Nov. 14, 2013
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Top-seeded and 16th-ranked Penn State men's soccer faces Indiana on Friday in a Big Ten semifinal showdown at Ohio State. The Big Ten Network televised match kicks off at Noon from Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium.
| #16 PENN STATE (11-5-1) vs. INDIANA (7-11-1) | |
| Match 18: Nov. 15 • Noon • Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium • Columbus, Ohio | |
| VENUE | Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium (10,000; Grass) |
| COVERAGE | Big Ten Network | Live Stats |
| SERIES RECORD | Penn State trails 12-29-3 |
| LAST MEETING | Oct. 6, PSU 2-0 (at IU) |
| NEXT MATCH | Nov. 17 at Big Ten Final, 2 p.m. |
| Penn State Game Notes | |
MATCH STORIES
• Nittany Lions take part in their 23rd Big Ten Tournament seeking a fourth title
• The Lions sport a 28-16-4 all-time record in the Big Ten Tournament
• Penn State takes on fifth-seeded Indiana, which beat Michigan, 2-1, in overtime
• PSU and IU are the two most successful teams in Big Ten Tournament history, combining for 56 wins (28 each) and 14 tournament titles.
• The two teams last met in the Big Ten Tourney in 2010, PSU was a 2-1 victor
• Indiana is on its first winning streak of the season following wins over NU & Michigan
• The Nittany Lions last played Nov. 6 at Akron, a heartbreaking 2-1 overtime loss
• Akron was just the second team to score more than a single goal against PSU
• Four of the past five Penn State matches have gone to double overtime
PENN STATE BIG TEN TOURNAMENT HISTORY
The 2013 Big Ten Men's Soccer Tournament is Penn State's 23rd appearance with the Nittany Lions sporting a 28-16-4 all-time mark. The 28 wins are tied for the most in tournament history as Indiana matched the Lions with its win on Wednesday. The Nittany Lions'.628 winning percentage is second only to the Hoosiers (.744).
Penn State seeks its fourth tournament title and first since 2005. Should PSU win, the Nittany Lions would move into second for most tournament titles behind Indiana (11). For the third time in program history, the Nittany Lions are the No. 1 seed.
ABOUT THE HOOSIERS
Indiana (7-11-1) enters Friday's semifinal on a roll following its first two-game winning streak and first overtime victory of the season in the Big Ten quarterfinals against Michigan, 2-1. The high-powered Hoosier offense touts 33 goals, which ranks second in the conference.
Ten different Hoosiers have tallied two or more goals and the offense received a boost on Friday with the return of freshman striker Tommy Thompson, who assisted on the game-winning goal scored by Dylan Mares. Nikita Kotlov and Femi Hollinger-Janzen each have five goals, while Kotlov and AJ Corrado lead the squad with 13 points.
Defense hasn't been Indiana's strong suit, giving up a Big Ten high 34 goals in 19 matches. Freshman goalkeeper Colin Webb has received the last two starts, earning two victories including a shutout win over Northwestern. In those two matches, Webb has made 10 saves with one goal allowed.
SERIES HISTORY vs. IU
All-Time Series: Indiana leads 12-29-3
PSU Streak: 1 win
First Meeting: 9/16/1978, IU 2-0
Last Meeting: 10/6/2013, PSU 2-0
Last PSU Win: 10/6/2013, 2-0
Last IU Win: 9/29/2012, 1-0
Largest PSU Win: 3-1, 10/2/92; 2-0, 10/6/13
Largest IU Win: 4-0, 11/15/1997
LAST FOUR MEETINGS vs. IU
10/6/2013: W, 2-0 - A 9/29/2012: L, 0-1 - H 9/23/2011: L, 0-1 - A 11/12/2010: W, 2-1 - H
LAST TIME AGAINST THE HOOSIERS
Jordan Tyler and Owen Griffith tallied first-half goals and Andrew Wolverton made five critical saves in Penn State's historic 2-0 win at Indiana on Sunday, Oct. 6. Penn State posted its first shutout at Armstrong Stadium in program history and first victory in Bloomington since 2005.
In the 15th minute, Grant Warming toe-poked a pass Connor Maloney down the right wing. Maloney was able to race to the end line and get his cross to the top of the six-yard area as Tyler slotted it home past IU goalkeeper Michael Soderlung (three saves). The goal was Tyler's second of the season, while Warming and Maloney picked up their first and fourth assists of the season, respectively.
Warming was again in the midst of Penn State's offense 10 minutes later as he sent a pass off an Indiana defender to Griffith, who one touched to his right foot and lofted an 18-yard shot into the upper right corner of the goal for a 2-0 lead. The two-assist game was the first for Warming in his career for the Blue and White.
Griffith's first goal of the year provided Penn State's first two-goal game against the Hoosiers since a 2-1 win in the 2010 Big Ten Tournament at Jeffrey Field. That game also represented the last time PSU defeated Indiana as the series now stands at 12-29-1 all-time in favor of IU.
Andrew Wolverton was put to work most of the game, stopping a point-blank Patrick Doody effort in the 44th minute and a pushing aside AJ Corrado's 20-yard blast in the 69th minute. The biggest save came in the 56th minute when Wolverton was able to save Tommy Thompson's penalty kick attempt and stave off any Hoosier momentum.
COMMON ENEMIES
Penn State and Indiana have faced six common opponents this season, five within the Big Ten and one non-conference squad (West Virginia) PSU went 5-1-0 in those matches, while Indiana went 2-4-0.
PENN STATE FALLS AT AKRON
The Nittany Lions were eight minutes from their first win over the ninth-ranked Zips since 2004, but a free kick forced overtime before another free kick tally late in the second overtime gave Akron the hard-fought 2-1 victory on Wednesday, Nov. 6.
Freshman midfielder Connor Maloney finished a fabulous half-volley from 25 yards out to stake Penn State a 1-0 lead five minutes from halftime. The tally was set up by a beautiful cross from Shane Campbell. The goal was Maloney's first collegiate marker.
In the second half, Akron supplied all the pressure and eventually broke through on Aodhan Quinn's 83rd-minute free kick. The Nittany Lions played the final 7:34 of regulation and all 15:24 of overtime with just 10 men following a red card. Quinn won the game in the 106th minute with another free kick goal. Andrew Wolverton matched his career high with nine saves.
ONE OR NONE STREAK BROKEN
During Penn State's incredible 9-1-1 run from Sept. 13-Oct. 29, a staple of the Nittany Lions was defense. In fact, until the Akron loss on Nov. 6, Penn State had allowed more than a single goal just once all year, a rare 4-1 loss at Rutgers on Sept. 6. Penn State had kept opponents to one goal or less in 15 of 16 games prior to Akron as Penn State surged to a 11-4-1 record.
FREE SOCCER
Penn State has featured in six overtime contests this year, all of them requiring two extra frames. The Nittany Lions are 2-3-1 in overtime this season with four of the past five matches being decided by free soccer. The last two visits to Ohio have been unkind with Penn State returning to Happy Valley with overtime losses, a trend the Nittany Lions look to shake on Friday.
IN THE RANKINGS
On Tuesday, Oct. 15, Penn State received its first national ranking from the NSCAA, checking at No. 17, which was the first NSCAA ranking since Sept. 25, 2012. Two weeks ago, Penn State vaulted up to 9th, but has since fallen to 16th this week. In the NCAA RPI released Oct. 28, Penn State moved up to No. 5. This week, Penn State checks in at 12th in the RPI.
DEFYING THE ODDS
Penn State was picked fifth in the preseason Big Ten coaches' poll and went unranked and unvoted in the NSCAA preseason poll. The young Nittany Lions exceeded all expectations to win their second straight Big Ten title and earn a top 10 national ranking two weeks ago.
BIG TEN NETWORK SCHEDULE
Penn State is scheduled to be featured on the Big Ten Network at least three times this season. The Lions were first on national television when they traveled to preseason No. 1 Indiana on Oct. 6 and beat the defending NCAA champions, 2-0. The Blue and White returned to the national spotlight in a home match against Northwestern three weekends ago in a thrilling 2-1 victory.
Penn State will appear on BTN at least once more with the Nittany Lions' semifinal match on Friday, Nov. 15 shown live at Noon against the Hoosiers. Should Penn State advance to the final, Penn State will appear on Sunday, Nov. 17 at 2 p.m.