Sept. 9, 2017
Field Hockey Complex | University Park, Pa.
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UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Penn State hits the road for an early season rematch of last year's NCAA first-round matchup against the Princeton Tigers Sunday, Sept. 10 at 12 p.m. in Princeton, N.J.
The Nittany Lions enter the game on a four-game win streak having defeated three ranked opponents through the first four games of 2017.
PRINCETON SERIES HISTORY
Penn State is 26-11 all-time in their series with the Tiger's dating back to 1979. Penn State fell to Princeton 2-1 in its last meeting on Nov. 12, 2016, during first-round action of the NCAA Tournament at Field Hockey Complex in University Park.
SCOUTING PRINCETON
The Tigers opened the 2017 season with a pair games, one at home and one on the road, but are still looking for their first win after falling 2-0 to UNC and 5-3 to Delaware.
For the third-straight season, Princeton lost its season-opener to North Carolina, dropping a 2-0 decision to the No. 1 Tar Heels on Sept. 1.
The defending NCAA Champions, Delaware used a three-goal run in the first 12-minutes of the game to drop Princeton, 5-3, on Sept. 3.
Julianna Tornetta leads the Tigers with two goals on the season, while Ryan McCarthy leads the team in assist recording one through the first two games.
Princeton enters the game ranked No. 12 in the NFHCA Poll
PENN STATE IN THE NATIONAL RANKINGS
Penn State (4-0) jumped four spots in the National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) poll to No. 3, as released Sept. 5.
Duke (3-0), at No. 1, is followed in the rankings by two more undefeated squads in No. 2 Connecticut (No. 2) and No. 3 Penn State (4-0). Both the Huskies and Nittany Lions have three wins over ranked opponents through the first two weeks of the season. Rounding out the top five are No. 4 North Carolina (3-1) and No. 5 Syracuse (5-0).
The Nittany Lions at No. 3 are the highest-ranked Big Ten team in the poll ahead of No. 7 Michigan, No. 11 Maryland, No. 14 Northwestern, No. 17 Iowa, No. 22 Rutgers and No. 23 Ohio State.
Penn State opened the season with a pair of wins in the state of Virginia against No. 10 Virginia and No. 23 Old Dominion. The Nittany Lions followed up opening weekend with a shutout of Temple and No. 15 Wake Forest at Field Hockey Complex.
WHAT A PERFORMANCE BY BRAMLEY!
What a week it was for Gini Bramley. The junior midfielder earned Big Ten Offensive player of the week honors as well as being named the National Offensive player of the week by NFHCA. Bramley joins Jen Beaumont (10/28/08), Allison Scola (10/14/08) and Jen Long (11/13/07) as the only other Nittany Lions to earn National Player of the Week honors. On top of the fantastic week (Aug. 25-27) on the field for the Elizabethtown, Pa. native, Bramley celebrated her birthday the same weekend, turning 20-years-old on Aug. 28.
BIG TEN ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Through two weeks of play, two Nittany Lions have been selected as Big Ten Player of the Week, Respectively. Gini Bramley earned the distinction during the opening week of play while Jenny Rizzo earned the nod this past week following shutouts against Temple and Wake Forest.
Offensive Player of the Week (8/28/17)
Gini Bramley, Penn State
M - Jr. - Elizabethtown, Pa. - Lower Dauphin
• Guided No. 7 Penn State to victories over No. 23 Old Dominion and No. 10 Virginia
•Scored two goals and added one assist against Old Dominion
•Scored two goals and tallied two assists in Penn State's, 4-2, win over Virginia
Defensive Player of the Week (9/5/17)
Jenny Rizzo, Penn State
GK - Jr. - Hershey, Pa. - Hershey
• Anchored a Penn State defense that defeated Temple, 5-0, and No. 15 Wake Forest, 6-0
• Posted two shutouts in Penn State's home opening weekend
• Recorded a season high nine saves
• Earns her second Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week honor and her first of the season
• Last Penn State Defensive Player of the Week: Jenny Rizzo (Oct. 4, 2016)
CHEERING ON THE BLUE & WHITE
Penn State finished the 2016 season ranked No. 1 in average attendance in the nation. Penn State broke the Field Hockey Complex record with a total of 967 in attendance for a conference game against Maryland and was a part of the most attended game during the 2016 season as the Nittany Lions captured the Big Ten Tournament title against the very same Terrapins in College Park that was played in front of 969 fans.
B1G PLAYERS TO WATCH
The Big Ten Conference announced its 2017 field hockey preseason honors highlighted by seven All-Big Ten selections from last season, including Penn State's Aurelia Meijer, Skyler Fretz and Gini Bramley.
CHALLENGING SLATE
Penn State has again put together a top-tier schedule, facing nine teams that were ranked in the 2017 NFHCA Preseason Poll, including conference-foes Maryland (6), Michigan (11), Northwestern (14), and Iowa (17). Along with the conference opponents, the squad also has matchups against Delaware (3), Princeton (8), Virginia (10), Wake Forest (15), and Old Dominion (23). Six teams (Kent State, Princeton, Virginia, Michigan, Delaware, Maryland) each made the 2016 NCAA Tournament.
IN THE SPOTLIGHT ON BTN
Penn State will play on BTN live Sunday, Oct. 15 starting at 3:00 p.m. as the Nittany Lions take on Maryland in College Park, Md. The crucial contest will be the Nittany Lion's third to last before the Big Ten tournament and is a re-match of last year's Big Ten Tournament Championship game that saw Penn State win its conference record seventh Big Ten tournament title. Penn State's game at Ohio State (Oct. 6) will also be streamed on BTN.
LEADERS OF THE PACK
Seniors Shay Cannon (16) and Skyler Fretz (11) were named the captains for the 2017 season.
ON THE TURF AND IN THE CLASSROOM
The Penn State field hockey program had six student-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.
Shay Cannon Jr. Biobehavioral Health
Carly Celkos Sr. Rehabilitation and Human Services
Colleen Conway So. Mathematics
Kirsten Gochnauer Sr. Biobehavioral Health
Cassa Kline So. Biobehavioral Health
Lisa Winters Jr. Business Administration
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