Oct. 12, 2013
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The No. 11 Penn State women's soccer team looks to rebound from a tough road loss as they host No. 19 Michigan on Sunday afternoon. The match is set for a 1 p.m. start at Jeffrey Field.
The final autograph session of the season will take place after the game on Little Jeffrey Field. Admission and parking are free for all home matches and fans are reminded that there is a no bag policy in place on stadium grounds.
The Nittany Lions enter the match 10-2-1 overall and 4-1-0 in Big Ten action after splitting Wisconsin and Minnesota last weekend. PSU used goals from seniors Tani Costa (Honolulu, Hawaii) and Maya Hayes (West Orange, N.J.) to edge Wisconsin, 2-1, on Friday before suffering a 1-0 loss at Minnesota on Sunday.
Hayes leads the Big Ten and is third in the nation in points (31). She also leads the league and is fifth in the country in points per game (2.38) and is tied for first in the B1G and third in the nation in goals (13). Rodriguez has notched a team-high seven assists, which ranks fourth in the conference. The midfielder is also fifth in assists per game (0.54).
Michigan enters Sunday's match at 9-2-1 overall and 3-1-1 in B1G play. The Wolverines most recently defeated then-No. 23 Nebraska, 2-1, on Sunday and are currently third in the B1G standings.
U-M is led by senior Nkem Ezurike and freshman Madisson Lewis. Ezurike leads the team in goals and assist with seven and six, respectively, while Lewis has notched four goals and five assists. Keeper Taylor Bucklin has been a strong force for the Wolverines in goal, allowing just 0.58 goals per game.
Historically, the Nittany Lions have dominated the series, holding a 17-3-7 record over the Wolverines all-time. Recently, however, the match-up has been very even, producing two draws in 2012.
The two squads left the field at an even 1-1 last year in the regular season and PSU outlasted U-M in penalty kicks, 3-2, during the NCAA Tournament to advance to the Elite Eight.
The Blue and White return to Jeffrey Field next Thursday to host Ohio State. The 3 p.m. match will air live on the Big Ten Network.