THIS WEEK'S PREVIEW
THIS WEEK'S PREVIEW
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.; November 5, 2019 -- The Penn State Nittany Lions (6-11, 4-4 B1G) will serve as hosts for the 2019 Big Ten Field Hockey Tournament this week at the Penn State Field Hockey Complex. The tournament begins with three games on Thursday, Nov. 7, continues with semifinals on Friday, Nov. 8, and concludes with the tournament title game on Sunday, Nov. 10. Penn State earned the #5 seed and will face #4 Michigan (13-5, 5-3 B1G) in the opening round Thursday at 11 a.m.
The tournament's first day begins with the Penn State/Michigan game at 11 a.m., followed by #2 Iowa taking on #7 Ohio State at 2 p.m. and concluding with #3 Northwestern taking on #6 Rutgers at 5 p.m. Friday's semifinals begin at 4 p.m. with #1 Maryland battling the #4/#5 winner. The second semifinal begins at 6:30 p.m. and features the #2/#7 winner facing the #3/#6 victor. The tournament title game is set for 2 p.m. on Sunday.
Penn State is coming off a thrilling 2-1 win over #16 Rutgers on Sunday in a game that secured the #5 seed for Penn State. Abby Myers had a goal and an assist in the win while keeper Brie Barraco had five saves in ths contest.
The Nittany Lions are being led by Anna Simon, who has 18 points off eight goals and two assists. Freshmen Jemma Punch and Paityn Wirth each have 13 points. Punch has five goals and three assists while Wirth has four and five. Abby Myers and Grace Wallis each of 10 points off three goals and four assists. Goalie Brie Barraco has 84 saves and a .683 percentage with a 2.26 goals against average.
Michigan is coming off a tough loss to Iowa last weekend. The Wolverines own a 3-1 win over Penn State from October and ended the regular season with a 13-5 overall record, 5-3 in conference play. The Wolverines are being led by Kathy Peterson and Guadalupe Fernandez Lacort. Each athlete has 18 points, Peterson off five and eight and Fernandez Lacort off three ans 12. Meg Dowthwaite has 17 off seven and three. Goalie Anna Spieker has 33 saves and a 1.16 goals against average.
The winner of the 2019 Big Ten Tournament receives the conference's automatic bid to the 2019 NCAA Field Hockey Championship. Action begins on Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 16-17, at host sites around the country.
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.
NOTES
MYERS LEADS PENN STATE TO 2-1 WIN OVER #16 RUTGERS ON SENIOR DAY
The Penn State Nittany Lion field hockey team took care of visiting Rutgers in the regular season finale for both teams Sunday. Abby Myers led the Lion offense in a 2-1 Big Ten victory on Senior Day for Penn State. Myers had a goal in the first period to give Penn State an early lead and then had a diving pass on the game-winning goal (scored by teammate Jemma Punch) late in the fourth period.
WIN AT BUCKNELL GIVES MORETT-CURTISS HER 500TH CAREER WIN AS PENN STATE HEAD COACH
The Penn State Nittany Lion field hockey team shutout Bucknell in a non-conference game in Lewisburg on Wednesday. Tied 0-0 after three periods, Penn State mounted a furious fourth period rally to roll to the 3-0 road win. The victory gave head coach Char Morett-Curtiss her 500th win as mentor at Penn State.
"I am very grateful to Penn State for giving me the opportunity years ago to lead this program," Morett-Curtiss said, reflecting on her 500th win. "I've received great support from every administration here, from the coaches who have coached with me to the players who I've had the honor of coaching. It has been so much fun and I'm thankful to everyone who has been, and is to this day, a part of this program."
BEDNARKSI NOTCHES GOAL VS. OHIO STATE
Junior Bree Bednarski notched a goal in Penn State's 2-1 loss to #22 Ohio State on Oct. 25. The Lion also had a late game-tying goal waved off after review in the tough loss.
LIONS DOWN MICHIGAN ST. FOR B1G ROAD WIN
Penn State used balanced offense and great defense to post an important 3-1 win at Michigan State in Big Ten action on Oct. 18. The Lions got goals from three different players. Madison Morano, Paityn Wirth and Jemma Punch each notched goals in the game while keeper Brie Barraco had a season-high eight saves.
MORETT-CURTISS TO BE INDUCTED INTO PHILADELPHIA SPORTS HALL OF FAME
Char Morett-Curtiss, long-time head coach of the Penn State field hockey team and a former All-American as a player for the Nittany Lions, will be inducted into the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame as part of the 2019 Inductee Class. The organization announced its new class earlier this summer and the induction ceremony is set for Nov. 7. Morett-Curtiss is being inducted for her local accomplishments in field hockey and lacrosse. The Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame inducts individuals as both local athletes or as part of the city's professional sports teams. A native of Aldan, Pennsylvania, Morett-Curtiss is a graduate of Lansdowne-Aldan High School and is now a member five Hall of Fames: The Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame (a 2019 inductee); Delaware County Hall of Fame; Pennsylvania Hall of Fame; USFHA Hall of Fame and the NFHCA Hall of Fame.
SIMON'S GOAL LEADS PENN STATE TO 3-2 DOUBLE-OT WIN OVER #8 NORTHWESTERN
Sophomore Anna Simon scored the game-winning goal shortly into the second overtime period to lead Penn State to a 3-2 double-overtime win over #8 Northwestern. Simon's goal lifted Penn State to the home Big Ten victory and was her third game-winning goal of the season.
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 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.
