THIS WEEK'S PREVIEW
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- The Penn State Nittany Lions (2-8, 1-1 B1G), have a Big Ten homestand set for this coming weekend. The Lions host No. 8 Northwestern (10-4, 3-1 B1G) on Friday, Oct. 11, at 6 p.m. and then welcome No. 6 Iowa (*9-2, 3-0 B1G) on Sunday, Oct. 13, for a 12 p.m. game that airs live on the BTN. Iowa is at Maryland on Friday while the Lions host Northwestern.
The Nittany Lions are coming off a 1-1 weekend that saw the team win its first Big Ten game of the year. Penn State won at Indiana 3-1 on Friday, Oct. 4, as Anna Simon had two goals and an assist in the contest. The Lions lost 3-0 at No. 6 Louisville two days later.
Penn State is being led by Simon, who has 14 points off six goals and two assists. Alexis Horst has eight off three and two while Paityn Wirth has seven off two and three. Goalie Brie Barraco has 51 saves and a .662 percentage to go along with a 2.58 goals against average.
Northwestern enters the week with a 10-4 record, 3-1 in the Big Ten, and ranked No. 8 nationally. The Wildcats dropped a tough 2-1 double-overtime game to No. 4 Maryland last Thursday and then fell to Maine in overtime on Sunday. Northwestern is being led by Bente Baekers, who has 35 points off 17 goals and an assist. Kirsten Mansfield has 17 points off three goals and 11 assists. Keeper Florien Marcussen has 59 saves and a .728 percentage as well as a 2.21 goals against average.
Iowa enters its two game weekend road trip ranked No. 6 nationally. The Hawkeyes beat Rutgers last Friday 2-1 and then downed UC-Davis 3-1 on Sunday. Iowa is being led by Katie Birch, who has 18 points off five goals and eights assists. Maddy Murphy has 16 off five and six. Goalie Leslie Speight has 20 saves and a .667 save percentage. She sports a 1.08 goals against average as well.
Penn State hits the road next weekend for two Big Ten road games. The Lions visit Michigan State on Friday, Oct. 18, at 3 p.m. and then trek to Michigan on Sunday, Oct. 20, for a 12 p.m. game.
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
SIMON LEADS PENN STATE TO B1G WIN AT INDIANA
Sophomore Anna Simon led Penn State to its first Big Ten win of the year on Oct. 4. The sophomore had two goals and an assist in the Nittany Lions' 3-1 victory at Indiana. Emma Spisak had Penn State's third goal in the contest.
PENN STATE PICKS UP FIRST WIN IN AN 8-2 HOME VICTORY OVER VILLANOVA
Penn State grabbed its first win of the season in an 8-2 home victory over visiting Villanova on Sept. 29. Anna Simon had two goals while Jemma Punch had a goal and an assist to lead the Nittany Lions in the victory. Goalie Brie Barraco had five saves in the contest.
NITTANY LIONS DROP TOUGH 4-3 OT GAME TO CALIFORNIA IN LANCASTER
The Penn State Nittany Lions dropped a hard-fought 4-3 overtime thriller to the Cal Bears on Sept. 26 in a game played at Lancaster's Spooky Nook Sports facility. Grace Wallis, Jemma Punch and Anna Simon scored goals for Penn State but Cal notched the game's final three goals to secure the win.
HUTSON NOTCHES GOAL IN TOUGH LOSS AT #3 MARYLAND
Junior co-captain Madison Hutson had Penn State's goal in the Nittany Lions' 3-1 loss at #3 Maryland on Friday, Sept. 20. Hutson's goal was her first of the season.
LIONS DROP TWO 2-1 CONTESTS TO ODU AND AT #5 PRINCETON
The Nittany Lions dropped two close 2-1 games the weekend of Sept. 13-15. Penn State fell 2-1 to Old Dominion on Friday, Sept. 13, then fell 2-1 at #5 Princeton on Sunday, Sept. 15. Alexis Horst notched the goal against ODU and Abby Myers scored early against Princeton.
WIRTH NOTCHES FIRST COLLEGIATE GOAL IN TOUGH LOSS AT DELAWARE
True freshman Paityn Wirth scored her first collegiate goal in the first period of Penn State's game at Delaware on Sept. 8. The Blue Hens bounced back with three unanswered to post the 3-1 victory, however.
NITTANY LIONS DROP TOUGH 2-1 GAME AT #11 VIRGINIA
Penn State dropped hard fought 2-1 game at #11 Virginia on Sunday, Sept. 1. The Nittany Lions tied the game with a late goal from Anna Simon, but the Cavaliers scored with just over 1:00 to play to steal the win in Charlottesville. Lion keeper Brie Barraco had five saves in the contest.
PENN STATE LOSES OPENER AT #3 DUKE
Penn State scored the first goal of the game in its season opener at Duke on Aug. 30, but the Blue Devils rallied to post the 4-1 victory. Nittany Lion Alexis Horst scored on an assist from Anna Simon in the first period for Penn State. Freshman goalie Brie Barraco made her first career start and had seven saves against a pressing Duke offense.
THREE NITTANY LIONS NAMED TO 2019 BIG TEN PLAYERS TO WATCH LIST
Three Penn State Nittany Lions have been named to the 2019 Big Ten 'Players to Watch' list as compiled by the conference's head coaches. Senior Madison Morano, junior Abby Myers and sophomore Anna Simon are Penn State's players on the early season watch list. Morano enters her final season at Penn State with 32 career points, having played in 60 games over three years. Myers, who redshirted as a true freshman in 2016, has 19 points over the last two seasons and has played in 40 games. Simon started all season long last year as a true freshman and had 28 points off 13 goals and two assists.
PENN STATE IS HOST SITE FOR 2019 BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT
The Penn State Field Hockey Complex will be the site of the 2019 Big Ten Field Hockey Championship Tournament. The tournament, which will determine the conference's automatic qualifier for the 2019 NCAA Championships, reverts to its original format and features six games over four days in November. The first three games take place on Thursday, Nov. 7, the semifinals occur on Friday, Nov. 8, with the Big Ten Championship game set for Sunday, Nov. 10. Times will be determined at a later date and more information is to follow as the event nears.
HUTSON AND MORANO NAMED CAPTAINS
The Penn State Nittany Lion field hockey team, under the guidance of head coach Char Morett-Curtiss, has named senior Madison Morano and junior Madison Hutson captains for the 2019 campaign.
