Sept. 19, 2014
| #10 PENN STATE vs. OHIO STATE | |
| Sunday, Sept. 21 at 1 p.m. | |
| Jeffrey Field | University Park, Pa. | |
| MATCH DAY CENTRAL |
TV: ESPN2 -->Live Video on BTN Plus ($) |
Men's Soccer Blog | 2014 Yearbook
Follow Us: @PennStateMSOC | Facebook | InstagramStatistics: Penn State | Ohio StatePromotions: Mack Brady Game | Pre-Game Tailgate at 11 a.m.
First 100 students in the East Stands get a free Penn State Soccer/Mack Brady Shirt
| INSIDE THE NUMBERS | ||
| PSU | OSU | |
| 5-0-1 | Overall Record | 2-0-3 |
| 1-0-0 | Conference Record | 1-0-0 |
| 10 | Goals Scored | 6 |
| 1 | Goals Allowed | 3 |
| 1.67 | Goals Scored/gm. | 1.20 |
| 0.17 | Goals Allowed/gm. | 0.60 |
| 38-83 | Shots on Goal-Attempts | 20-63 |
| 13.8 | Shots/gm. | 12.6 |
| 12 | Assists | 6 |
| 23 | Corner Kicks | 38 |
| 19 | Saves | 19 |
| 5 | Shutouts | 3 |
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The 10th-ranked Nittany Lion men's soccer team will host its Big Ten home opener on Sunday afternoon against Ohio State for the second annual Mack Brady Game. Kick-off is set for 1 p.m. as the Penn State community remembers a young boy who loved life and soccer.
Sunday's games this week will be carried via live stream for fans to watch if they can't make it to Jeffrey Field on BTN Plus through BTN2Go. The game requires a subscription (BTN2Go Sign Up).
ADMISSION & LIMITED BAG POLICY
Fans attending Penn State soccer matches at Jeffrey Field will have to comply with Penn State University's Bag Policy. Fans are advised that no bags larger than backpacks may be brought into the stadium grounds. This includes duffle bags and purses larger than 8.5" x 11" x 6" and all bags will be searched. For more information visit the Safety Policy SY44 Page or Penn State's Bag Policy Page.
NITTANY LION PLAYING FOR MACK
On Sunday, the Nittany Lions will host its second Mack Brady Game when Ohio State visits Jeffrey Field. Brady passed away on Dec. 31, 2012 due to an unexpected blood infection at the age of eight. To honor his life and love for soccer (specifically goalkeeping), Mack's parents, Christian and Elizabeth Brady, created the "Mack Brady Soccer Fund." The fund is an endowment for Penn State goalkeepers to help in recruiting, equipment, scholarships and other needs. Over $160,000 has been raised.
Prior to the game, there will be a tailgate in the grass lot next to Little Jeffrey Field beginning at 11 a.m. A raffle as well as on-sale t-shirts benefiting the fund will also take place during the game. Last season, PSU played then-No. 5 Cal to a 1-1 draw in front of over 3,000 fans.
ABOUT THE BUCKEYES
The other unbeaten Big Ten team, Ohio State (2-0-3, 1-0-0 Big Ten) has won its last two matches following three straight draws to start 2014. In a 2-0 win over Northwestern last week, OSU's Kyle Culbertson scored off a deflection in the 54th minute before Liam Doyle punctuated victory with a penalty kick in the 74th minute. OSU held Northwestern without a shot on goal.
Most games for Ohio State have started slowly, with OSU owning a 1-0 margin the first half, while second-half scoring is 4-3 in favor of the Buckeyes. The first four matches went to overtime as well.
Yianni Sarris and Doyle lead the team with two goals apiece, while Alex Ivonov returns in net with a 0.53 GAA and .864 save percentage and three shutouts.
SERIES HISTORY vs. OHIO STATE
All-Time Series: PSU leads 16-12-3
PSU Streak: 1 loss
First Meeting: 10/27/87, PSU 5-0
Last Meeting: 11/2/13, OSU 1-0 (2OT)
Last PSU Win: 11/9/2011, 2-0
Last OSU Win: 11/2/13, 1-0 (2OT)
Last Draw: 10/27/12, 4-4 (2OT)
Largest PSU Win: 5-0, 10/27/1987
Largest OSU Win: 3-1, 10/12/2003
AMONG THE NATION'S BEST
Penn State's defense has been suffocating this season, allowing just a single goal in six matches spanning 560 minutes, and that goal game with PSU down two players. Penn State leads the nation in defense with a 0.16 goals-against average, tied for the lead in shutout percentage (83 percent) and second in save percentage (95 percent).
Senior goalkeeper Andrew Wolverton is currently the only player in Division I men's soccer to now allow a goal this season. Wolverton (4-0-0) has played over 413 minutes in net this year without a goal allowed while saving all 12 shots on goal he's seen. Additionally, Penn State has the third-best win percentage (.917) behind only George Mason and Delaware, both of which are unbeaten and untied.
B1G REGULAR-SEASON SUCCESS
Penn State is on game two of eight for a third straight Big Ten title. Over the past two seasons, the Nittany Lions are 6-1-0 in regular-season games, which determine the Big Ten Championship. The lone loss? Last November at Ohio State, where Penn State out-played the last-place Buckeyes, out-shooting them 27-12. Nevertheless, a Danny Jensen goal just 2:12 from the end of the second overtime gave OSU its only Big Ten win of the season.
Since Penn State's 0-6-0 regular season in 2011, the Nittany Lions are 9-2-2 in Big Ten contests (3-1-2 in 2012, 5-1-0 in 2013, 1-0-0 in 2014). Ohio State is the only opponent over that span that has yet to fall to Penn State.
UNDEFEATED IN FIRST SIX SINCE `04
The 10th-ranked Nittany Lions have started 5-0-1, going unbeaten in the first six games for the first time since 2004 (5-0-4). Prior to that, the 2000 team started the year with seven straight victories. In 1999, Penn State started 8-0-0 and the 1994 team went 7-0-1.
JEFFREY FIELD DOMINANCE
Penn State has enjoyed success at Jeffrey Field with over 300 victories at the famed field. Impressively, the Nittany Lions have never posted a losing season at Jeffrey Field, going 310-77-34 all-time for a winning percentage of .777. Last season, PSU went 8-1-1 and since 2012 the Nittany Lions are 19-3-3 (.820) with a pair of Big Ten titles.
JEFFREY FIELD FAITHFUL
In the 42-year history of the stadium, Jeffrey Field has welcomed 521,571 fans through its gates, including a season-high 4,052 in a 1-0 win over Temple (Sept. 5). PSU welcomed 5,944 fans on opening weekend in wins over Oakland and St. John's.
STINGY HOME DEFENSE
At Jeffrey Field, the Nittany Lions are known to keep an even tight lid on their own net than on the road. Senior goalkeeper Andrew Wolverton has allowed just 6 goals in 1,411 minutes of action since the beginning of 2013 (0.38 GAA), collecting 39 saves through those 14 home games (12-1-1). Wolverton and the Nittany Lions have not conceded a goal in 510 minutes and 28 seconds of action (Oct. 27, 2013 vs. Northwestern, a 2-1 win). By the time Sunday's match rolls around, PSU will have gone 328 days without an opponent scoring at Jeffrey Field.
LIONS STRIKE RED HOT AGAINST SFU
The 10th-ranked Nittany Lions used two second-half goals 78 seconds apart to pull away from Saint Francis, 3-0, on Tuesday night (Sept. 16) at Jeffrey Field. Mikey Minutillo notched his first two-goal game in a Penn State uniform.
In the 26th minute, Minutillo took a feed from Drew Klingenberg down the left wing and fired a shot from a few yards wide of the left post as the shot skipped past Saint Francis goalie Andrew Garcia, off the right post and in.
In the second half, Penn State had a renewed effort toward net and the pressure paid off in the 53rd minute as Riley Grant collected a long ball down the right wing. Grant drove toward the end line and laid off a perfect pass to a waiting Minutillo just eight yards from net to double the lead. Grant's assist was his first point in a Penn State jersey.
Just 1:18 later, Brian James set up a rushing Brandon Savino who slotted home the breakaway chance for his first Nittany Lion goal and a 3-0 lead in the 54th minute.
Andrew Wolverton made four saves for his 27th career shutout.
WOLVIE WATCH 2014
The Nittany Lions feature one of the top goalkeepers in the nation with senior Andrew Wolverton patrolling the goal area. The 2013 Big Ten Goalkeeper of the Year and NSCAA All-Great Lakes First Team honoree has returned with a pair of career Penn State records in his sights.
Wolverton currently sits first in PSU records in goals-against average (0.71), while he's second in shutouts (27). Already the single-season record holder in shutouts, Wolverton can eclipse the career record with two more shutouts in 2014.
As for GAA, Wolverton looks to break Whit Gibson's mark of 0.78 set during his two seasons in Happy Valley (1998-99). Wolverton's save percentage is also impressive at .805 to back up a 30-17-8 career record in net.
COACHING CLOUT
Among the elite coaches in the sport for the last three decades, head coach Bob Warming is back for his fifth season at Penn State. Warming has an incredible coaching pedigree, including 432 career Division I victories -- third all-time among active DI coaches and ninth all-time at D-I. He was named Big Ten Coach of the Year in 2012 and 2013 after leading PSU to a pair of league titles.
At Penn State, Warming picked up win No. 50 as the Lions won 3-0 over Saint Francis on Wednesday.
NEXT TIME OUT
Penn State hosts the third of four Pennsylvania foes when the Penn Quakers visit Happy Valley on Wednesday night at 7 p.m. PSU returns to Big Ten play on Sunday, Sept. 28 at Michigan.