Aug. 18, 2011
vs. Stanford: | Live Audio | vs. Nevada:
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PALO ALTO, Calif. - The Penn State women's soccer team opens the 2011 campaign on Friday at No. 2 Stanford (10:00 p.m. ET) before capping its California road swing vs. Nevada on Sunday (2:00 p.m. ET). Both games will have live stats through GameTracker and Friday's Stanford match will have live streaming audio through GoPSUsports.com All-Access.
PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS
at
#2 STANFORD CARDINAL
Game #1: August 19, 2011 • 10:00 p.m. ET • Cagan Stadium • Palo Alto, Calif.
PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS
vs.
NEVADA WOLF PACK
Game #2: August 21, 2011 • 2:00 p.m. ET • West Valley College • Saratoga, Calif.
GAME DAY
VENUES (CAPACITY): Cagan Stadium (1,500) / West Valley College (n/a)
SURFACE: Grass
COVERAGE: GameTracker Live Stats; GoPSUsports.com All-Access Audio vs. Stanford
SERIES RECORD VS. STANFORD/NEVADA: First Meetings
LAST MEETING: n/a
NEXT GAME: 8/26 vs. West Virginia, 8/28 vs. Richmond (Penn State Invitational)
GAME STORIES
• Nittany Lions begin quest for 14th straight Big Ten title in California
• Penn State opens 2011 on the road for the fourth time in past five years
• PSU is 12-5 all-time in season openers and on a three-game winning streak
• Lions return one All-Big Ten First Team members and three Second Teamers
• Penn State has never faced Stanford or Nevada in women's soccer
• Penn State picked to win Big Ten for 14th straight time
• Lions host Penn State Invitational starting 8/26 vs. West Virginia in search of the program's largest crowd at Jeffrey Field.
GAME NOTES
SCOUTING THE CARDINAL: The No. 2 Stanford Cardinal enters Friday's match on an amazing winning streak of 35 home matches, unbeaten in 39. Moreover, Stanford is riding a 42-game unbeaten streak during the regular-season dating back to 2008. The past two seasons, Stanford's undefeated season has ended in the NCAA Championship Game with a loss. Four Cardinal student-athletes return as All-Americans as well as eight All-Pacific 12 honorees. Teresa Noyola, Lindsay Taylor, Mariah Noguiera and Courtney Verloo are Stanford's standouts. Noyola and Verloo garnered Hermann Trophy Watch List honors. Noyola had a busy summer playing in the FIFA Women's World Cup with Mexico, while Alina Gaciamendez also starred for El Tricolores. Noyola was Stanford's second leading scorer with 10 goals, 12 assists and 32 points, while Taylor tallied 11 markers and 28 points. The Cardinal have graduated the past two Hermann Trophy Winners in Kelley O'Hara and Christen Press.
SCOUTING THE WOLF PACK: Nevada looks to rebound from a 7-9-3 season and were picked to finish sixth of nine teams in the Mountain West Conference. The Wolf Pack struggled to score last season, notching just 27 goals in 19 games and with no student-athlete scoring more than four times. Kori Disarufino and Danielle Green return as the leading scoring options after the duo combined for fifteen points in 2010. Junior Dana Moreno is expected to start in net after appearing in eight games with six starts, posting a 2.35 goals-against average.
SERIES HISTORIES: Penn State has never faced Stanford or Nevada in women's soccer before. Next season, Stanford will participate in the Penn State Invitational, while Nevada will join the 2013 field in Happy Valley.
Junior defender Emma Thomson |
LION LEADERS: Penn State has two captains this season in senior Emma Thomson and junior Lexi Marton. The duo was selected as the leaders of the team during spring play.
MONTHLY WINS: Penn State will play its 24th August game against the Cardinal. PSU has posted a record of 13-8-2 all-time in August. Four games will be played in August this season.
ALL-BIG TEN RETURNERS: Penn State boasts a core group of returning All-Big Ten recipients from a year ago in `10 first-team returner and NSCAA All-American Christine Nairn as well as All-Big Ten second-teamer Tani Costa (Honolulu, Hawaii) and Emma Thomson (Nottinghamshire, England.
TROPHY CANDIDATE: Junior midfielder Christine Nairn was named to the Missouri Athletic Club's Hermann Trophy Watch List for the 2011 season this week. Nairn is one of 42 players on the list. Additionally, Nairn was named a preseason All-American by Soccer America this week..
Sophomore midfielder Christine Nairn |
RULING THE ROOST: The Big Ten coaches' preseason predictions were released on Wednesday, Aug. 16 and Penn State was tabbed to claim its 14th-straight Big Ten title. Ohio State and Wisconsin were tabbed No. 2 and No. 3, respectively.
PACK THE JEFF TO 4,500: The past two seasons, Penn State Athletics organized its biggest women's soccer promotion in history as the efforts to fill Jeffrey Field its season opener. In 2009 vs. Virginia (8/21/09), 3,098 fans brought the second largest crowd to Jeffrey Field at the time before last season's 3,900-plus saw PSU and the Cavaliers tie, 1-1. This year, Penn State is asking to eclipse that mark and then some with the hope of reaching 4,500 fans for this year's West Virginia game on Aug. 26 at 7:30 p.m. The goal is to have fans be a part of the largest crowd in stadium history, which would mean having more than 3,900 spectators present from last year. Also, the Park Avenue Army, a student-based supporters group, will be in full force. Visit www.parkavenuearmy.com for more details.
NEXT TIME OUT: The Nittany Lions will host the Penn State Invitational next week when West Virginia, Richmond and George Mason come to University Park. Below is the schedule of events.
Friday, August 26
5:00 p.m. - George Mason vs. Richmond
7:30 p.m. - PENN STATE vs. West Virginia
Sunday, August 28
Noon - West Virginia vs. George Mason
2:30 p.m. - PENN STATE vs. Richmond
For complete coverage of Penn State women's soccer, please visit GoPSUsports.com.
Follow Penn State women's soccer on Twitter: @PSUWomensSoccer.
Follow Penn State women's soccer on Facebook: Facebook.com/PSUWomensSoccer.
Check Penn State's YouTube page: YouTube/GoPSUTV.
--NITTANY LIONS--