fouls combined from each team including four bookings. In the end, Krissy Tribbett's two saves in the final 90 seconds sewed up the victory for PSU who won their 17th straight Big Ten home opener (17-0-0) and upped their unbeaten streak against Big Ten competition to 10 (9-0-1).
BUCKNELL BREAKOUT: Penn State snapped its five-game skid in emphatic fashion with a 5-1 thrashing of Bucknell on Wednesday night at Jeffrey Field. Maya Hayes scored a first half goal before PSU unleashed a four-goal second-half barrage.  Hayes has now scored in each of her last three games. Danielle Toney led the Lions with two goals, while freshman Taylor Schram notched three points in the second half. Christine Nairn notched two assists from midfield, while Bri Hovington supplied her first collegiate point with an assist. Hayley Brock capped the scoring in the 76th minute as PSU improved to 14-0-1 all-time vs. Bucknell. The Nittany Lions are now 25-3-2 all-time when Toney tallied a marker and 29-2-1 all-time against Pennsylvania teams. Currently, the Lions are on a 24 game unbeaten streak against Keystone State foes.
PENNSYLVANIA DOMINANCE: Since starting its program in 1994, Penn State has become the premier women's soccer program in Pennsylvania. All-time, the Nittany Lions are an impressive 28-2-1 against its Keystone foes, with the only team ever defetating PSU being Villanova. In fact, the Lions are riding a 13-year unbeaten streak since its last loss, a 2-1 defeat at `Nova in 1997. PSU is currently enduring a 22-0-1 stretch, which includes a 13-0-1 mark against Bucknell.
INVITATIONAL REDUX: The Nittany Lions hosted the fifth annual Penn State Invitational last weekend, going 0-1-1. Friday's game saw an exciting tilt between two top 15 teams in Penn State and Virginia as the Nittany Lions took a lead 54 minutes into the game on a Hayley Brock marker off a helper from Tani Costa. Virginia equalized in the 88th minute to send it to overtime where the game ended in a 1-1 draw. On Sunday, PSU took the lead for the third straight time in 2010 when Danielle Toney scored her second of the season, only to see it be equaled by William & Mary minutes later. A 74th minute free kick goal from 40 yards out saw the Tribe leave Jeffrey Field with the win.
| Penn State Women's Soccer Thanks its Fans! |
PACKING THE JEFF: Penn State and Virginia entertained 3,921 at Jeffrey Field, a new women's soccer single-game attendance record at the facility. A strong showing from the student section of Nittany Nation made their voices felt throughout the matches, lifting the Nittany Lions. The previous record was 3,208 set in Aug. 2006 in a match against UCLA, a 2-1 Penn State win. Last year, Penn State ranked ninth in the nation in average attendance (1,198) and tops in the Big Ten.
GOAL FOR 13,000: Penn State has put together an ambitious promotion plan into place to see 13,000 fans see a women's soccer game at Jeffrey Field. Last season, the Lions set a new single-season attendance record with 1,138 people per game. A total of 14,378 joined the NIttany Lions, second most in the team's history in raw numbers. The 14,711 in 2005 still stands as the most. 13,000 in nine games (1,444 per game) would break last year's single-season record.
EXORCISING THE MOUNTAINEERS:  West Virginia has had Penn State's number since 2007. No more. Penn State broke its four-game skid against the Mountaineers with a thrilling 2-1 overtime win over the 24th ranked WVU squad. A 22nd-minute goal by Danielle Toney was equalized by Bri Rodriguez in the 34th minute. The two teams went into overtime, mostly due to WVU goalkeeper Kerri Butler's outstanding play (nine saves). Tani Costa took a Hayley Brock delivery, cut back and slotted a left-footed shot home for the victory with 49 seconds left in the first OT period. It was Penn State's first overtime win since Oct. 2008, first win over WVU since Nov. 2005 and the first win in Morgantown since Oct. 2003. The goal was Costa's first in college play in her collegiate debut.
NEXT TIME OUT: Penn State returns home next weekend for a hugely important set of games. The Nittany Lions host Minnesota on Friday, Oct. 15 at 7:00 p.m. Penn State is looking to achieve another attendance record against the Gophers by topping the Jeffrey Field women's soccer Big Ten single-game record. The current record stands at 2,366 for a Sept. 24, 2004 match against Indiana. Sept. 26's 1-0 win over Michigan State saw 1,692 fans support the Nittany Lions, which was the second largest crowd for a Big Ten women's soccer match at Jeffrey Field.
Two days later after the Wisconsin match, Penn State faces first-place Wisconsin for a Noon matchup on Sunday, Oct. 17. That game will be shown on Big Ten Network, tape delayed at 4:30 p.m.
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