Aug. 15, 2012
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - With less than 10 days until the opening game of the 2012 season, the Penn State field hockey team is set to travel for two exhibition games this weekend. Under head coach Charlene Morett, beginning her 26th season with the Nittany Lions, the squad will take on the U.S. Under-21 National Team at 4:30 p.m. on Friday, followed by a matchup against James Madison at noon on Saturday.
"We are excited to play the U.S. Under-21 National Team and to help them prepare for the Junior Pan American qualifications," says Morett. "We are also looking forward to moving on to James Madison for a scrimmage against a top-ranked, Division I program on the road. I'm excited to see how our team will respond to both of these challenges."
The U.S. U-21 Team will participate in the 2012 Pan American Junior Championship, beginning on Sept. 10, in Guadalajara, Mexico. The squad of 30 is comprised of some of the best young players in the country. The U.S. won the most recent Pan American Junior Championship in 2008.
James Madison returns as a young team, with the 2012 roster consisting of two seniors, six juniors and 12 freshmen. The Dukes went 9-10 last season with a 4-4 record in the CAA.
Last year, Penn State defeated JMU 7-0 in a preseason exhibition and is 19-4-1 in all-time regular season matchups. With an experienced squad, the Lions are made up of two redshirt seniors, one true senior, eight juniors, eight sophomores and four newcomers. Although captains have yet to be announced, forward Hannah Allison (Mifflinburg, Pa.), forward Kelsey Amy (Sweet Valley, Pa.) and goalkeeper Ayla Halus (Hershey, Pa.) return as the seasoned veterans.
Amy, Whitney Reddig (Lititz, Pa.), Taylor Herold (Fredericksburg, Va.), Laura Gebhart (Mount Joy, Pa.) and Brittany Grzywacz (Collegeville, Pa.) return as the top-five leading point scorers from the 2011 season. Last season's Big Ten Tournament MVP, Amy posted 25 goals and seven assists and was a CoSIDA District II Academic All-American and a NFHCA First Team All-American. She co-led the Big Ten in points, was second in points per game and was tied first for goals.
Reddig was tied first for 20 assists in the Big Ten, while Herold posted 10 goals and four assists for 24 points. After recording six goals and 12 assists in her rookie season, Gebhart was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year and First Team All-Big Ten. She has also been a member of the U.S. Under-21 National Team along with Lauren Purvis (Maple Glen, Pa.), Second Team All-Big Ten and NFHCA Second Team All-Region, and Jenna Chrismer (Mountain Top, Pa.). Tallying eight goals and three assists, Grzywacz was named a Big Ten All-Academic, as well as earned Second Team All-Big Ten and NFHCA First Team All-Region along with Halus. The goalkeeper also named a NFHCA Second Team All-American and earned First Team All-Big Ten. She played in all 23 games last season for a .742 save percentage and four shutouts for second in the Big Ten.
Joining the 2012 roster, Penn State welcomes Lauren Alwine (Lancaster, Pa.), Haley Kerstetter (Selinsgrove, Pa.), Ally Lauth (State College, Pa.) and Bethany Mink (Allentown, Pa.) into the fold.
The Nittany Lions' first regular season game will take place on Friday, Aug. 24 against Old Dominion at 5:00 p.m. at the Penn State Field Hockey Complex. Two days later, the squad will host Virginia on Sunday at noon. Four of the first five regular season contests will be on home turf.
Check back to GoPSUsports.com for continued updates leading into the 2012 season. Follow Penn State field hockey on Twitter (@PennStateFH) and find us on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/PennStateFieldHockey)!
GoPSUsports.com stopped by the preseason camp to see how the Nittany Lions were preparing for upcoming season.