THIS WEEK'S ACTION
#6 Penn State (5-2, 1-0 B1G) vs. #8 Michigan (5-3, 1-0 B1G)
DATE: Friday, Sept. 21, 6 p.m.
SITE: Field Hockey Complex
Penn State Head Coach: Char Morett-Curtiss
Michigan Head Coach: Marcia Pankratz
All-Time Series: Penn State leads 24-21
Last Meeting: L, 0-1 on 11/5/17
(2017 B1G championship)
#6 Penn State (5-2, 1-0 B1G) vs. Michigan State (3-5, 0-1 B1G)
DATE: Sunday, Sept. 23, 12 p.m.
SITE: Field Hockey Complex
*MSU is at Central Michigan 9/18 and Rutgers 9/21, post-press
Penn State Head Coach: Char Morett-Curtiss
Michigan State Head Coach: Helen Knull
All-Time Series: Penn State leads 30-10
Last Meeting: W, 3-2 on 11/3/17
(Big Ten tournament)
THIS WEEK'S PREVIEW
The Penn State Nittany Lions (5-2, 1-0 B1G), ranked No. 6 in the NFHCA Coaches Poll, host two Big Ten games this weekend at the Penn State Field Hockey Complex. The Nittany Lions welcome No. 8 Michigan (5-3, 1-0 B1G) for a Friday game at 6 p.m. and then host Michigan State (3-5, 0-1 B1G) on Sunday at 12 p.m.
Penn State is coming off a solid 2-0 weekend that saw it win two games on the road against top 25 competition. The Nittany Lions opened up the weekend in Columbus, Ohio, downing No. 22 Ohio State 3-2 in the Big Ten opener for both teams. Two days later, Penn State shutout No. 21 Boston University 4-0 in a game played at the University of Maryland.
The Nittany Lions are being led by senior Aurelia Meijer and freshman Anna Simon. Meijer, a senior midfielder, has nine points off three goals and a team-best three assists. Simon has nine points off four goals and an assist. Sophomore Alexis Horst checks in with eight points off four goals while Emily Klingler has seven points off three and one. Cori Conley, Simon and Lauren McNally anchor a backfield that has helped keeper Jenny Rizzo record four shutouts in seven games. Rizzo has a 1.54 goals against average with 32 saves and an .800 save percentage.
Michigan comes in ranked No. 8 in the NFHCA poll, carrying a 5-3 record, 1-0 in the Big Ten. The Wolverines posted a 3-1 win over Rutgers on Friday night in their Big Ten opener and then downed Central Michigan 9-0 on Sunday. Michigan is being led by Emma Way, who has 22 points off 10 goals and two assists. Michigan has split its keeper time relatively evenly, with Sidonie LaPlante sporting a 1.60 goals against average and Anna Spieker checking in at 2.40.
Michigan State, which is at Central Michigan on Tuesday, Sept. 18, and at Rutgers on Friday, Sept. 21 post-press, enters its busy three-game week with a 3-5 mark, 0-1 in the Big Ten. The Spartans opened the Big Ten season last Saturday with a 5-1 loss vs. No. 3 Maryland. Michigan State is being led by Isa Van der Weij, who has eight points off three goals and two assists, and Aisha Osinga, who has six off two and two. Keeper Jade Arundell has played every minute for the Spartans and has a 2.19 goals against average and 48 saves..
The Nittany Lions are 24-21 all-time against the Wolverines, including last year's tough 1-0 loss in the Big Ten Championship game on Nov. 5, 2017. Penn State is 30-10 all-time against the Spartans, including a 3-2 win in the Big Ten tournament last year on Nov. 3, 2017.
Penn State as a split weekend next weekend. The Nittany Lions travel to Rutgers on Friday, Sept. 28, for a 3 p.m. contest. Penn State returns home to the Field Hockey Complex for a non-conference game with James Madison on Sunday, Sept. 30, at 12 p.m.
Fans are encouraged to follow the Nittany Lion field hockey team online at www.GoPSUsports.com (click teams, click field hockey), on twitter @pennstateFH and on facebook at www.facebook.com/pennstatefieldhockey.
For gameday parking information, please check out the color graphic within the pdf posted online in every set of weekly game notes at GoPSUsports.com.
NOTES
HORST LEADS PENN STATE TO 4-0 WIN OVER #21 BOSTON UNIVERSITY
Sophomore Alexis Horst scored two goals in Penn State's dominant 4-0 win over #21 Boston University on 9/16, in a game played at the University of Maryland. Horst had two goals while teammates Moira Putsch and Anna Simon each added one. Keeper Jenny Rizzo and the Lion backfield, anchored by Simon, Cori Conley and Lauren McNally, notched the shutout. Rizzo had five saves.
TWO LATE GOALS LEAD LIONS TO B1G WIN AT #22 OHIO STATE
Penn State used two goals in the game's final ten minutes to post a 3-2 road win at No. 22 Ohio State on 9/4, grabbing a victory in the Big Ten opener for both teams. Alexis Horst scored off a Gini Bramley assist at the 9:52 mark to tie the game and Katie Dembrowski scored unassisted at the 3:44 mark to put the Nittany Lions up for good in Columbus.
#4 DUKE PULLS AWAY FROM PENN STATE LATE
The Penn State Nittany Lions fell victim to a second half rally against No. 4 Duke on 9/9 in a game played at Temple. Penn State got a first half goal from freshman Anna Simon and were tied at the halftime mark before Duke scored three unanswered goals to post the 4-1 win.
MEIJER SOARS IN 8-0 WIN OVER KENT STATE
Senior Aurelia Meijer soared to a career high six points in Penn State's 8-0 shutout victory over Kent State on 9/7 at the FIeld Hockey Complex. Meijer had two early assists and then notched two unassisted goals in the second half to blow the game open and lead Penn State to the victory. Penn State outshot KSU 27-9 and Jenny Rizzo and Colleen Conway combined for four saves to post Penn State's third shutout in the season's first four games.
LIONS DROP 2-1 2OT GAME TO #6 PRINCETON
Penn State and Princeton battled evenly for over 80 minutes on 9/4 before the Tigers inched out a 2-1 double-overtime victory in State College. Penn State got a goal from Emily Klingler in the second half to tie the game and rode nine Jenny Rizzo saves into extra time before Princeton got the game winner in the second OT.
SIMON LEADS LIONS TO 4-0 WIN AT TEMPLE; NAMED B1G FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK (9/3)
True freshman Anna Simon scored her first collegiate goals to lead Penn State to a 4-0 win at Temple on 8/31. Simon found the back of the cage twice off penalty corners (assists to Mary Nell Smith and Madison Morano on both) to spark Penn State. The Lions out shot Temple 42-1 in the victory. She was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week for the week ending Sept. 2 for her efforts.
CONLEY, BRAMLEY SPARK LIONS TO 1-0 WIN OVER #7 VIRGINIA
Seniors Cori Conley and Gini Bramley sparked Penn State to an impressive 1-0 win over No. 7 Virginia in the season opener for both teams on 8/26. Conley anchored a strong Penn State defense and classmate Jenny Rizzo notched four saves as Penn State shutout the Cavaliers. The shutout was the ninth of Rizzo's career. Bramley scored the game's lone goal off an assist from Abby Myers as Penn State out shot Virginia 17-9.
CONLEY B1G PLAYER OF THE WEEK (8/27)
Senior Cori Conley as named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week for the week ending Aug. 26, 2018. Conley anchored a smothering Penn State defense that held a high-powered Virginia offense scoreless and to only nine total shots. Conley's prowess in the middle of Penn State's defense kept the Cavaliers from pressing the Lion cage and lead Penn State to a 1-0 shutout win in the season opener over No. 7 Virginia. Conley played nearly the entire game for a Penn State defense that kept the Cavs scoreless in a national field hockey showdown to start the 2018 season. The victory has Penn State off to a 1-0 start to begin the campaign
TRIO OF NITTANY LIONS ON BIG TEN PRESEASON 'PLAYERS TO WATCH' LIST
A trio of Penn Staters are on the 2018 Big Ten Preseason 'Players to Watch' list. Seniors Gini Bramley, Colleen Conway and Jenny Rizzo are all included on the conference-compiled list to open the campaign. All three were named to the 2018 U.S. Developmental Team this summer and are coming off outstanding 2017 seasons for the Nittany Lions. Rizzo was a first team All-Region and second team All-Big Ten selection while Bramley and Conley were second team All-Region selections.
BTN AND LIONVISION HAVE HOME SLATE COVERED
Penn State's nine home games will be available for fans all over the world to see. Eight of Penn State's nine home contests (Virginia, Princeton, Kent State, Michigan, Michigan State, James Madison, Indiana and Bucknell) will be streamed live for free via Lionvision at GoPSUsports.com. Penn State's Oct. 7 battle with Maryland will air live on the Big Ten Network.
TEAMMATES VOTE RIZZO AND DEMBROWSKI TEAM CAPTAINS
Seniors Jenny Rizzo and Katie Dembrowski will serve as team captains for the 2018 season. The duo earned the honors in a vote by their teammates during preseason practices.
