Nov. 19, 2014
| PENN STATE vs. HARTWICK | |
| Thursday, Nov. 20 at 7 p.m. | |
| Jeffrey Field | University Park, Pa. | |
| MATCH DAY CENTRAL |
TV: ESPN2 -->Live Video |
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| INSIDE THE NUMBERS | ||
| PSU | HART | |
| 12-5-1 | Overall Record | 6-9-4 |
| 5-3-0 | Conference Record | 3-1-1 |
| 26 | Goals Scored | 21 |
| 15 | Goals Allowed | 26 |
| 1.44 | Goals Scored/gm. | 1.16 |
| 0.83 | Goals Allowed/gm. | 1.37 |
| 114-264 | Shots on Goal-Attempts | 25-47 |
| 14.7 | Shots/gm. | 11.7 |
| 28 | Assists | 21 |
| 102 | Corner Kicks | 102 |
| 62 | Saves | 63 |
| 10 | Shutouts | 5 |
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Penn State men's soccer team (12-5-1) will open up postseason play, Thursday, Nov. 20 with a first round match-up vs. Sun Belt Conference champion Hartwick College (6-9-4). Match time is slated for 7 p.m. at Jeffrey Field, with the Lions looking to advance to the NCAA second round for the second straight season. PSU and Hartwick will be facing each other for the first time in post-season play after squaring off 27 times previously in the regular season.
For those not in attendance, the match will be streamed live online via gopsusports.com.
ADMISSION & LIMITED BAG POLICY
Admission to the match is $8 for adults, $5 for students and $3 each for groups of 20 or more. Tickets will be sold at the Jeffrey Field gate and can also be purchased in advance at the PSU ticket office or by calling 1-800-NITTANY. 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 backpacks or briefcases may be brought into the stadium and all bags must be searched. For more information visit the Safety Policy SY44 Page or Penn State's Bag Policy Page.
MATCH HEADLINES
• Penn State hosts Hartwick on Thursday in a NCAA Tournament first round match
• Nittany Lions earned one of 24 at-large bids to the 48-team tournament
• Penn State will play in its 32nd NCAA Tournament and holds a 27-30-1 record all-time
• PSU is 27-7-1 (.786) all-time at home in the NCAA Tournament and has won two straight post-season matches at Jeffrey Field, dating back to 2010
• Penn State and Hartwick have met 27 times before but never in an NCAA Tournament, the Lions are 10-13-4 all-time vs. the Hawks
• Goalie Andrew Wolverton made a pair of saves in the Lions' Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals loss to Michigan State (Nov. 9)
• Hartwick enters Thursday coming off a 1-0 win vs. Georgia Southern to capture the Sun Belt Championship and has won three straight matches
• Nittany Lions are 13-7 all-time in the first round of the NCAA Tournament
• The winner of Thursday's match plays at Syracuse on Sunday, Nov. 23, in the NCAA's Second Round
SCOUTING THE HAWKS
Hartwick College (6-9-4) finished first in both the Sun Belt Conference's regular season and conference tournaments. The Hawks capped off a 3-1-1 conference schedule with a sweep of Appalachian State and Georgia Southern in the postseason tournament. Hartwick did not allow a goal during the two-match tournament and its 1-0 win over Ga. Southern in the title game gave the school its first NCAA berth in nine years.
The Hartwick defense was stingy in Sun Belt conference play during the 2014 season, only surrendering three goals in seven matches, including the postseason tournament. All together, the Hawks have not allowed a goal in six contests this season and carry a three match shutout streak into their tilt with Penn State. In goal for Hartwick is redshirt junior Tom Buckner who's 1.25 goals against average is second in the conference.
The Hawk offense is anchored by sophomore Mike Rood, whose 11 points is tops on the team. The only other player with at least four goals on the Hartwick attack is freshman Marc Berry, who boasts nine total points.
THE ROAD TO THE COLLEGE CUP
Penn State opens the 2014 NCAA Tournament, Thursday at 7 p.m. as it hosts Sun Belt Conference champion Hartwick, in the first round. The Nittany Lions face the Hawks for the 28th time in program history, but for the first time in postseason play.
PSU secured one of 24 at-large bids to the 48 team field and will be making its 32nd NCAA Tournament appearance. The Lions are 27-30-1 all-time during the NCAA's and hold a 27-7-1 mark at home during the postseason.
SERIES HISTORY
Penn State and Hartwick have played a total of 27 times prior to Thursday's match, with the Hawks owning a 13-10-4 record over the Lions. The last time these two schools played on the pitch was Aug. 27, 2006 when PSU defeated the Hawks 2-1 at the Ohio State Nike Classic in Columbus. Penn State is currently riding a five match win streak heading into the NCAA's, which dates back to 2001.
BREAKING DOWN THE BRACKET
Penn State is one of six teams in its portion of the NCAA bracket. The winner of the Lions and Hawks match on Thursday will play at Syracuse (who was awarded a first round bye), Sunday in New York. The other two schools facing off in the first round in PSU's bracket are Old Dominion and St. Francis (Brooklyn) who also play in New York. The winner of that match will travel to D.C. to take on Georgetown on Sunday.
COMMON ENEMIES
Penn State and Hartwick share two common opponents this season, Maryland from the Big Ten and Bucknell out of the Patriot League.
In non-conference play, Penn State defeated Bucknell 2-0 in Lewisburg on Oct, 1. Mikey Minutillo and Brian James did the scoring for the Lions as they improved to 9-0-1 and secured their sixth straight victory. Against the Bison, Hartwick fell 2-0 in Lewisburg on Aug. 31. The Hawks record at that point in the season was 0-1-1.
In Big Ten conference play the Nittany Lions fell to the Terps, 4-0 at College Park on Oct. 12. It was PSU's first loss of the season, dropping its record to 10-1-1 overall and 4-1-0 in conference play. Hartwick faced a similar fate in College Park, as the Hawks fell by a 502 score to the Terapins on Oct. 28. It was Hartwick's ninth loss of the season, pushing its record to 3-9-4 before its regular season finale.
LIONS LAST TIME OUT...
The No. 23 Penn State men's soccer team was unable to solve the No. 21 Michigan State Spartans in a 1-0 loss at Jeffrey Field on Sunday in a Big Ten Quarterfinal. MSU's Tim Kruetz hit a one-time volley in the 54th minute for the game-winning goal.
In a game of limited scoring opportunities, it was a defensive miscue and a pinpoint strike that allowed fifth-seeded Michigan State (11-4-4) to advance to the Big Ten Semifinals at top-seeded Maryland.
"I think both teams had game plans to try to stop the other," head coach Bob Warming said. "The big factor to me is that both teams were just tired. We got to here and I would say I don't think we had a lot of juice today. I just talked to all the guys about it and I told them I was really proud of their effort this week. They worked hard this week, as much as they had in them."
MSU's Adam Montague played a right-winged cross into the penalty area that was touched away by a Penn State (12-5-1) defender, but the ball landed to Kreutz who one-timed the volley opportunity to the lower left corner of the net in the 54th minute.
The Nittany Lions proceeded to dominate ball possession and chances the rest of the way, but Michigan State was game for the chances. Fourth-seeded Penn State out-shot MSU, 7-3, in the second half and 12-8 for the game.
In the 66th minute, Mason Klerks (Corona, Calif.) deftly played a long ball from midfield over the top of the MSU defense to a running Connor Maloney (Harrisburg, Pa.). Maloney's chance was met by Spartan goalie Zach Bennett and the chance went wide right.
In the 84th minute, Maloney again had a chance as Brandon Savino (Glen Ridge, N.J.) crossed in from the left wing, but the forward's open header went high of frame. Savino would then get a chance from 20 yards out with a good look, however, his shot went high of net.
JEFFREY FIELD DOMINANCE
Penn State has enjoyed success at Jeffrey Field with more than 300 victories at the famed field. Impressively, the Nittany Lions have never posted a losing season at Jeffrey Field, going 315-81-34 all-time for a winning percentage of .772. Last season, PSU went 8-1-1 and since 2012 the Nittany Lions are 24-6-3 (.772) with a pair of Big Ten titles. Penn State is 9-3-0 this year at home and 17-4-1 the past two seasons. The Lions are 26-6-1 (.803) playing at Jeffrey Field in the NCAA Tournament.
JEFFREY FIELD FAITHFUL
In the 42-year history of the stadium, Jeffrey Field has welcomed 532,678 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, while nearly 2,000 saw Penn State defeat Ohio State. PSU's 1-0 win over Rutgers had 2,532 fans on hand, which was the fourth-highest total of the season. Against Michigan State, 1,878 fans braved cool, wet conditions to cheer on the Nittany Lions. Penn State is averaging 1,816 fans per match in 12 contests with 21,795 fans coming to Jeffrey this year.
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, one of which was achieved Sept. 28 at Michigan.
Wolverton currently sits first in PSU records in goals-against average (0.78) and shutouts (32). Already the single-season record holder in shutouts (12 in 2012), Wolverton eclipsed the career record in front of his family on Sunday, Sept. 28 with a clean sheet against Michigan.
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 .797 to back up a 37-22-8 career record in net.
This season, Wolverton has racked up shutout streaks of 321 minutes, 22 seconds and 517 minutes, 42 seconds. The latter streak was to open the season as Wolverton was the final starting goalkeeper in Division I to allow a goal, which occurred on Sept. 24. He is 11-5-0 this season with nine shutouts.
Min. GA GAA SV Sv% SHO
2014 1526:13 14 0.83 55 .797 9
Career 6432:19 56 0.78 216 .797 32
AMONG THE CONFERENCE'S BEST
Penn State has been near the top of the conference charts in multiple statistical categories this season.
Team Ranks
Shots: 3rd (264)
Points: 3rd (80)
Goals: T-3rd (26)
Assists: 3rd (28)
Goals Allowed: 3rd (15)
Shutouts: 2nd (10)
Corner Kicks: 3rd (102)
Brian James Ranks
Assists: T-1st (7)
Connor Maloney Ranks
Goals: 3rd (9)
Points: 3rd (21)
Game-Winners: T-1st (5)
Mikey Minutillo Ranks
Shots: 2nd (59)
Goals: 5th (7)
Points: T-4th (18)
Game-Winners: T-4th (3)
Andrew Wolverton Ranks
Shutouts: T-2nd (9)
GAA: 3rd (0.83)
Save Pct.: 4th (.797)
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 440 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 Tuesday, Sept. 16. He is 57-33-11 at Penn State.
BIG TEN NETWORK SCHEDULE
Penn State was featured on the Big Ten Network three times this season. PSU's first nationally-televised match was Sept. 28 at Michigan (a 1-0 PSU win). Penn State traveled to preseason Big Ten top-pick Maryland on Oct. 12 for another BTN telecast, falling in College Park. On Oct. 26, Penn State played Wisconsin in a 2-1 Senior Day thriller. In 2013, PSU was on the network a total of three times.
NEXT TIME OUT
Should Penn State advance to the second round of the NCAA Tournament, the Nittany Lions would travel to New York to take on the ninth seeded Syracuse Orange. The Winner of Sunday's match would then take on the winner of the other second round contest to take place in Penn State's bracket. That match will feature Georgetown vs. either Old Dominion or St. Francis (Brooklyn).