Sept. 25, 2014
| PENN STATE AT MICHIGAN STATE | |
| Friday, Sept. 26 - 4 p.m. ET | |
| Ralph Young Field | East Lansing, Mich. | |
| GAME DAY LINKS |
TV: BTN -->Field Hockey BlogFollow Us: @PennStateFH | Facebook | InstagramGameday Central
Game Notes: Penn StateMichigan State Website: MSUSpartans.com
| PENN STATE AT OHIO STATE | |
| Sunday, Sept. 28 - 1 p.m. ET | |
| Buckeye Varsity Field | Columbus, Ohio | |
| GAME DAY LINKS |
TV: ESPN2 -->| Live Video ($)Gameday Central
Game Notes: Penn StateOhio State Website: OhioStateBuckeyes.com
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The No. 7 Penn State field hockey team will have its first Big Ten road action of the season, taking on Michigan State in East Lansing, Mich., on Friday, Sept. 26 (4 p.m.) before visiting Ohio State on Sunday, Sept. 28 (1 p.m.).
Michigan State Notes
- The Spartans enter the contest ranked No. 18 in the most recent NFHCA Poll.
- Michigan State is 5-2 this season and 1-0 in conference play. Its only losses came to Duke (OT) and American (2OT). Most recently, the squad defeated Ohio State on Sept. 19, 4-3 (OT). The Spartans have played in five overtime games this season. They are seventh nationally with 9.57 points per game this season.
- Offensively, Abby Barker leads the team in goals (8), assists (6) and points (22). She ranks third nationally with 3.14 points per game and eighth with 1.14 goals per game.
- Defensively, goalkeeper Sierra Patton holds a .742 save percentage.
- Helen Knull is in her fourth season as head coach.
Series History
Penn State is 26-10 all-time against Michigan State. The Nittany Lions have won the last four in a series that dates back to 1987. Last year, the Nittany Lions picked up a 4-3 shootout win over the Spartans at home.
Ohio State Notes
- The Buckeyes are 3-5 this season and 0-1 in Big Ten play, with the loss coming to Michigan State (OT) on Sept. 19.
- Offensively, Maddie Humphrey leads the team with seven goals and 20 points. She ranks seventh nationally in points per game (2.71) and 10th in goals per game (1.00).
- Defensively, Liz Tamburro is 16th nationally with a .765 save percentage.
- Anne Wilkinson is in her 19th season as head coach.
Series History
Penn State is 34-10-2 all-time against Ohio State in a series that dates back to 1977. The Nittany Lions have won each of the last two meetings, including a 6-1 win at home last season.
Last Time Out
In a hard-fought Big Ten opener, the No. 6 Penn State field hockey team dropped a 3-2 overtime contest to No. 18 Michigan at the Field Hockey Complex on Sept. 19. Sophomore Emilee Ehret (Philadelphia, Pa.) posted a career-high three points, tallying a goal and an assist in the contest. Then, the No. 7 Nittany Lions defeated Lock Haven, 5-1, behind two goals apiece from seniors Taylor Herold (Fredericksburg, Va.) and Amanda Dinunzio (State College, Pa.). Herold added an assist for five points in the game. Penn State had a season-high 16 corners and 14 points.
Big Ten Road Openers
Penn State is 14-8 all-time in Big Ten road openers, winning each of its last four.
Herold's Heroics
Herold has posted three goals, all in the second half, against No. 14 Princeton on Sept. 12. It marked her first career hat trick. She is first on the team with 19 points and eight goals. Herold has three multi-goal games this season.
Herold Approaching a Hundred
Herold is currently four points away from 100 for her career. She has 42 goals and 12 assists, giving her 96 to this point. Her 42 goals are six shy of tying her for 10th on Penn State's all-time list.
Gebhart on the Assist
Senior Laura Gebhart (Mount Joy, Pa.) has started all 71 games since arriving on campus as a freshman. Currently, she has 40 assists, which is three away from tying her for eighth on Penn State's all-time list.
Dazzling Dinunzio
Dinunzio posted the first multi-goal game of her career against Lock Haven, scoring two in the contest. It was a career-high four points for the senior.
Solid in the Cage
Redshirt senior Kylie Licata (Mountain Top, Pa.) has been a force between the posts, making nine saves against Old Dominion and holding Virginia scoreless, the first time the Cavaliers were blanked since 2011. Then, at No. 3 Connecticut, she stopped a career-high 14 shots. Most recently, she made 10 saves against No. 18 Michigan. She ranks fifth nationally with a .849 save percentage.
Ehret Making Noise
Ehret has scored a goal in each of the last three games, and posted a goal and an assist in each of the last two games. She has played a key role in penalty corner chances, being the primary player to insert for the Nittany Lions.
Penn State Field Hockey on Social Media
Penn State field hockey is on social media. Follow the program on Facebook (www.facebook.com/PennStateFieldHockey) and Twitter/Instagram @PennStateFH. For all of your Penn State news, visit www.GoPSUsports.com.