Nov. 13, 2016
PSWS FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup Central
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Six members of the Penn State women's soccer program will represent their respective countries at the 2016 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, Nov. 13-Dec. 3.
Rose Chandler (Atlanta, Ga.), Maddie Elliston (Omaha, Neb.), Ellie Jean (Coventry, Conn.), Emily Ogle (Strongsville, Ohio) and Kaleigh Riehl (Fairfax Station, Va.) will compete for the U.S. U-20 Women's National Team, while Laura Freigang (Oppenheim, Germany) will play for the German U-20 Women's National Team.
During her freshman year with the Blue and White, Freigang played in 15 matches, which included two starts, scored two goals and posted 31 shot attempts. In the season opener (Aug. 19), Freigang scored her first career goal against West Virginia and on Oct. 26, she scored her second career goal in a 2-0 victory over Ohio State to help the Nittany Lions capture a share of their 18th Big Ten regular season title.
Freigang's plaudits with Penn State include: Big Ten Freshman of the Week (Aug. 23) and Big Ten All-Freshman Team (Oct. 28).
She has been a part of the German Women's National Team at the U-20, U-19, U-17, U-16 and U-15 levels. With the German Women's National Team, Freigang has competed in the U-16 Nordic Cup Tournament, the U-17 World Cup and the U-19 European Championships.
Penn State women's soccer has been well-represented throughout the 2016 calendar year on the U.S. U-20 WNT as Chandler, Elliston, Ogle and Riehl attended six U.S. U-20 WNT domestic training camps.
The four Nittany Lions attended U.S. U-20 WNT training camps in Carson, California (January), Lakewood Ranch, Florida (April), Efland, North Carolina (June), Chula Vista, California (July), Carson, California (September) and Lakewood Ranch, Florida (October). Jean attended all of the U.S. U-20 WNT domestic training camps except the first one in January.
The Nittany Lion quintet also took part in the La Manga Tournament in La Manga, Spain, in March and traveled to Papua New Guinea for a training camp and a pair of matches, May 21-June 1.
For Chandler and Riehl this will be their second FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup as they were on the U.S. WNT roster in 2014, but did not play.
This past December, Chandler was in net for the Red, White and Blue as the U.S. captured its fourth-straight CONCACAF Under-20 Women's Championship with a 1-0 victory over Canada. Chandler closed out the tournament with three-straight shutouts and she received the Golden Glove award. Chandler made appearances in five matches during her redshirt sophomore season in 2015.
Elliston missed the early part of her junior season due to an injury, but started seven of the last 18 matches on the Nittany Lion backline. Elliston played in 11 of the 15 Nittany Lion shutouts in 2015.
In 2015, Jean played in 26 matches as a freshman, which included 21 starts and she dished out six assists. Jean was named to the All-Big Ten Freshman Team and the TopDrawerSoccer Freshman Best XI Second Team.
Ogle started all 27 matches for the Nittany Lions during her sophomore season in 2015 and recorded seven goals, four of which were scored in the NCAA Tournament. During the 2015 season, Ogle received TopDrawerSoccer Third Team Best XI honors, NSCAA All-Great Lakes First Team honors, All-Big Ten Second Team honors, Academic All-Big Ten plaudits and was named to the Women's College Cup All-Tournament Team.
Riehl started every match on the Nittany Lion backline as a freshman in 2015 and recorded the second-most minutes on the team (2,360). During her freshman year, Riehl scored one goal and recorded two assists. Her first goal as a Nittany Lion came in the 79th minute of the College Cup semifinal against No. 9 Rutgers. Riehl was named to the TopDrawerSoccer Freshman Best XI First Team, Women's College Cup All-Tournament Team, All-Big Ten Second Team and the Big Ten All-Freshman Team in 2015.
Germany and the United States begin play Monday, Nov. 14, at 1 a.m. EST.
Germany opens Group D play against Venezuela on Nov. 14 (1 a.m. EST - Fox Sports 2). Following the Venezuela match, Germany takes on Mexico on Nov. 17 (1 a.m. EST - Fox Sports 1) and then closes out group play against Korea Republic on Nov. 21 (4 a.m. EST - Fox Sports 2).
The U.S. opens Group C play against France on Nov. 14 (1 a.m. EST - Fox Sports 1), then takes on New Zealand on Nov. 17 (4 a.m. EST - Fox Sports 1) and finishes group play against Ghana on Nov. 21 (1 a.m. EST - Fox Sports 1).
Including 2016, Penn State has had representatives on six-straight FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup rosters.
At the 2014 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup, Basinger and Chandler represented the Nittany Lions on the U.S. roster. Also on the U.S. U-20 WNT in 2014, were future Nittany Lions, Nickolette Driesse (Wayne, N.J.) and Riehl.
In 2012, Nittany Lions Maya Hayes and Taylor Schram helped the United States capture the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup title with a 1-0 victory over Germany. During the 2012 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup, Hayes recorded four goals, which included a three-goal effort against Ghana.
The 2010 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup featured the Nittany Lion duo of Hayes and Christine Nairn on the United States roster.
The 2008 FIFA U-20 Women's World Championship featured three Nittany Lions representing their respective countries. Future Nittany Lion Lexi Marton was a member of the Canadian WNT, while Alyssa Naeher and Nairn helped the U.S. WNT defeat Korea DPR, 2-1, for the 2008 FIFA U-20 Women's World Championship title.
Naeher received the Golden Glove award for her performance in net and Nairn recorded a start in the final. With the victory for the United States, Naeher and Nairn became the first Nittany Lions to win a World Cup.
Allie Long was a member of the United States WNT at the 2006 FIFA U-20 Women's World Championship.
Prior to the 2006 FIFA U-20 Women's World Championship, the U-20 event was a U-19 event. The inaugural FIFA U-19 Women's World Championship was hosted by Canada in 2002.
At the 2002 FIFA U-19 Women's World Championship, future Nittany Lions Carmelina Moscato and Erin McLeod helped the Canadian WNT to a runner-up finish.