UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The No. 8 Penn State Women's Lacrosse team travels to No. 14 Princeton on Wednesday for a mid-week contest. The Nittany Lions and the Tigers are set for a 5 p.m. start at Sherrerd Field at Class of 1952 Stadium. The matchup will be streamed on ESPN+.
The Nittany Lions, led by Head Coach Missy Doherty, are coming off a 14-12 win at Cornell on Saturday in its first road contest of the year. Penn State is 3-0 and moved up to No. 8 in this week's Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) Poll.
Princeton, coached by Chris Sailer, is 1-1 after falling 14-9 at No. 12 Virginia last Saturday. The Tigers are ranked 14th in the IWLCA Poll.
Follow the action on our social media pages on Facebook (PennStateWomensLacrosse) and Twitter/Instagram (@pennstatewlax).
THIS WEEK'S MATCHUP
This marks the 39th meeting in the series, with the Nittany Lions trailing 25-13.
The Nittany Lions fell 13-12 against the Tigers last season. Penn State held an 8-5 advantage going into halftime, but Princeton responded with a 5-0 run to start the second half. The teams traded goals until Elizabeth George gave Princeton a 13-11 lead with 5:45 remaining. Maria Auth and Katie O'Donnell each scored three goals for PSU.
SCOUTING THE TIGERS
Princeton, coached by Chris Sailer, fell 14-9 at No. 12 Virginia last Saturday. The Tigers led 6-5 at halftime against the Cavaliers. After a 4-0 run by UVA, Princeton answered with a 3-0 run to tie the game, but UVA scored the final five goals.
Attacker Tess D'Orsi led the Tigers with four points, including two goals. Elizabeth George had a goal and two assists, while Kyra Sears and Kathryn Hallett each had two goals. Goalie Sam Fish made seven saves.
Princeton won its season opener, 16-7, against Temple.
CARTER MOVES UP POINTS LIST
Senior Madison Carter tallied a season-high seven points on Saturday, including a career high-tying six goals. It was her 20th career game with five or more points.
Carter now has 210 career points, moving into ninth all-time at PSU. She passed Michelle DeJuliis (203; 1994-97) and Colleen O'Hara (208; 2000-03). Carter is just one point behind current volunteer coach Steph Lazo (2014-17) for eighth place.
Carter currently ranks 10th in the nation among career active leaders in points and fourth in goals (190).
On Carter's second goal of the Towson game with 12:46 left to go, the senior earned her 200th career point, becoming the 15th Nittany Lion to reach the 200-point mark for her career.
SHOOT TO SCORE
One of the keys to PSU's offensive attack this year is a high volume of shots. PSU leads the Big Ten, and ranks seventh in the country, averaging 28.7 shots on goal per game. The Nittany Lions also sit 11th in the nation, and third in the conference, averaging 36.3 shots per game.
PSU is 28th in the nation with 14.0 goals per game and 13th with 22.3 points per game. PSU is eighth in the country, first in the Big Ten, in assists per game (8.3).
Carter is eighth in the Big Ten with 10 goals and fifth with 3.3 goals per game. She leads the Big Ten, and ranks eighth in the nation, with 8.67 shots per contest. She averages 6.0 shots on goal per game.
STRONG DEFENSE
Penn State currently ranks 18th in the nation, and second in the Big Ten, allowing just eight goals per game. Freshman goalie Taylor Suplee is also 18th nationally and second in the conference with an 8.00 goals against average.
The Nittany Lions have caused 13.3 turnovers per game, ranking 13th in the country, led by Reilly Masterson's 2.7 caused turnovers per game, which leads the Big Ten.
SECOND HALF SURGE
The Nittany Lions started Saturday's second half with four unanswered goals to take a 12-6 lead early in the half.
PSU is currently averaging 8.3 goals in the second half. Against Lehigh, PSU scored the first seven goals of the second half, including two goals each from Lauren Craft and Delaney Muldoon. PSU outscored Lehigh, 9-2 in the half. In the season opener, PSU scored 10 goals in the second half against Towson, starting the period on a 6-1 run.
IN THE POLLS
The Nittany Lions moved up to No. 8 in this week's IWLCA Poll, rising two spots. The blue and white is No. 11 in the Inside Lacrosse Poll and No. 14 in the Nike/US Lacrosse Poll. PSU was selected third the Preseason Big Ten Poll behind Maryland and Northwestern.
FIRST WIN IN PANZER
The Nittany Lions earned a 15-5 win over Lehigh in the first ever regular season game at Panzer Stadium on February 16. The state-of-the-art venue was dedicated on September 23, 2018. The facility features a new videoboard, permanent concessions, accessible bathrooms and a ticket office.
The first goal in Panzer Stadium history was scored by Kristin Roberto with 26:50 left in the first half.
NATIONAL AUDIENCE
Penn State will be featured on three Big Ten Network broadcasts and two ESPNU broadcasts this Spring.
The Nittany Lions' Big Ten home opener against No. 2 Maryland on March 21 will be shown on ESPNU. The blue and white will also face No. 17 Johns Hopkins in an ESPNU matchup on April 19.
The blue and white's matchup at No. 4 Northwestern, a 7 p.m. start, will be broadcast on Big Ten Network on March 28. PSU will also be on BTN on April 4 vs. Ohio State, a 7 p.m. matchup, and April 27 vs. Rutgers, an 11 a.m. game.
Senior Delaney Muldoon