UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State women's lacrosse team is set to open Big Ten action on Saturday as it visits Ohio State. First draw is slated for 2:30 p.m. with a televised broadcast on Big Ten Network.
HOW TO FOLLOW
Saturday, March 26 | 2:30 p.m.
Live Stats | Watch
SERIES HISTORY
• Penn State leads 21-8 in the all-time series but has lost the last two matchups.
• The teams first played at University Park in 1997 with PSU winning 14-3. The Nittany Lions would win the first four games.
• Penn State fell 9-11 in their most recent meeting in 2021.
• The Nittany Lions are 6-4 in the last ten games vs the Buckeyes.
• Seven of the last ten games have been decided by three goals or less.
• Five of the last ten games have been decided by two goals or less.
ABOUT THE NITTANY LIONS
• Penn State is 5-3 coming off a close 12-11 loss to No. 11 Princeton last Saturday.
• PSU has six players with double digit goals this season.
• Sophomore Kristin O'Neill leads the Lions with 23 goals. She has seven multi-goal games this year. She also has a team best 29 points.
• Muldoon has four hat tricks this season and is first in the league with a .640 shot percentage.
• Junior Kara Nealon has a team best 18 assists.
• Freshman Ashley Bowan has started between the pipes in the last five games. She had back-to-back ten save performances at Towson and vs. No. 11 Princeton.
• Sophomore Kayla Abernathy has won a team best 38 draw controls.
• With a team-high 16 ground balls is sophomore Sammy Dupcak.
PSU STATISTICAL RANKINGS
• PSU is fifth in the nation and first in the Big Ten in clearing percentage (.930).
• PSU is fifth in the nation and second in the Big Ten in fewest turnovers per game (11).
• Kara Nealon is 14th in the nation and third in the league by averaging 2.25 assists per contest.
SCOUTING THE BUCKEYES
• OSU is 6-4 and opened Big Ten play with a 22-14 loss to No. 5 Northwestern.
• Jamie Lasda leads the Buckeyes with 28 goals and seven assists for 35 points.
• Janie Cowley has caused a team-best 14 turnovers.
• Chloe Johnson leads with 84 draw controls.
• Goalie Regan Alexander has started 9 of 10 games and has a .459 save percentage.
OHIO STATE STATISTICAL RANKINGS
• Ohio State is 11th in the nation and first in the Big Ten in draw control percentage (.582).
• Ohio State is 15th in the nation in draw controls per game (16.40).
MUTUAL OPPONENTS
• The Buckeyes and Lions have had two mutual opponent this season; OSU fell 4-15 to No. 21 James Madison, while PSU beat No. 21 JMU 14-10. Both teams defeated Duquesne, with OSU winning 18-8 and PSU winning 18-4.
ADDITIONAL NOTES
• Penn State is No. 15 on the NCAA Women's Lacrosse RPI board.
• On March 15, Kristin O'Neill earned Big Ten Midfielder of the Week honors after combining for 10 points in wins over No. 21 James Madison and Saint Joseph's.
• On March 1, Brooke Hoss earned Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors after combining for six goals in wins at Duquesne and Cornell.
• Senior Mary Muldoon and junior Rachel Spilker were elected captains for the 2022 season.
• Grad transfer Taylor Regan and sophomores Sammy Dupcak and Kristin O'Neill were named Big Ten Players to Watch.
• 2021's Big Ten Freshman of the Year, Kristin O'Neill, was named to the Tewaaraton Award Watch List.
• Head Coach Missy Doherty is in her 12th season leading the Nittany Lions.
• Doherty notched her 200th career victory following the Lions' Feb. 23 win at Duquesne.
UP NEXT
• Penn State returns home to host Northwestern on Friday, April 1.
• OSU goes on the road to take on Louisville on Thursday, March 31.
