Aug. 28, 2011
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Penn State women's soccer team took a while to get on the board Sunday at Jeffrey Field, but when it did, Richmond could not respond in a 3-0 victory. Jess Rosenbluth (Gladwyne, Pa.) scored and assisted another for a three-point afternoon, while Maya Hayes's (West Orange, N.J.) fourth goal of the season proved to be the game-winner.
"When we're patient in our attack and play through Bri Garcia and Christine Nairn good things are going to happen," head coach Erica Walsh said after the third straight shutout. "Obviously Maya Hayes and Taylor Schram are doing a good job of connecting and finding one another, but most importantly is our flank play as we had good service."
After a scoreless first half where Penn State (3-1-0) was held scoreless after fighting the wind and a staunch Richmond (0-2-2) defense, the Nittany Lions erupted for two quick strikes in a minute's time in the second half. Taylor Schram (Canonsburg, Pa.) headed a chip to a rushing Hayes as the sophomore slid the ball into the back of the net in the 53rd minute.
Thirty seconds later, Schram nearly scored one of her own as a cross found her in front of the net, but UR `keeper Melissa Pacheco (11 saves) was up to the task. PSU continued to apply pressure and Rosenbluth knocked a seemingly innocuous ball through the goalmouth in the direction of Schram, but the cross turned into a goal just 62 seconds after the Hayes goal for a 2-0 lead. Bri Garcia (Babylon, N.Y.) was credited with the assist on Rosenbluth's tally.
"I was [trying to cross it]," Rosenbluth said. "I was going for Schram on the back post and I think she faked the goalie out and that's how it went in."
Penn State continued to fight to ice the game away and the third goal game on a beautiful through ball from Rosenbluth that found the foot of junior Jackie Molinda (Pittsburgh, Pa.), who slammed the ball home for the final 3-0 score line.
The victory cemented Penn State's third in a row as the Nittany Lions have outscored their opponents 12-0 during that stretch. The victory also paved the way to a perfect 2-0 start to the home slate at Jeffrey Field after PSU's 5-0 drubbing of No. 17 West Virginia on Friday night. Hayes, Rosenbluth and Schram picked up six points apiece as the balanced PSU offense scored eight goals off 12 assists for 28 points.
On the other side of the ball, the Nittany Lion defense has been stout as Erin McNulty (Winnipeg, Manitoba) and Krissy Tribbett (Centennial, Colo.) have combined for the past three shutouts. The last time PSU rang off three straight shutouts was Nov. 1-13, 2009 against Purdue, Michigan and Colgate.
The Nittany Lions were frustrated for much of the first half as Richmond employed a sweeper defensively and marked player-to-player all afternoon while Penn State played into the teeth of a sustained 20 mile-an-hour wind. PSU fired 17 shots in the first half with seven reaching net, but Pacheco picking each one up.
PSU almost got on the board early when Schram laid a header just high of net off a Maddy Evans (Glenside, Pa. cross from the right wing 19 seconds into the match. A flurry of action in the 12th minute saw a breakaway chance by Hayes stuffed by Pacheco, a shot by Garcia blocked and a final shot by Christine Nairn (Arnold, Md.) saved to end the sequence. Penn State put some other shots on frame in the half, but it wasn't until the second when the pressure mounted on the Spider defense when the Nittany Lions would break the scoreless deadlock.
The Nittany Lions and Spiders had never met before Sunday afternoon as PSU took the Penn State Invitational crown. Penn State went 2-0-0, West Virginia went 1-1-0, while Richmond and George Mason had matching 0-1-1 records.
Penn State out-shot Richmond 33-3 for the contest with a decided 14-2 shots on goal margin in the second half. The Nittany Lions had nine corner kicks to Richmond's one. McNulty made two saves on the afternoon improving to 3-1-0 in net.
PSU returns to action on Friday as it takes on N.C. State in the Pitt Soccer Classic. Game time is set for 5:00 p.m. at Ambrose Urbanic Field at the Petersen Sports Complex. Penn State's final game of the Pitt Soccer Classic will either be against Colorado College at 11:30 a.m. or Pittsburgh at 2:00 p.m.
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--NITTANY LIONS--