UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The No. 14 Penn State women's lacrosse team visits Johns Hopkins for a mid-week matchup on Wednesday in Baltimore. The Nittany Lions meet the Blue Jays at 4 p.m. on ESPNU with Leah Secondo (play-by-play) and Dana Boyle (color analyst) on the call.
The Nittany Lions, led by Head Coach Missy Doherty, are 3-5 this season and looking to bounce back after a pair of tight losses at Ohio State. Kristin O'Neill was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week after collecting three goals, three ground balls and three caused turnovers.
Penn State is ranked 14th in the IWLCA Poll and 20th in the Inside Lacrosse Poll this week.
Johns Hopkins, coached by Janine Tucker, is 2-4 this season. The Blue Jays last played on March 12 when it fell 9-8 in overtime against No. 9 Maryland.
Follow along with the Nittany Lions by watching on ESPNU or following our social media pages on Facebook (PennStateWomensLacrosse) and Twitter/Instagram (@pennstatewlax).
SERIES HISTORY
Penn State leads 16-5 in the all-time series against Johns Hopkins. The Nittany Lions have won the last four matchups, including a 16-15 victory at Hopkins in 2019. Maria Auth scored five goals to lead PSU. Quinn Nicolai and Sophia Triandafils each added a hat trick. Taylor Suplee made 11 saves in the win.
MEET THE BLUE JAYS
Johns Hopkins, led by Janine Tucker, has a 2-4 record in 2021. The Blue Jays own two wins this season over Ohio State (12-11, 10-9).
The Blue Jays fell 9-8 in overtime in its last game against No. 9 Maryland on March 12. Mackenzie Heldberg led JHU with five points, including two goals. Maggie Schneidereith contributed two goals and an assist, while Aurora Cordingley also recorded two goals and an assist. Kathleen Garvey made 12 saves.
Johns Hopkins ranks seventh in the Big Ten in scoring offense (9.5 goals per game) and fourth in scoring defense, allowing 12.8 goals per contest. The Blue Jays are also seventh in the league in draw controls, averaging 8.8 per game.
Trinity McPherson sits 35th in the nation in caused turnovers per game (1.67), while Annika Meyer holds 23rd with 3.0 ground balls per game. Garvey is 48th in the country averaging 8.2 saves per games.
Cordingley leads JHU with 20 points, including 12 goals. Heldberg has recorded 11 goals and seven assists.
CHASING 200 WINS
Head Coach Missy Doherty is closing in on her 200th career win. She currently owns a 198-118 record in her 17th year of coaching. She has a 119-72 record in her 11th season as the head coach of the Nittany Lions.
NATIONAL TV NITS
Penn State will play its third game on national TV this season, appearing on "the U" against Johns Hopkins.
The Nittany Lions' contest against Michigan, on March 21, was also on ESPNU. Penn State's contest against Ohio State, on Friday, March 26, was broadcast on Big Ten Network.
All six games of the Big Ten Tournament, hosted by Penn State, will be shown on Big Ten Network.
O'NEILL EARNS BIG TEN WEEKLY AWARD
Kristin O'Neill was selected as Big Ten Freshman of the Week following the Ohio State series. She has collected the honor four times this season and four of the six times the award has been given out in 2021.
In the two-game series against Ohio State, O'Neill collected three goals, three ground balls, a draw control and three caused turnovers.
On the season, O'Neill is tied for the team-lead with 19 goals. She also has five assists, 10 ground balls, four draw controls and nine caused turnovers. O'Neill has recorded multiple points in seven of eight games this season.
O'Neill ranks seventh in the Big Ten in total goals and eighth in goals per game (2.38). She also sits fourth in free-position goals per game (0.75) and ninth in caused turnovers per game (1.12). O'Neill ranks eighth in the country and second in the Big Ten in free-position percentage (.750).
Among Division I freshmen, O'Neill is tied for ninth in total points (24) and ranks ninth in points per game (3.0). She's also fifth in goals per game (2.38) and tied for eighth in total goals (19).
NITS AMONG NATIONAL LEADERS
A few Nittany Lions are among the national stat leaders.
As a team, Penn State are second in the Big Ten in scoring offense (13.0 goals per game) and sixth in scoring defense (14.38 goals per game).
Kara Nealon sits 24th in the country in total assists (17) and 28th in assists per game (2.12). Olivia Dirks holds 17th in draw controls per game (6.5) and 21st in caused turnovers per contest (1.88).
Kristin O'Neill ranks eighth in the nation, and second in the Big Ten, with a .750 free-position percentage.
Taylor Suplee holds 10th in the country in saves per game, averaging 10.6, and 16th in total saves (85). She's also 17th in grdoun balls per game (3.25).
FANTASTIC FRESHMEN
Three true freshmen (Kayla Abernathy, Sammy Dupcak, Kristin O'Neill) and three second-year freshmen (Olivia Dirks, Kara Nealon, Rachel Spilker) started for the Nittany Lions against Rutgers. True freshmen Cam Evitts and Gretchen Gilmore also made their first career starts against Northwestern. Alaina Hamood has also seen playing time as a true freshman.
So far, freshmen have combined for 58 goals, 56 percent of Penn State's team total (104). They have also combined for 30 of Penn State's 46 assists (65%) and 88 of 150 points (59%).
AUTH REACHES 200TH POINT
On her third goal of the first half on Sunday against Michigan, Maria Auth tallied her 200th career point, becoming the 16th Nittany Lion to reach the 200-point mark.
In 70 career games, Auth owns 207 points, ranking 11th all-time at Penn State and just one point behind Colleen O'Hara (2000-03) for 10th.
Auth has 145 career goals, ranking 11th in program history, three behind Diane Whipple (1987-90) for 10th. She also has 62 career assists, holding 13th all-time.
NEXT TIME OUT
The Nittany Lions return to Panzer Stadium on Sunday, April 11 to host No. 9/11 Maryland. First draw is scheduled for 1 p.m. on Big Ten Network+. The Nittany Lions will celebrate their Senior Day.
Taylor Suplee