THIS WEEK
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- The Penn State Nittany Lions (12-4, 5-2 B1G), ranked No. 7 nationally, will host No. 2 Michigan (13-2, 5-2 B1G) in the regular season finale for the Nittany Lions. The game is set for 6 p.m. at the Penn State Field Hockey Complex and will serve as Senior Night.
Five seniors will be honored prior to the game: Bree Bednarski, Brianna O'Donnell, Eleni Prodes, Emma Spisak, and Hannah Zemaitis.
Penn State is coming off two Big Ten road wins last weekend. The Nittany Lions downed No. 21 Ohio State 4-0 on Friday, using two goals from Sophia Gladieux. Two days later, Anna Simon scored the loan goal in a 1-0 win at Michigan State to improve Penn State to 12-4 overall, 5-2 in the Big Ten.
Gladieux leads Penn State with 32 points off 15 goals and two assists. Her goals per game (.938) and points per game (2.00) are both third in the entire Big Ten. Mackenzie Allessie checks in with 26 points off eight goals and a team-best 10 assists. Anna Simon has 25 off 11 and three. Goalie Brie Barraco, who notched two shutouts this past weekend, has a 2.02 goals against average and a .753 save percentage.
Michigan enters the game with a 13-2 overall record, 5-2 in the Big Ten as well. The Wolverines downed Rutgers 3-0 last Friday before dropping a 2-1 home game to Maryland on Sunday. Sofia Southan leads Michigan with 36 points off 17 goals and two assists. Kathryn Peterson has 17 off five and seven. Keeper Anna Spieker has a 1.04 goals against average and five shutouts. The Nittany Lions lead the all-time series with the Wolverines 27-23, including a 2-1 win on Nov. 7, 2019, in the last meeting (also at Penn State).
Penn State will take part in the 2021 Big Ten Tournament next week/weekend. The event, which runs Nov. 3-7, is hosted by Rutgers in Piscataway, N.J.
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
#7 Penn State (12-4, 5-2 B1G) vs. #2 Michigan (13-2, 5-2 B1G)
DATE: Friday, Oct. 29, 2021 - 6 p.m.
SITE: Field Hockey Complex
Penn State Head Coach: Char Morett-Curtiss
Michigan Head Coach: Marcia Pankratz
All-Time Series: Penn State leads 27-23
Last Meeting: W, 2-1, 11/7/19 at Penn State
NOTES
BARRACO NOTCHES TWO SHUT-OUTS AS LIONS WIN AT #21 OHIO STATE AND MICHIGAN STATE
Junior keeper Brie Barraco notched two shut outs in a two-game road swing in the Big Ten on Oct. 22 and 24. Barraco and the Nittany Lions downed No. 21 Ohio State 4-0 on Friday and won 1-0 at Michigan State on Sunday.
PUNCH LEADS PENN STATE IN WIN AT LAFAYETTE
Junior Jemma Punch had a goal and an assist in Penn State's 3-1 win at Lafayette on Oct. 15. The Lions trailed 1-0 heading into the fourth period and exploded for three goals, thank in large part to a Punch assist on the first and the game winning goal less than a minute later.
PENN STATE FALLS 3-2 IN OT AT #16 PRINCETON
Junior Mackenzie Allessie scored with just :06 on the regulation clock to send the game to overtime but the Nittany Lions lost 3-2 in extra time at No. 16 Princeton on Oct. 17. Allessie had a goal and an assist in the contest.
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 #7 IN NFHCA COACHES POLL
Penn State is ranked #7 in the latest NFHCA Coaches Poll. The Nittany Lions are one of six Big Ten teams ranked in the top ten.
