Sept. 24, 2012
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Penn State men's soccer team heads east to Bethlehem, Pa., to take on Lehigh at 7 p.m. Tuesday. The Nittany Lions (6-1-1) enter the match with a three-game winning streak, while the Mountain Hawks (0-7-0) aim for their first win of the season.
ON THE HORIZON
Following the tilt with Lehigh, Penn State hosts Big Ten foe No. 15 Indiana at 7 p.m. Saturday. The Lions then continue their conference slate with an Oct. 6 matchup with Michigan on the road.
FOLLOW ALONG!
The men's soccer program has its own Twitter account for the first season this year! Be sure to follow @PennStateMSOC, along with all of the Penn State athletics accounts, to get the most up-to-date and behind the scenes information. Join the Nittany Lion fans on Facebook as well, at Facebook.com/PennStateMensSoccer.
A LOOK AT THE MOUNTAIN HAWKS
Lehigh enters the match seeking its first win of the season after numerous narrow defeats. The Mountain Hawks have dropped four 1-0 decisions this fall, including their most recent game against Bucknell Sept. 23. Sophomore forward Brian Suchoski has netted both of the team's goals this season, while junior Dilan Casanovas Mack and freshman Ben Wysocki have added assists.
Keeper Ciaran Nugent has spent the majority of the season between the pipes for Lehigh, accumulating a 1.63 goals-against-average with 29 saves through 551 minutes. Head coach Dean Koski, the program's all-time winningest coach with 177 victories, leads the Mountain Hawks in his 21st season.
A HISTORY OF THE SERIES
The Lions hold a 12-2-4 advantage over in-state competitor Lehigh. The teams have met six times in the last decade, with Penn State edging out a 3-2-1 record. The latest meeting with the Mountain Hawks ended in a 1-1 draw in University Park in 2009.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
Penn State shares the Big Ten lead with Indiana with only four goals allowed this season, while pacing the league with six shutouts. The Nittany Lions have posted strong offensive numbers through the first eight games as well, landing in second in points (40) and assists (12) and third in goals (13) among conference teams.
Senior Julian Cardona (Lincoln, Neb.) has been a force on the attack this season, tallying 11 points on five goals and an assist. Those numbers have the Nebraska native trailing just Eriq Zavaleta of Indiana in points and goals in the conference. Classmate Minh Vu (Tuscon, Ariz.) leads the team and is tied for second in the Big Ten in assists (3), while John Gallagher (Pine Bush, N.Y.) has added a pair. Multiple Nittany Lions have contributed to the offensive success as 14 players have recorded a point, including seven with goals.
Defensively, the Nittany Lions have allowed just 18 shots on goal, fewest in the Big Ten. Senior Emmanuel Martin (Cormontreuil, France) has taken the bulk of the minutes in goal and carries a 0.72 GAA through six starts. Sophomore Andrew Wolverton (Snellville, Ga.) has yet to allow a goal in more than 200 minutes of play, recording six saves in two starts.
YOUTH MOVEMENT
Head coach Bob Warming has not hesitated to infuse his team with youth this season as seven freshmen have logged minutes on the field. Rookie Shane Campbell (York, Pa.) has started five games on the back line this season, while classmate Drew Klingenberg (Gibsonia, Pa.) received his first start against Adelphi Sept. 16.
Freshman Kelton Cheney (State College, Pa.) and redshirt-freshman Kyle MacDonald (Yardley, Pa.) recorded their first collegiate points on the same play in the 3-0 win over Adelphi. MacDonald notched an assist on Cheney's scoring strike in the second half. First-year goalkeeper Danny Sheerin (College Park, Md.) made his first appearance against the Panthers, guarding the net for the final nine minutes of the shutout. Klingenberg opened his collegiate account with an assist on Cheney's gamewinner against Wisconsin Sept. 21.
416 MINUTES
The Penn State defense has posted four-consecutive shutouts and has not allowed a goal since the 53rd minute of the Georgetown match Sept. 2, a span of just over 416 on-field minutes. In that time, the Nittany Lions have outscored opponents, 5-0, while producing a 3-0-1 record.
THE RISE OF AN ARMY
Penn State ranks second in the Big Ten in attendance this season, averaging over 1,400 fans per game at Jeffrey Field. The support has helped the Nittany Lions propel to a 5-0-1 start at home.
ALL YOU NEED IS ONE
Three of the Nittany Lions' six victories have come in 1-0 fashion this season, including the team's victory against Wisconsin Sept. 21. Penn State also knocked off Albany and Duquesne by a 1-0 margin.
TUBE-ULAR COVERAGE
The men's soccer team will have at least two games aired on the Big Ten Network in 2012. The Nittany Lions make their BTN season debut Oct. 6 at Michigan before hosting Michigan State Oct. 14 at 3 p.m., which will air live on the BTN. The Michigan contest air time will be announced at a later date. Additionally, both Big Ten Tournament semifinal contests and the championship game will be aired live on the BTN.
OFF ON THE RIGHT FOOT
Penn State opened its Big Ten season in the win column, downing Wisconsin, 1-0, on the road Sept. 21. It took over 80 minutes and more than 20 shots, but the team found a way through the Wisconsin defense and freshman Kelton Cheney recorded his second goal of the year to push the Nittany Lions past the Badgers.
Cheney delivered a goal for the second-consecutive game, ending the scoring drought in the 82nd minute with a strike past Wisconsin keeper Chase Rau. Freshman Drew Klingenberg started the play by finding senior Hasani Sinclair (Coral Gables, Fla.), who set up the goal with a cross through the box to Cheney. The assist marked the first collegiate point for Klingenberg.