Sept. 8, 2011
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The No. 19 Penn State men's soccer team will begin a two game home stand on Friday night when it hosts Saint Peter's (0-3-0) in a 7 p.m. contest at Jeffrey Field. The meeting will mark the first time in program history that the Nittany Lions will face the Peacocks.
Due to the heavy rains that have fallen on central Pennsylvania throughout the week, fans attending the Penn State-Saint Peter's game will not be allowed to park in the grass lots adjacent to Jeffrey Field and are instructed to park in the paved Beaver Stadium lot. Fans should also be advised not to leave their vehicle parked in the Beaver Stadium lot overnight, as it will be towed.
Penn State (3-1-0) posted a 1-1 record last weekend at host Ohio State's Wolstein Classic in Columbus. Fighting against a heat index of over 100 degrees early on Friday night, the Nittany Lions got quick goals from junior Julian Cardona (Lincoln, Neb.) and Minh Vu (Tucson, Ariz.) but couldn't hold the lead and fell to Stetson, 3-2. On Sunday, following an hour and a half lightning delay, Penn State bounced back, using a Mackenzie Arment (Manheim, Pa.) goal to claim a 1-0 victory over Florida International in sloppy and wet conditions. Cardona, Arment, and sophomore Grant Warming (Omaha, Neb.) were named to the Wolstein Classic All-Tournament Team.
Sunday's win was a landmark one for head coach Bob Warming, as it was the 400th of his distinguished career. The 34-year veteran is just the 31st head coach in NCAA history to reach that milestone. Warming currently ranks sixth among active Division I head coaches in wins and 15th all-time. Fans are encouraged to stay after Friday's game for a special ceremony honoring Coach Warming's historic achievement.
Reigning MAAC champion Saint Peter's has dropped its first three games of the 2011 season, falling to Monmouth, Sacred Heart, and Columbia. The Peacocks slow start has rendered just one goal to date, a first half score by senior midfielder Harry Newman in their 2-1 overtime loss to Columbia on September 6. Newman is Saint Peter's returning leading scorer after totaling eight goals and six assists in 2010. Juniors Carlos Suarez and Johan Romero have nearly split time evenly in goal this season, with Suarez owning the better goals against average (1.26).
Fans can follow all of the action of the Penn State-Saint Peter's match on the Internet with live stats and instant scoring updates from GameTracker or with a live video webcast on Penn State All-Access. Find links on the official website of Nittany Lion athletics, www.GoPSUsports.com.
The Nittany Lions will remain in Happy Valley for their next game, as regional rival Saint Francis (Pa.) (1-1-1) visits Jeffrey Field for a 7 p.m. contest on Wednesday, Sept. 14. In 2010, Penn State outdueled the Red Flash in University Park in an offensive showdown, setting the Big Ten record for shots in a game (38) en route to a 4-3 victory.
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