Oct. 29, 2014
| PENN STATE VS. MARYLAND | |
| Thurs., Oct. 30 - 7 p.m. ET | |
| Jeffrey Field | University Park, Pa. | |
| Promotions: First Responders Day | |
| Best Halloween Costume Wins Autographed PSWS Gear | |
| GAME DAY LINKS |
TV: ESPN2 -->BTN2GoWomen's Soccer BlogFollow Us: @PennStateWSOC | Facebook | InstagramGameday Central
Game Notes: Penn State | MarylandStatistics: Penn State | Maryland
| INSIDE THE NUMBERS | ||
| PSU | BIG TEN | UM |
| 26 | Goals | 10 |
| 2.17 | Goals per Game | 0.83 |
| 170 | Shots | 154 |
| 14.17 | Shots per Game | 12.83 |
| 0 | Penalty Kicks | 0 |
| 7 | Goals Against | 10 |
| 0.58 | Goals Against Average | 0.75 |
| .794 | Save Percentage | .818 |
| 5 | Shutouts | 5 |
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The 2014 Big Ten Champion No. 6 Penn State women's soccer team hosts Maryland on Thurs., Oct. 30 at 7 p.m. in its final regular season match.
The match honors local first responders for the team's annual First Responders Day. Fire trucks and ambulances will be on hand. In addition, the fan wearing the best Halloween costume will win autographed Penn State women's soccer gear.
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
Fans are reminded that there will be heavy traffic on Thurs., Oct. 30 with three events in the East campus vicinity all starting at the same time. Please be prepared for extra traffic and possibly longer wait times or parking availability further from your respective venue. All Women's Soccer fans are asked to identify to the parking attendants that they are attending the soccer game to be directed accordingly.
BIG TEN CHAMPIONS
The Nittany Lions secured their 16th Big Ten Championship and third outright in four seasons with a 2-1 win over Iowa. On Senior Day, senior Kori Chapic (Russell, Ohio) led the team to victory, scoring both of Penn State's goals in a five-minute span to come from behind and beat the Hawkeyes.
SCOUTING THE TERRAPINS
Maryland (5-6-6, 3-4-5 Big Ten) comes to University Park following a heartbreaking 1-0 double overtime loss to No. 12 Wisconsin, a seven save performance by starting goalkeeper Rachel Beanlands. She has started every game for the Terrapins, posting a 0.86 goals against average. Overall, October has been unkind to Maryland, ranked eighth in the Big Ten standings, as the Terrapins have gone 1-2-4 during the month. This season, the team's offense has been distributed well with 10 different players scoring. Shade Pratt and Shannon Collins lead the team offensively, each recording six points.
SERIES HISTORY vs. MARYLAND
The Nittany Lions lead the all-time series, 7-4-0. In the teams' last meeting on Sept. 16, 2005, Penn State beat Maryland, 3-0.
CHAPIC CHURNS OUT HONORS
After a career match on Senior Day to help Penn State win the Big Ten Championship, senior Kori Chapic (Russell, Ohio) was named the ESPNW National Player of the Week, the Big Ten Women's Soccer Offensive Player of the Week and was listed on the Top Drawer Soccer Team of the Week. In wins over Iowa and Nebraska this weekend, she had a six-point outing, having a hand in four of five Penn State goals scored to help the Blue and White secure its 16th Big Ten championship. Against the Hawkeyes on Senior Day, Chapic scored a pair of goals five-and-a-half minutes apart, leading Penn State to a come-from-behind 2-1 win over Iowa to capture the Conference title. It was the first two-goal match of her career, leading her to a career mark in single season goals (5). She also took a team-best five shots in that match. Versus the Huskers, Chapic assisted on the Nittany Lions' first and third goals. Overall, she played all 180 minutes of Penn State's matches over the weekend.
BEAUTIES ON BOTH SIDES
The statistics certainly support a No. 6 national ranking for the Blue and White. Offensively, Penn State has been held to one-or-fewer goal just five times this season, netting 45 to lead the Big Ten (nine more than second-place Wisconsin). On the other side of the field, the Nittany Lions have only allowed more than one goal once this season for the team's best defensive start since 2007.
Nationally, the Nittany Lions are 13th in scoring offense, fifth in won-lost-tied percentage and have the 12th-most points and assists.
SHUTTING OUT THE COMPETITION
The 2014 Nittany Lions have proven to be one of the best defensive teams in recent history. The team has allowed the fewest goals at this point in the season since 2007, when the Nittany Lions allowed eight goals 18 games in. They became the first team in program history to shut out opponents in a two-game Big Ten opening weekend. The 2014 team is also the first squad since 2008 to open Big Ten play with consecutive shutouts after its 1-0 and 3-0 wins over Purdue and Indiana. Additionally, the Blue and White have only allowed more than one goal in a match once, and in both of its losses, Penn State fell by just a 1-0 margin.
RODRIGUEZ HELPS NATIONAL TEAM REWRITE HISTORY
Junior Raquel Rodriguez (San Jose, Costa Rica) and the Costa Rica Women's National Team made history by becoming the first Central American country to qualify for the FIFA Women's World Cup after beating Trinidad & Tobago on penalty kicks in the CONCACAF Women's Championship semifinal match Oct. 24. The match marked the first time in CONCACAF Women's Championship history a match was decided on penalty kicks. During the tournament, Rodriguez scored three goals.
SCHAFER TOPS THE BIG TEN FRESHMEN FIELD
Megan Schafer (Langhorne, Pa.) was named the Big Ten Women's Soccer Freshman of the Week on Oct. 20 for her performance in wins at No. 24 Michigan and Michigan State. This is the second Freshman of the Week honor for Schafer. She scored the game-winning goal in a 1-0 victory over No. 24 Michigan, her fifth tally of the year and second game-winner. Schafer played 172 minutes out of a possible 180 minutes in the wins and took three shots in each match, leading Penn State in both contests.
ECKERSTROM NAMED WEEK'S BEST
Redshirt junior Britt Eckerstrom (Germantown, Md.) was named the Big Ten Co-Defensive Player of the Week on Oct. 6 after shutouts against Minnesota and No. 13 Wisconsin. She recorded clean sheets in both of No. 7 Penn State's games that weekend. In a 2-0 win at No. 13 Wisconsin, she made four saves to keep the Badgers off the board. She also anchored a backline that didn't allow any Minnesota shots on goal.
WILLIFORD ISN'T WILLY NILLY
Sophomore Salina Williford (Wayne, Pa.) has emerged as an integral part of Penn State's attack. After playing in the back last season, Williford has started every 2014 match in the midfield and has more than tripled her shot total from her freshman year (28 in 2014, 9 in 2013). She scored the first four goals of her career in a six-game span (against Ohio State, Northwestern, No. 19 Illinois and No. 13 Wisconsin), including game-winners against Ohio State and Illinois.
FANTASTIC FRANNIE
Freshman Frannie Crouse (Greensburg, Pa.) has made her mark in the Penn State record books with a fantastic start to her collegiate career. Crouse is the first freshman in program history to win back-to-back Big Ten Freshman of the Week titles after scoring five goals in one week against Bucknell, Northwestern and No. 19 Illinois for her Sept. 29 honor and netted a pair against Ohio State to garner her first Freshman of the Week title on Sept. 22. Crouse's offensive prowess has proven to be historic. She is the first freshman since 2003 to score seven-or-more goals in the opening 11 games of her collegiate career
SOCIAL MEDIA
For complete coverage of Penn State women's soccer, please visit http://www.GoPSUsports.com/sports/w-soccer. Follow PSU women's soccer on Twitter and Instagram: @PennStateWSOC. Penn State women's soccer is also on Facebook: www.facebook.com/PSUWomensSoccer.