Oct. 16, 2016
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UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Penn State women's soccer team held on to a 1-0 win over the Purdue Boilermakers Sunday afternoon at Jeffrey Field. The win Sunday extends Penn State's unbeaten streak to 12 games (9-0-3).
The No. 16 Nittany Lions improve to 10-2-4 overall and 6-0-3 in Big Ten play. With the loss Purdue falls to 4-11-0 in 2016 and 2-7-0 in Big Ten action.
"We didn't show up to play today, and that is my fault and our staff's fault," head coach Erica Dambach said. "We need to make sure we show up to play every game. We did not show up to play today and we are fortunate to get away with a win against a Purdue team, that should have put a couple opportunities away, but they got a little bit unlucky."
Junior Frannie Crouse (Greensburg, Pa.) netted the game's lone goal during the 38th minute of play. Her goal Sunday was the 11th of the season and the 32nd of her career. In net for the Nittany Lions, freshman goalkeeper Amanda Dennis (San Diego, Calif.) made a career-high seven saves for her sixth solo shutout of the season.
Crouse put the Nittany Lions up 1-0 at 37:40 as she fired a shot from 25 yards out into the upper-left corner of the net. On the Nittany Lion goal, freshman Emma Hasco (Upper St. Clair, Pa.) played the ball to Crouse along the left side of the field. With the ball, Crouse moved back to the center of the field before connecting on a right-footed shot from 25 yards out. Crouse placed the ball past Purdue's Jordan Ginther and into the upper-left corner of the net.
For the Nittany Lion defense, Dennis made six saves during the first half of play, but made a key save on Purdue's Erika Arkans in the 86th minute to keep the 1-0 score intact for the Nittany Lions. After Vanessa Korolas brought the ball into the Nittany Lion penalty area, Korolas played the ball to Arkans eight yards out from goal. Arkans then fired a left-footed shot on goal, but Dennis was there to keep the Boilermakers off the scoreboard.
The Nittany Lions were not out of danger yet as Andrea Petrina's shot with 20 seconds left in regulation from three yards out went wide left of the goal.
Penn State travels to East Lansing, Mich., to take on the Michigan State Spartans Saturday, Oct. 22, at noon for its final road game of the 2016 regular season.
NOTES: Penn State leads the all-time series against Purdue, 16-1-1, which includes 13-straight wins for the Blue and White...Penn State is 186-26-13 all-time in Big Ten conference matches...Penn State improves to 101-6-5 in Big Ten conference matches at home all-time...Penn State is 62-5-6 at Jeffrey Field since the start of the 2011 season...Frannie Crouse owns sole possession of 12th all-time in goals scored at PSU with 32...Frannie Crouse is tied for 15th all-time in points at Penn State with 74 (Aubrey Aden-Buie - 2004-07 & Raquel Rodriguez - 2012-15)...The Nittany Lions have recorded seven shutouts on the year...Purdue outshot Penn State, 15-13.