Sept. 11, 2011
Box Score | Virginia Video Highlights
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. --Penn State used two goals by Maya Hayes (West Orange, N.J.) including the game-winner in the 66th minute to down seventh-ranked Virginia, 3-2, on Sunday at Klöckner Stadium. The super sophomore scored PSU's first goal and Taylor Schram (Canonsburg, Pa.) notched a three-point afternoon for Penn State (6-2-0) who handed Virginia (6-1-1) its first loss of the season.
"We beat a very talented UVa team today," said head coach Erica Walsh. "This team is as enjoyable to coach as any team I've ever worked with in my career. Our group is coming together well both on and off the field just in time for Big Ten play."
Following the halftime whistle in a 2-2 game, the No. 7 Cavaliers took control of play for the opening moments of the second half. Although they were controlling possession, the Cavs couldn't keep Penn State at bay as Hayes ran loose again and scored on a one-timer shot off a Schram cross in the 66th minute for a 3-2 lead.
The two-goal showing was Hayes's fourth multi-goal game in the past six matches. The goal by Hayes was her 12th of the season the most by a Penn State player since 2009 when Katie Schoepfer and Danielle Toney scored 14 and 13, respectively. Hayes is five goals from tying Welsh for third in goals by a PSU sophomore with 17. Nairn is four assists from third in assists by a PSU junior, held by Joanna Lohman and Rachel Hoffman (11).
The Nittany Lions applied some nice pressure immediately after the second Hayes goal, but shots by Nairn and Schram went just wide and Virginia went back on the offensive. The Cavaliers couldn't mount much of a charge. The lone opportunity on goal came with 30 seconds left when Erin McNulty (Winnipeg, Manitoba) made her seventh save of the match on an Olivia Brannon long-distance attempt.
Virginia jumped out early on the Nittany Lions as Caroline Miller tapped in a rebound from a few yards out just 2:50 into the game. Morgan Brian took the initial shot that was saved by McNulty, but Brain was there to put the ball away.
Hayes scored her 11th goal of the season off a give-and-go combination play involving Christine Nairn (Arnold, Md.) and Maddy Evans (Glenside, Pa.). Nairn fed Hayes, who led a ball to Evans before Evans supplied a cross to a rushing Hayes who headed home the ball to extend her scoring streak to seven games. The seven-game scoring trend is tied for third longest in Penn State history with Katie Schoepfer (2009) and Christie Welsh (2000). The longest PSU streaks are held by Tiffany Weimer with 17 (2005) and 13 (2004).
Penn State would take its first lead less than eight minutes later as Schram chipped a shot from 10 yards out off passes from Hayes and Nairn for a 2-1 advantage. Schram's goal was her fourth of the season, while Hayes tallied her second assist and Nairn's seventh helper. It was the first time in 2011 that Virginia had given up two goals in a match. The last two teams to score multiple goals against UVa have been Big Ten squads as Ohio State put three on the board in Charlottesville during the 2010 NCAA Tournament.
The game's lightning fast pace continued into the 30th minute as Virgina's Molly Menchel sent a through ball to Brian and the freshman snuck a ball under the crossbar for the breakaway goal and a 2-2 tie.
Penn State had three of its own make the Virginia Nike Soccer Classic All-Tournament Team as Hayes, Nairn and freshman defender Whitney Church (Ashburn, Va.) were all added to the squad. PSU went 1-1 in the tournament as UCF won the event with a perfect 2-0 record. Host Virginia and Washington State finished with matching 0-1-1 records.
Penn State improved to 6-2-1 all-time against the Cavaliers including a 2-0-0 record in Charlottesville. The win over the seventh-ranked Virginia side was also the first against a top 10 team since 2009 when the Nittany Lions defeated UVa, 1-0, in 2009. While Penn State is ranked in every poll but the NSCAA Coaches Poll, the victory also marked the largest upset in terms of ranking in PSU history. The highest ranked squad to fall to an unranked Nittany Lion team was Illinois who fell 2-0 in 2010 with a ranking of 13.
For the match, Virginia out-shot Penn State, 17-11 including an 8-4 advantage in the opening stanza. McNulty's seven saves were five better than Virginia's Chantel Jones. Corner kicks were nearly even (UVa 5-4) as were fouls (PSU 10-9). Penn State tallied four assists on the day and continued it streak of assisted goals. Every tally this season has seen a helper accompany it.
The Nittany Lions step into Big Ten play next week with an important trip to Madison, Wis. to take on the UW Badgers. Game time is set for Saturday at 2:00 p.m. ET from the McClimon Sports Complex. Following the Wisconsin match, PSU returns to Pennsylvania for four straight matches starting with a game at Bucknell on Tuesday, Sept. 20 at 7:00 p.m.
--NITTANY LIONS--