| PENN STATE at NORTHWESTERN | | | | 8-6-2 (4-3-0 B1G) | 4-10-1 (2-4-1 B1G) |
| Sunday, Oct. 30 | 1 p.m. | | Lanny and Sharon Martin Stadium | Evanston, Ill. | |
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Oct. 28, 2016
PENN STATE HEADS TO NU FOR REGULAR SEASON FINALE
The Penn State men's soccer team caps off its 2016 regular season Sunday, Oct. 30 when it travels to Evanston, Ill. for only its sixth road contest of the season. The Nittany Lions and the Wildcats will square off a 1 p.m. ET at Lanny and Sharon Martin Stadium. The Blue and White will be looking for its first road win of the season as it brings a 0-4-1 away record into the contest.
HOW TO WATCH
For fans who cannot make it out to Lanny and Sharon Martin Stadium on Sunday afternoon, the match will be streamed on BTN Plus starting at 1 p.m. ET. Live stats are also available on NUSports.com.
SERIES HISTORY WITH THE WILDCATS
Penn State holds the 24-7-3 all-time series lead over Northwestern, but in the past five seasons the Wildcats have been closing the gap with three wins over the Nittany Lions. NU has picked up the victory in each of the last two seasons over PSU with a 2-1 victory in both 2014 and 2015. The Blue and White will be looking for its first win over the Wildcats since the 2013 season when it earned a 2-1 double overtime victory. Penn State is 1-1-1 in Evanston, Ill. with head coach Bob Warming at the helm and will hope to earn its first victory at Lanny and Sharon Martin Stadium since 2012.
SCOUTING NORTHWESTERN
The Wildcats have earned four wins in the 2016 season, two of which have come in Big Ten Conference play, while suffering 10 losses. NU came back from a seven-game skid in which it was unable to pick up a win and secured just one tie when it defeated Michigan 2-1 in double overtime in Evanston. However, the Wildcats bounced back to pick up a 2-1 overtime win against then-No. 1 Notre Dame, Oct. 19.
Northwestern is averaging only 8.9 shots per match and scoring less than a goal per match as it has been shut out in six matches this season. Elo Ozumba and Brandon Medina are the leading goal scorers for the Wildcats with three goals each for seven total points as each has notched one assist as well. Also scoring multiple goals for NU are Mike Roberge and Jeffrey Hopson, who have each netted two goals. The goal production has been spread out for Northwestern as seven players have scored at least one for the Wildcats in 2016, while 26 players have seen action on the pitch.
In net, Francisco Tomasino has seen the majority of the time with 13 starts but Robby White and Braden Thuraisingham have also played over 100 minutes in goal this season. Tomasino has given up 23 goals and made 55 saves to lead the NU keepers, while White made six saves and didn't give up a goal in his 113 minutes of action.
WHERE CAN PENN STATE FINISH IN THE B1G?
Heading into the final regular season match, it is time to look and see what seed Penn State can finish as going into the Big Ten Tournament.
If the Nittany Lions defeat Northwestern there are 18 different scenarios that would allow Penn State to finish second in the conference standings and nine that would have it finish third. However, if both the Blue and White and Michigan State win, Penn State would finish third overall.
If PSU falls to the Wildcats there are six scenarios that would see PSU tie for third, seven that would see a fourth-place finish, eight that would result in a tie for fourth, and six that would amount to a fifth-place finish. In order to finish tied for third in the event of a loss, Ohio State would have to draw and Michigan State has to either win or draw.
Finally, if Penn State and Northwestern end in a draw, there are 24 different scenarios that would have the Blue and White tie for third and three that would result in a fourth-place finish.
PENN STATE CONTINUES FIVE-MATCH UNBEATEN STREAK
The Nittany Lions used its final home stretch to leg out a five-match unbeaten streak in which it earned four wins and one tie. The five matches featured three double overtime games, including two against ranked opponents as Penn State came away with a win over then-No. 19 Michigan State and tied then-No. 22 Akron in that stretch. The Blue and White capped off the home season with a 1-0 win over Wright State to bring its home record to 8-2-1 in the 2016 campaign.
JEFFREY FIELD DOMINANCE
Penn State has enjoyed success at Jeffrey Field with over 300 victories at the famed field. Impressively, the Nittany Lions have never posted a losing season at Jeffrey Field in 43 years, going 328-85-36 all-time for a winning percentage of .771. This season, PSU finished 8-2-1 at the Jeff and over the past four seasons the Nittany Lions are 34-10-5 en route to a pair of Big Ten titles in 2012 and 2013. In the 43-year history of the stadium, Jeffrey Field has welcomed over 540,000 fans through its gates.
REEDY NETS GAME-WINNER WITH FIRST COLLEGIATE GOAL
Freshman Pierre Reedy has found ways to add points to his stat line at the right time. The freshman midfielder had his first two collegiate points against Rutgers having the assists on two goals before scoring his first collegiate goal against Wright State. Reedy gathered a pass from Connor Maloney 19-yards out and ripped a shot into the bottom left half of the net in the eighth minute of the match. The goal would prove to be the game-winner as Evan Finney and the Penn State backline pitched its fifth shutout of the season.
FINNEY RANKED AMONGST NATIONS BEST
Redshirt-junior Evan Finney finds himself amongst the elite in the nation as he ranks 21st with a .826 save percentage and 33rd with a 0.70 goals against average. Furthermore, Finney leads the Big Ten Conference in save percentage, ranks third in shutouts per game (0.38), fourth in saves per game (3.30) and goals against average and ties for sixth with three shutouts on the season.
NEXT TIME OUT
Penn State will await the conclusion of all conference matches to find out where it landed in the tournament standings. The Nittany Lions can be no lower than fourth in the conference and no higher than second as Maryland clinched the regular season title.
