UNIVERSITY PARK, PA.- Penn State women's lacrosse travels to Vanderbilt for its first game away from Happy Valley this season. First draw in Nashville Tenn. is set for 2 p.m. on Wednesday, March 8. The game will be streamed on ESPN+.
The Nittany Lions look to continue their eight-game win streak against the Commodores with a ninth consecutive win on Wednesday.
Penn State is ranked second in the Big Ten and received votes in the IL/IWLCA Poll this week.
GAME INFORMATION
at Vanderbilt
- Date: Wednesday, March 8, 2023 | Time: 2 p.m. ET
- Location: Nashville, Tenn. | Venue: Vanderbilt Soccer/Lacrosse Stadium
- Live Stats | Watch: ESPN+ | Notes
- Admission: Free
LAST TIME OUT
- Penn State was handed its first loss of the season by no. 8 Loyola on Saturday, March 4. Despite a fourth quarter rally, the Nittany Lions could not reverse the early deficit.
- Junior Kristin O'Neill continued her scoring streak, marking nine straight with at least one goal.
- Ashley Bowan made a season high nine saves.
- Kayla Abernathy posted four ground balls and five draw controls. She is one shy of 100 career draw controls.
- The Nittany Lions were the final undefeated team in the Big Ten.
PENN STATE –VANDERBILT SERIES
- The Nittany Lions and the Commodores have a history dating back to 1997. Penn State leads the series 14-7, winning the last eight-straight games.
- The most recent meeting was in 2020 at Vanderbilt when Penn State came away with a 14-13 victory.
- The Nittany Lions are 7-4 in the series in games played at Vanderbilt.
SCOUTING THE COMMODORES
- Vanderbilt is 1-4 on the season sor far with one win against Colorado and losses to Denver, Hofstra, Louisville and Northwestern.
- The Commodores finished the 2022 season 11-7, losing to Florida in the AAC Championship.
- Fifth-year Bri Gross was named an All-American Honorable Mention last season and earned AAC preseason recognition this year.
NITTANY LIONS TO WATCH
- O'Neill, Dupcak and Ellie Hollin were named Big Ten Players to Watch in the preseason.
- O'Neill was also named to The Tewaaraton Award Watch List and selected by Inside Lacrosse as a Top 100 Returning Player at the start of this season.
- Freshmen Erika Ho, Maggie Golder and Emma Kelly were placed on Inside Lacrosse's Power Top 100 Freshman List.
- Elise Smigiel joins Penn State as a sophomore transfer from Marquette.
2023 CAPTAINS
- Head coach Missy Doherty named seniors Rachel Spilker and Regan Nealon and junior Kristin O'Neill as captains for the 2023 season.
- This is Spilker's second season as a co-captain for the Nittany Lions.
STAFF ADDITIONS
- Doherty added two new faces to her coaching staff for the 2023 season. Shanna Brady will join as the team's defensive coordinator and Naomi Radio will serve as the volunteer assistant coach.
- A Maryland graduate, Brady joins Happy Valley after a two year stint at Towson as an assistant coach.
- Radio spent the 2022 season as the first-ever head women's lacrosse coach at Juniata College.