Oct. 5, 2016
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UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The No. 13 Penn State women's soccer team (8-2-2, 4-0-1) hits the road for a pair of Big Ten matches this weekend. The Nittany Lions travel to Indiana (5-7-1, 2-3-0) on Thursday, Oct. 6, at 7 p.m. and then Penn State closes out the weekend at Maryland (3-9-1, 1-4-0) on Sunday, Oct. 9, at 1 p.m.
FOLLOW ALONG
Both matches this weekend will be streamed on BTN2Go.com. Viewers must have a BTN Plus account to access the video. Live stats can be found for both matches on GoPSUsports.com.
LOOKING AT INDIANA
Indiana enters the weekend with an overall record of 5-7-1 and a record 2-3-0 in conference play.
Last weekend, the Hoosiers fell 1-0 to the Nebraska Cornhuskers in Lincoln, Neb., on Sept. 30.
Mykayla Brown leads the Hoosiers in 2016 in goals and points with four and eight, respectively. Also leading the way for the IU offense are Caroline Dreher and Cassidy Blacha. Dreher has five points on two goals and one assist, while Blacha has netted two goals in 2016.
In net for Indiana, Sarah L'Hommedieu has played in 1100:13 minutes, allowed 18 goals, recorded 57 saves and has a goals against average of 1.47.
LOOKING AT MARYLAND
Maryland has an overall record of 3-9-1 and a Big Ten record of 1-4-0. Prior to hosting Penn State on Sunday, the Terrapins host Ohio State on Thursday night.
Last weekend, Maryland fell, 3-2, in double overtime at Michigan State (9/29) and dropped a 3-1 contest at Michigan (10/2).
The Maryland offense features two of the top goal scorers in the nation with Chelsea Jackson and Jarena Harmon.
In the NCAA rankings, Jackson is tied for 11th in goals scored with nine and Harmon is tied for 29th with eight. Jackson is also tied for 26th in overall points in the NCAA this season with 20.
In net for the Terrapins, three goalkeepers have split time in 2016. Katelyn Jensen leads the way for the Terrapin goalkeeper trio with 558:01 minutes played. On the year, Jensen has recorded 41 saves, allowed 11 goals, tallied a goals against average of 1.77 and has recorded a save percentage of .788.
WEEKEND REWIND
On Sept. 30, the Nittany Lions defeated the Illinois Fighting Illini, 2-0, in their lone match of the weekend.
In the 2-0 victory for the Blue and White, junior Frannie Crouse netted her 29th career goal, while Marissa Sheva scored her first goal of the 2016 campaign.
The Nittany Lion defense held the Fighting Illini offense to three shot attempts, all of which took place in the first half of play. Friday's game marked the first time since Oct. 8, 2015 (Maryland), the Nittany Lion defense did not allow a shot on goal.
B1G STANDINGS AND RANKINGS
With six games remaining in the 2016 Big Ten regular season, the Nittany Lions currently rank second in the conference standings with a record of 4-0-1. No. 19 Michigan leads the conference with an unblemished record of 5-0-0.
Among the Big Ten statistical leaders, Frannie Crouse is tied for the league lead in game-winning goals with four, is tied for fourth in goals with eight and is tied for fifth in points with 17.
DEFENSIVE DOMINANCE
Heading into the weekend, the Nittany Lions have posted a record of 7-1-1 over the past nine games. Over that span, the Nittany Lion defense has allowed one goal or less in each game, which includes five shutouts.
THE 2016 PSU BIG TEN SLATE
Penn State opens the 2016 Big Ten regular season at No. 10 Minnesota (Sept. 16) and the 2015 Big Ten regular season co-champion Wisconsin Badgers (Sept. 18). Following the trip to Minnesota and Wisconsin, Penn State returns home to host Iowa (Sept. 23), Nebraska (Sept. 25) and Illinois (Sept. 30).
Penn State then travels to Indiana (Oct. 6) and Maryland (Oct. 9) before returning home to Happy Valley to host Rutgers on BTN (Oct. 13) and Purdue (Oct. 16). The Blue and White close out the 2016 Big Ten regular season at Michigan State (Oct. 22) and host Ohio State (Oct. 26) for the regular season finale.
Due to a rotating schedule, Penn State does not play Northwestern or Michigan during the regular season in 2016.
FOR CLUB AND COUNTRY
The 2016 Penn State women's soccer team will be without the services of five Nittany Lions as they pursue a spot on the United States U-20 Women's National Team that will compete in the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup, Nov. 13-Dec. 3.
Maddie Elliston, Ellie Jean, Emily Ogle and Kaleigh Riehl will not be on the roster this fall, while Rose Chandler will continue to train with the Nittany Lions during the fall semester.
B1G HONORS
Four Nittany Lions have garnered weekly honors from the Big Ten during the 2016 regular season. Laura Freigang received Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors on Aug. 23, Frannie Crouse was named the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week on Sept. 13, Laura Suero garnered Big Ten Co-Freshman of the Week honors on Sept. 20 and Amanda Dennis was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Week on Sept. 27.
BIG TEN SUCCESS
Since joining the Big Ten conference in 1994, the Nittany Lions have amassed a record of 184-26-11 in Big Ten play, including a record of 100-6-4 at Jeffrey Field. Under Coach Dambach, the Nittany Lions have a tallied a Big Ten record of 84-14-4.
PACING THE PRIDE
In 2016, junior Frannie Crouse leads the team in points (17), goals (eight) and has recorded one assist. Crouse ranks second on the team in shots (30) and shots on goal (15). Crouse is also tied for 29th in the NCAA this season in goals scored with eight.
STANDOUT SOPHOMORE
On the year, sophomore Charlotte Williams has tallied nine points on three goals and three assists. During her freshman season in 2015, Williams netted 13 points on three goals and seven assists.
Williams leads the team in shots (35), shots on goal (17), is second in assists (three), ranks third in goals (three) and points (nine).
SHUTOUT SCORELESS STREAK SNAPPED
Penn State closed out the 2015 season with eight-straight shutouts, which spanned 733:32 of play. During the season opener against No. 6 West Virginia, the Nittany Lions kept the Mountaineers off the board until the 76:59 mark. The WVU goal at 76:59 snapped Penn State's shutout scoreless streak of 810:31, which was the second-best span in program history (1032:33, 2004).
HOME SWEET HOME
The Penn State women's soccer team has a record of 61-5-5 at Jeffrey Field since the start of the 2011 season. Over the past six seasons, Penn State has not lost twice at home in a single season.
All-time at Jeffrey Field the Penn State women's soccer team has an overall record of 221-25-11.
Penn State kicked off the 2016 campaign setting an attendance record against No. 6 WVU. A Penn State women's soccer record 5,791 fans made their way to Jeffrey Field to watch the Nittany Lions and Mountaineers play to a 1-1 draw. The previous mark of 5,117 was set in 2012 against the top-ranked Stanford Cardinal.
As of Oct. 3, the Nittany Lions rank seventh in the nation in average attendance with 1,648 fans per game.
Last season, the Nittany Lions finished sixth in overall attendance in the nation with 21,856 fans, which was a program-best. The 2015 season featured two of the top-10 home field crowds in program history.
Penn State opened the 2015 season with a crowd of 3,175 against Hofstra and 4,207 fans packed into Jeffrey Field to watch the Nittany Lions host Duke.
NITTANY LIONS WELCOME NINE
Head coach Erica Dambach welcomed nine freshmen to the Penn State women's soccer family for the class of 2020.
Amanda Dennis and Emma Hasco enrolled early to Penn State during the spring of 2016. Becca Hamilton, Madison Moroi, Bristol Pizzuto, Laura Suero and Sarafina Valenti joined the Nittany Lions back on signing day in February. Grace Fisk and Laura Freigang were the last to join the Penn State women's soccer family as they joined the program in August.
NITTANY LION CAPTAINS
Brittany Basinger, Nickolette Driesse and Megan Schafer will captain the Nittany Lions for the 2016 season.
MILESTONE VICTORIES
The 2016 season marks the 23rd year of varsity women's soccer for Penn State. The Nittany Lions captured their 400th program victory with a 3-1 win over the Hofstra Pride on Aug. 21. Overall, the Nittany Lions boast a record of 407-105-31.
Coach Dambach captured her 200th win on Sept. 9 in a 3-0 victory against San Diego State. During her time as a head coach at Dartmouth (2000-02), Harvard (2006) and Penn State (2007-Present), Coach Dambach has tallied a record of 205-80-15.
PICKED TO DEFEND THE B1G
According to the 2016 Big Ten preseason coaches' poll, the Penn State women's soccer team was selected to defend its 2015 Big Ten regular season championship. Since the preseason poll started in 2003, the Nittany Lions have been named the preseason favorites every time.
YOUTH MOVEMENT
The 2016 Penn State women's soccer roster is comprised of nine freshmen, one redshirt freshman, five sophomores, one redshirt sophomore, six juniors, three redshirt juniors and one senior.
MAC HERMANN TROPHY WATCH LIST
Junior forward Megan Schafer was named to the 2016 MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List prior to the start of the 2016 campaign.
During her 2015 season, Schafer led the Nittany Lions in goals (13) and points (30). Six of her 13 goals during 2015 captured a victory for the Blue & White.
As a sophomore, she started 24 of 27 matches and netted at least one point in 11 of the final 17 matches on the year.
CLIMBING THE CHARTS
Heading into the weekend, Frannie Crouse is tied for 19th all-time at PSU in points with 68 (29g, 10a), while Megan Schafer ranks 21st with 57 (23g, 11a). All-time in goals scored at PSU, Crouse ranks 15th with 29 and Schafer is tied for 19th with 23.
SCORING IN 2015
The Nittany Lion underclassmen accounted for 46 of the team's 64 goals last season, which also included 17 of the 20 goals scored in the NCAA Tournament.
2015 NCAA TOURNAMENT RUN
During Penn State's run to the National Title last season, the Nittany Lions outscored the opposition, 20-0, and outshot the opposition, 108-43. Only 13 of their opponent's shots during the NCAA Tournament were on goal.
WINNING TRADITION
Senior co-captain Nickolette Driesse has been a part of the last two NCAA champion women's soccer teams. Prior to transferring to Penn State in 2015, Driesse was a member of the Florida State Seminoles. The Seminoles were NCAA runner-ups in 2013 and won the NCAA title in 2014.
THE POLLS
The Nittany Lions currently rank 13th in the NSCAA and Soccer America polls, 17th in the TopDrawerSoccer poll and 22nd in the RPI.
YEAR 10
The 2016 season marks the 10th season for Erica Dambach at the helm of the Penn State women's soccer program. As the head coach of the Nittany Lions, Coach Dambach has an overall record of 165-52-12 and 84-14-4 in Big Ten play.
NITTANY LIONS ON BTN
The Penn State women's soccer team will be featured three times during the regular season on the Big Ten Network.
The BTN regular season matches for the Nittany Lions will be West Virginia (Aug. 19 - 7:30 p.m. EDT), Minnesota (Sept. 16 - 8 p.m. EDT) and Rutgers (Oct. 13 - 7 p.m. EDT).
THE TRIPLE CROWN
The 2015 season was a banner year for the Nittany Lions as they brought home the national championship along with both Big Ten titles.
NEXT UP
The Nittany Lions return home for a pair of matches against Rutgers (Oct. 13) and Purdue (Oct. 16). The match against Rutgers will be aired live on the Big Ten Network.