June 29, 2011
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Penn State field hockey team will face an exciting slate this fall as the Nittany Lions will battle seven squads that advanced to last year's NCAA Tournament, including three at their cozy confines in Happy Valley, to highlight the 2011 schedule, which was announced by head coach Charlene Morett.
Penn State will have seven regular season games at the PSU Field Hockey Complex this year before serving as the host of the 2011 Big Ten Tournament as well.
Looking to continue last season's success, the Nittany Lions will open up the year with a pair of road games against two top-notch programs. As usual, the squad will open against Old Dominion with a bout against the reigning Colonial Athletic Association champions on August 26. Two days later, the team will head over to Charlottesville for a battle with Virginia, who advanced to the Final Four last season.
Returning to the Keystone State, the Nittany Lions will remain on the road for one more game as the squad battles Lock Haven on September 2. Later that weekend, Penn State will kick off its home slate with a match-up against UConn on September 4 at noon.
Heading back out on the road, PSU will square off with perennial power Princeton in New Jersey on September 8 before returning home for a contest with Quinnipiac on September 11. The next weekend, the Nittany Lions will travel south for back-to-back bouts with Duke on September 17 in Durham and Virginia Commonwealth on September 18. The latter contest will be hosted by James Madison in Harrisonburg, Va.
Preparing for conference action, Penn State will return home for three of its next four contests, starting with a match-up against Temple on September 22. Following a quick trip to the Midwest for the Big Ten opener against Iowa on September 25, PSU will return home for a pair of battles. The Lions will face Northwestern on October 1 before hosting the Villanova Wildcats during a non-conference match-up on October 4.
Continuing Big Ten action, PSU will head to Bloomington for a showdown with Indiana on October 7. Following a brief trek to Lafayette on October 11, the Lions will travel to Michigan for a battle with the defending Big Ten champs on October 16.
Penn State will return to its cozy confines on October 22 for a contest with Ohio State before wrapping up its road slate with a short trip to Bucknell on October 25. Five days later, the Nittany Lions will conclude the regular season with a game against Michigan State in Happy Valley on October 30.
The following week, Penn State will serve as the host of the 2011 Big Ten Field Hockey Championship beginning on Thursday, November 3. The playoffs will continue through Sunday with the title bout coming on November 6.
Last year, the Nittany Lions posted a 14-6 record and earned a berth in the NCAA Tournament. All-Americans Kelsey Amy and Ayla Halus will headline a deep and talented corps of returning standouts.
--PSU--