Men’s Soccer Opens Big Ten Play at Ohio StateMen’s Soccer Opens Big Ten Play at Ohio State

Men’s Soccer Opens Big Ten Play at Ohio State

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UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.- Penn State men's soccer (2-1-2) takes on Ohio State (1-2-2) in their Big Ten match of opener on Friday, September 15. The Nittany Lions and Buckeyes will meet for the 41st time as members of the Big Ten.
 
Penn State looks to continue a five-game win streak in Big Ten openers with a victory and bounce back from a 3-0 loss to Penn on Friday, September 8. Under Head Coach Jeff Cook, the Nittany Lions have started out conference play with a win in all five years, including two wins against Ohio State.
 
GAME INFORMATION
vs. Ohio State

  • Date: Friday, Sept. 15, 2023 | Time: 7 p.m. ET
  • Location: Columbus, Ohio | Venue: Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium
  • Live Stats | Watch: B1G+ | Notes
  • Admission: Free

LAST TIME OUT

  • Penn State fell to Penn, 3-0, on Friday, Sept. 8. 
  • The match entered halftime with a score of 0-0.
  • The defense from both teams held firm until Penn's Michael Hewes broke the ice in the 65th minute to score the first goal of the game.
  • Hewes added two more goals, including a penalty kick in the 88th minute, to earn a hat trick and seal the victory for the Quakers.
  • Despite recording more shots and corner kicks, the Nittany Lions' attack was unable to find the back of the net throughout the night.
  • Kris Shakes moved into third-place all-time in career saves at Penn State after recording four during the match.

NITTANY LIONS IN THE RANKS

  • Penn State leads the Big Ten in assists with 11 on the season. Matthew Henderson, Liam Butts and Sean Bettenhausen are tied for second in the conference with two assists each.
  • The team ranks second in the conference in goals, totaling eight on the year. Three Nittany Lions are in the top ten of the Big Ten in goals. Peter Mangione, Caden Grabfelder and Van Danielson have all found the back of the net twice.
  • Kris Shakes sits atop the Big Ten in saves with 21 and is second in saves per game with 4.2.
  • Shakes stands at third all-time at Penn State in career saves with 230.

SCOUTING THE BUCKEYES

  • Ohio State starts the season at 1-2-2, with their lone victory coming in their most recent game against Butler.
  • The Buckeyes finished 2022 with a second-round finish in the NCAA Tournament. Ohio State defeated Wake Forest in the first-round before falling to UNC Greensboro.
  • Senior midfielder Laurence Wootton returns to Columbus after a highly decorated 2022 campaign where he was a Third-Team All-American, Big Ten Midfielder of the Year and First-Team All-Big Ten. Wootton entered 2023 on the Hermann Trophy watchlist and United Soccer Coaches Midfielders to Watch. Top Drawer Soccer rated him as the No. 2 player nationally entering this season. 

PENN STATE-OHIO STATE HISTORY 

  • The all-time series between the border-state rivals sits at 22-15-5 in favor of Penn State.
  • Penn State Head Coach Jeff Cook is 4-1-1 against the Buckeyes.
  • The last meeting in the series resulted in a 1-1 tie at Jeffrey Field a season ago.
  • Penn State's last victory came in the Big Ten Tournament during the COVID-19-altered 2020-2021 season. The Nittany Lions defeated the Buckeyes 3-1 in Happy Valley.