THIS WEEK
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- The Penn State Nittany Lions (9-3, 3-2 B1G), ranked No. 5 nationally, hit the road for two non-conference contests this weekend. The Nittany Lions are at Lafayette (10-2) on Friday, Oct. 15, for a 7 p.m. game in Easton, Pa. Two days later they battle No. 16 Princeton (6-5) at 12 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 17.
Penn State is coming off a split weekend, losing a hard-fought conference game to No. 5 Rutgers, 1-0 on Friday; and bouncing back for a 4-1 non-conference win over Bucknell on Saturday. Both games were played at the Penn State Field Hockey Complex.
Sophia Gladieux leads Penn State with 28 points off 13 goals and two assists. The Lion sophomore had three goals in the win over Bucknell. Mackenzie Allessie has 19 points off six goals and a team-high seven assists while Anna Simon has 18 off eight and two. Keeper Brie Barraco has 51 saves and a .739 percentage this season in the cage.
Lafayette enters the weekend with a 10-2 mark and is riding a five game win streak. Audrey Sawers leads Lafayette with 21 points off six goals and nine assists while Felicitas Hannes has 16 off seven and two. Goalie Haley Abbott has 30 saves and three shutouts. Penn State leads the all-time series 19-2, including a 5-1 victory on 9/14/14 in the last meeting at Penn State.
Princeton, which battles Cornell on Friday while Penn State is at Lafayette, heads into the weekend with 6-5 mark and has won three straight. Beth Yeager has 34 points so far this season, coming off 14 goals and six assists. Sammy Popper has 12 off five and two. Goalie Robyn Thompson has 31 saves and a.608 percentage. The Nittany Lions lead the all-time series 27-12. Princeton won the last meeting, a 2-1 victory on 9/15/19 at Princeton.
Penn State is on the road for two Big Ten battles next weekend, both of which will air live nationally on the B1G Network. Penn State is at Ohio State on Friday, Oct. 22, at 3 p.m. on the B1G Network and at Michigan State on Sunday, Oct. 24, at 2 p.m., again, on the B1G Network.
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.
THIS WEEK'S ACTION
#5 Penn State (9-3, 3-2 B1G) at Lafayette (10-2)
DATE: Friday, Oct. 15, 2021 - 7 p.m.
SITE: Easton, Pa.
Penn State Head Coach: Char Morett-Curtiss
Lafayette Head Coach: Jennifer Stone
All-Time Series: Penn State leads 19-2
Last Meeting: W, 5-1 at Penn State (9/14/14)
#5 Penn State (9-3, 3-2 B1G) at #16 Princeton (6-5)
DATE: Sunday, Oct. 17, 2021 - 12 p.m.
SITE: Princeton, N.J.
Penn State Head Coach: Char Morett-Curtiss
Princeton Head Coach: Carla Tagliente
All-Time Series: Penn State leads 27-12
Last Meeting: L, 2-1 at Princeton (9/15/19)
NOTES
GLADIEUX SCORES THREE GOALS IN HOME WIN OVER BUCKNELL
Sophomore Sophia Gladieux notched three goals in Penn State's 4-1 victory over visiting Bucknell on Oct. 9. Mackenzie Allessie added the fourth as the Lions rolled to the non-conference win.
GLADIEUX'S GOAL LIFTS LIONS TO 2-1 (2OT) WIN OVER #4 NORTHWESTERN; NAMED B1G AoW!
Sophomore Sophia Gladieux scored the game-winner in extra time in Penn State's 2-1 double-overtime win over No. 4 Northwestern at the Penn State Field Hockey Complex on Oct. 3. The goal built on the goal from Mackenzie Allessie during regulation that helped send the game to extra time. Gladieux, who also had two goals two days earlier in a win over Indian, was named Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week for the week ending Oct. 3, for her efforts.
NITTANY LIONS DOWN INDIANA 4-1
Sophia Gladieux scored twice to lead Penn State to a 4-1 win over visiting Indiana on Oct. 1. The Nittany Lions broke open a close game with a fourth-quarter burst to down the Hoosiers.
GLADIEUX SCORES TWICE TO LEAD PSU TO 3-2 OT WIN AT #7 MARYLAND; B1G OFFENSIVE AoW
Sophomore Sophia Gladieux scored twice to lead Penn State to a 3-2 overtime win at #7 Maryland on Sept. 18. Gladieux connected on two backhands in the game, including the winner in overtime. Mackenzie Allessie scored Penn State's other goal and goalie Brie Barraco had seven saves in the win. Gladieux was named the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week for her efforts.
BARRACO'S SIX SAVES AND A BALANCED ATTACK LEADS LIONS TO 3-0 WIN OVER #19 DELAWARE
Junior goalie Brie Barraco notched six saves to anchor a stingy Penn State defense and picked up her first shutout of the season in a 3-0 win over #19 Delaware on Sept. 12 in State College. Anna Simon, Mackenzie Allessie and Sophia Gladieux each scored in the win.
SIMON'S TWO GOALS LEADS PENN STATE TO 3-1 WIN OVER ALBANY
Senior Anna Simon connected twice on Penn State's penalty corner set, taking assists from Mackenzie Allessie and Elena Vos, to spark Penn State to a 3-1 win over Albany on Sept. 10 in Happy Valley.
GLADIEUX'S TWO GOALS LEAD PENN STATE TO 3-2 WIN OVER #20 ST. JOSEPH'S
Sophomore Sophia Gladieux notched two goals to lead Penn State to a 3-2 victory over St. Joseph's on Sept. 5. Gladieux's two-goal effort was joined by a solo score from Emma Spisak as Penn State won its home opener at the Penn State Field Hockey Complex.
SIMON'S HAT TRICK LEADS PENN STATE TO ROAD WIN AT WILLIAM AND MARY
Senior Anna Simon notched a hat trick to lead Penn State to a 7-2 road win at William and Mary on Aug. 29. Simon's three goals all came off Penn State's superb penalty corner set. Mackenzie Allessie had two assists, Elena Vos had two assists, Meghan Reese had a goal and an assist, Emma Spisak had a goal and Sophia Gladieux had a goal and two assists. Brie Barraco had four saves in the win as well.
PUNCH'S BREAKAWAY LIFTS PENN STATE TO 3-2 VICTORY AT #8 VIRGINIA TO START SEASON
Junior Jemma Punch took a pass from senior Emma Spisak in overtime and broke away for the game-winning goal in a 3-2 (ot) win at #8 Virginia in Penn State's 2021 season opener on Aug. 27. Punch's goal capped off a thrilling road win. Anna Simon and Sophia Gladieux each had goals as well and keeper Brie Barraco withstood 25 Cavalier shots, collecting nine saves.
PENN STATE RANKED #5 IN NFHCA COACHES POLL
Penn State is ranked #5 in the latest NFHCA Coaches Poll. The Nittany Lions are one of six Big Ten teams ranked in the top ten.
IMPORTANT PARKING UPDATES FOR 2021
Parking for all Penn State Athletics' non-football events will require a valid permit or payment of the applicable parking fee for campus lots. Fans with valid Penn State University Park parking permits will be permitted to park at non-football athletics events for free, following Transportation Services parking policies and access. For field hockey, fans are asked to park in Jordan East, Stadium West or Porter North. Fans without a permit are encouraged to prepay for event parking at a discounted rate of $5.50 through ParkMobile - https://psu.parkmobile.io/. Prepayment is available through 11:59 p.m. the day prior to each event. Event day parking will be [$10/$20] per vehicle [and is cash only/can be purchased on the ParkMobile app]. The East Deck is also available for most events for $1 per hour. Parking for all non-football athletics events is managed by Penn State Transportation Services. For more information or questions, visit transportation.psu.edu or email parking@psu.edu.
