Oct. 21, 2015
| PENN STATE VS. IOWA | |
| Friday, Oct. 23 - 3:30 p.m. ET | |
| Field Hockey Complex | University Park, Pa. | |
| GAME DAY LINKS |
TV: ESPN2 -->Penn State Field Hockey BlogFollow Us: @PennStateFH | Facebook | InstagramGameday Central
Game Notes: Penn State | IowaStatistics: Penn State | Iowa
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Penn State field hockey team will conclude its home slate Friday, hosting Big Ten opponent Iowa for senior day at 3:30 p.m.live on BTN at Penn State Field Hockey Complex.
Cheering on the Blue and White
Penn State is currently ranked No. 1 in the nation in average attendance. Penn State averages 576 fans per game with a season total of 3,455, the fourth highest total in the nation this season.
2015 Big Ten Tournament
The 2015 Big Ten field hockey tournament will be Nov. 5-8 in Bloomington, Ind. The quarterfinals and semifinal will be played on Nov. 5-6, while the Big Ten Championship game will be played on Sunday Nov. 8.
Big Ten Network
This will be the third-straight game that the Nittany Lions will play on BTN, going 1-1 in the last two games, including an exciting overtime win over Rutgers on the road this past Friday.
Weekend Update
Recording the second Big Ten Conference win of the season, the Penn State field hockey team posted their first overtime win this season in a 3-2 victory over Rutgers Friday afternoon. Aurelia Meijer led the team in shot attempts and shots on goal, while Stephanie Hussey scored the game winning goal in overtime. On Sunday, Penn State led Indiana in every stat category, except goals, as the Hoosiers escaped with a 1-0 victory over the Nittany Lions. It was the first win for Indiana over Penn State since 2009, when the Hoosiers pulled off a 3-1 win over the NIttany Lions in the Big Ten Conference Tournament.
Iowa Series History
Penn State is 22-25-1 all-time against the Iowa Hawkeyes dating back to 1981. Penn State fell to Iowa 4-0 in the last meeting on Oct. 25, 2014.
Scouting Iowa
- The Iowa Hawkeyes are currently the No. 6 team in the Big Ten, sporting a record of 9-7 overall with an 2-4 record in conference play.
- Stephanie Norlander leads the Hawkeyes with 32 points, 14 goals, and a .292 shot on goal percentage.
- Goalkeeper, Alexandra Pecora, has recorded 59 saves on the season with a 2.02 goals against average and a .656 save percentage.
- Veronique Declercq leds the Hawkeyes in game winning goals (3).
New Lions Stepping Up
With graduating seniors accounting for 50 of 57 goals scored last season, new Nittany Lions as well as players in increased roles are filling the void.
- Penn State's 28 goals this season have been scored by 10 different goal scorers. Of those 10 goal scorers, six have notched their first career goal this season, and transfer Stephanie Hussey has scored her first goals with Penn State.
- The six first-time goal scorers have accounted for 17 of the team's 25 goals.
- Four of the first-time goal scorers are freshmen: Aurelia Meijer (3), Katie Dembrowski (1), Gini Bramley (3), Mary Nell Smith (1) and Emily Klingler (1)
- Meijer has a team-high three assists and 10 points.
- Sophomore Shay Cannon has scored her first goals this season and is second on the team with four.
- Junior Brooke Birosik has also scored her first career goals this season, tied for the team lead in goal (6), and is tied for the team lead in points with 14.
Nittany Lion Seniors
- Haley Kerstetter
(Selinsgrove, Pa.)
Haley Kerstetter has been a huge contributor for the Nittany Lions, seeing action in all but three games this season, and starting four.
- Stephanie Hussey
(Miami, Fla.)
Stephanie Hussey has started every game this season for the Nittany Lions, tied for a team lead with six goals, and two assist, totaling 14 points thus far.
Hussey played two seasons at Syracuse University (2011, 2012) prior to Penn State, totaling seven goals and six assists in two seasons with the Orange while appearing in 39 games.
Close Contests
- Penn State has either been within a goal, tied or in the lead approaching the final six minutes in all but two contest this season (Michigan, L 1-3, 9/18; Princeton, L 0-2, 10/4)
- Seven of the losses have been by one goal, including three overtime losses.
- No. 16 Old Dominion broke a tie with 5:03 remaining to win the season-opener, 2-1, and No. 9 Virginia and California used late rallies to force overtime periods they would score first in.
- Penn State would take Ohio State to double-overtime before a fast-break goal secured the sudden victory for the Buckeyes.
- Penn State earned their first overtime win of the season against Rutgers, netting the game winning goal 45 seconds into the overtime period giving the Nittany Lions their second Big Ten win of the season.
Youth Movement
- Penn State's roster includes 10 freshmen, eight sophomores, five juniors, and two seniors.
- The squad returns just three starters from 2014 in
junior Carly Celkos, junior Emilee Ehret and sophomore Cori Conley.
- Of the 25 players on the roster, 15 had never played in a regular season game for the Lions before 2015.
- Of Penn State's 57 goals and 36 assists (150 points) tallied last season, just seven goals and seven assists (21 points) returned.
- At one point during the Oct. 4 game against Princeton, Penn State had six freshmen on the field at the same time.
Game Day Parking
Spectators are encouraged to park in the East parking deck.
Preseason Accolades
Senior Stephanie Hussey, junior Carly Celkos and sophomoroe Cori Conley were each named to the 2015 Big Ten Field Hockey Players to Watch List.
On the Turf and in the Classroom
The Penn State field hockey program had six athletes recognized by Big Ten Distinguished Scholar Award. The list includes students from every institution and 38 different sports who have recorded a minimum grade-point average (GPA) of 3.7 or higher for the previous academic year.
Katie Breneman, Carly Celkos, Amanda Dinunzio, Laura Gebhart, Kirsten Gochnauer, and Haley Kerstetter, all earned the accolade.
Challenging Schedule
Penn State has again put together a top-tier schedule, facing eight teams that were ranked in the 2015 NFHCA Preseason Poll, including conference-foes Maryland (3), Northwestern (10), Michigan (14), Iowa (17), and Michigan State (19). Along with the conference opponents, the squad also has matchups against Virginia (9), Princeton (15) and Old Dominion (16). Three teams (Princeton, Northwestern and Maryland) each made the 2013 NCAA Tournament.
Leaders of the Pack
Seniors Haley Kerstetter and Stephanie Hussey were named the captains for the 2015 season.
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.