UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Despite an exemplary individual performance from sophomore defender Bella Ayscue, the ninth-ranked Penn State women’s soccer team battled to a 1-1 draw against the James Madison Dukes on Sunday night from Jeffrey Field.
Prior to Sunday’s action in Happy Valley, the Nittany Lions honored six current student-athletes and one medically retired teammate in the program’s annual Senior Night presented by the Penn State Alumni Association. The Blue & White honored graduate forward Kaitlyn MacBean, redshirt senior midfielders Riley Gleason and Julia Raich, redshirt senior goalkeeper Amanda Poorbaugh, senior forward Amelia White, senior midfielder Olivia Borgen, and former midfielder Ava Minnier in the pre-match ceremony alongside their families and guests. PSU’s outstanding senior class has contributed to one of the longest runs of success in women’s college soccer, with all six student-athletes reaching the Sweet 16 or Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament in every year of their respective collegiate careers.
Following the level result, Penn State’s overall season record moves to 3-1-1 after the Nittany Lions’ first draw of the 2025 campaign, as well as the program’s first tie since logging a scoreless draw on the road at UCLA on Thursday, October 17 of last year. Sunday’s result saw James Madison’s overall season record move to 3-1-2, with the Dukes set to return to action this Thursday, September 4, with a 6 p.m. (ET) kickoff scheduled against the Maryland Terrapins. In the all-time series between the two programs, Penn State still boasts a commanding 13-4-2 edge since the first meeting of the squads in PSU’s first varsity match on September 3, 1994.
On the final stat sheet, PSU was the stronger side by practically every statistical measure, with the Blue & White picking up an 8-4 victory on the final shot chart in addition to logging a narrow 4-3 edge in terms of on-target shot chances. James Madison edged out the Nittany Lions in saves, 3-2, and both teams were able to work to a level 3-3 tie in corner kicks generated. Penn State was whistled for offsides play on a trio of occasions down the stretch against a single offsides call against the Dukes. JMU was far more overtly physical in the contest, out-fouling Penn State by a 7-4 differential while picking up three yellow cards from the center referee compared to a lone caution against the Blue & White.
Individually, the Apex, North Carolina, native Ayscue led the way for the Nittany Lions, totaling 90 minutes of playing time for the third time in her collegiate career, as well as her third consecutive complete-match showing. Ayscue also managed to find the back of the net on a free kick just outside the 18 for the only Nittany Lion tally in the match, securing her second collegiate goal and first since adding to the scoring onslaught against Stony Brook in the opening round of last year’s NCAA Tournament from Jeffrey Field on November 16, 2024. Ayscue’s goal also featured a pair of helpers, with Raich picking up her second assist and sixth point of the season, while freshman midfielder Riley Cross added her name to a scoresheet for the first time as a collegian, notching her first career assist and point with the feed to Ayscue.
PSU saw multiple student-athletes generate dangerous chances across all 90 minutes, especially down the stretch in the second half. Six different student-athletes attempted PSU’s eight shots, with sophomore forward Aubrey Kulpa and Raich logging the only multi-attempt outings on the night. In net, redshirt junior goalkeeper Mackenzie Gress mustered a pair of herculean diving saves on the night to keep the Nittany Lions engaged. The Lyndhurst, New Jersey, native allowed a single tally and left the pitch with her first individual draw on the year. For JMU, redshirt sophomore shot-stopper Sofia DeCerb earned the start and went 27 minutes with a save before a collision in the box forced her to the sidelines due to injury. Sophomore Lily White went the remaining 63 ticks, allowing the lone PSU score while notching a pair of saves, ultimately coming away with her first individual decision of 2025 to move to 0-0-1.
Penn State immediately roared out of the gates on Sunday evening, with Raich mustering a dangerous shot on goal in the second minute of play that was ultimately safely corralled by DeCerb. Moments later, JMU was able to counter with a near-lethal shot of their own, as Selma Rajakangas unleashed from the right edge of the penalty area. Luckily for Penn State, Gress was there to make a monumental diving save toward the top right portion of the net to keep the contest level through four minutes. Things began to settle from there, but a free kick service by the Nittany Lions in the 27th minute saw multiple student-athletes collide in a scary scene. Fortunately, all three involved athletes were able to exit the pitch under their own power, with the Dukes forced to execute a goalkeeper change in that moment due to the injury to DeCerb.
Things remained quiet until the 42nd minute, when aggressive play from the Dukes against Raich resulted in a whistle from the referee, setting up a dangerous shooting-range free kick opportunity around 20 yards out. A trio of Nittany Lions stood watch over the ball in shooting range, with Cross and Raich shuffling the ball and leaving it on a platter for Ayscue, who unleashed a cannon shot from her right boot past a diving attempt from White to find the left corner of the net. Ayscue’s tally stood as the only score of the opening stanza, and both squads returned to the locker room searching for another score on the other side of the halftime intermission.
Out of the break, Penn State still looked invigorated, but neither team was able to generate an additional score as the match wore on past the hour mark. In the 65th minute, the Blue & White saw back-to-back scoring chances on shots from Kulpa and junior defender Kaelyn Wolfe, but neither chance made it on frame, preserving the one-goal PSU lead. JMU managed to work its way into the Nittany Lion half in the 73rd, where Jordan Yang elevated the ball with a centering pass to Ginny Lackey around 40 yards away from the goal. Lackey, a member of the MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List, sent a perfect through-ball to a sprinting Aurdrey Orrock, who took things over mid-stride as she worked into the box. Orrock chipped the ball with her left foot in an effort to avoid a charging Gress, with the ball utilizing a bit of help off the right post to secure the equalizing score. The momentum shifted heavily in Penn State’s favor over the waning moments of the contest, and PSU did manage a pair of corner kick opportunities in the 90th minute, but James Madison was able to hold firm defensively and log the 1-1 final result.
SCORING SUMMARY
43’ – The Nittany Lions saw a dangerous attacking opportunity materialize toward the end of the opening stanza, with Raich earning a free kick for the Blue & White on the edge of the 18 toward the nearside of the pitch. A trio of Nittany Lions stood watch over the ball in shooting range, with Cross and Raich shuffling the ball and leaving it on a platter for Ayscue, who unleashed a cannon shot from her right boot past a diving attempt from White to find the left corner of the net. PSU 1, JMU 0
73’ – JMU managed to work its way into the Nittany Lion half, where Yang elevated the ball with a centering pass to Lackey around 40 yards away from the goal. Lackey sent a perfect through-ball to a sprinting Orrock, who took things over mid-stride as she worked into the box. Orrock chipped the ball with her left foot in an effort to avoid a charging Gress, with the ball utilizing a bit of help off the right post to secure the equalizing score. PSU 1, JMU 1
UP NEXT
No. 9 Penn State women's soccer gears up for its final non-conference weekend of the 2025 campaign this Thursday and Sunday, September 4 and 7, as the Nittany Lions travel south to take on No. 13 Virginia and Liberty, respectively. PSU's next matchup against the Cavaliers will kick off at 6 p.m. (ET) on Thursday, September 4, with the match set to air nationally via ACC Network.
FOLLOW THE NITTANY LIONS
Visit GoPSUSports.com for more information on Penn State women’s soccer. Fans can keep up to date with the Nittany Lion women’s soccer team on X and Instagram @PennStateWSOC, in addition to the team’s Facebook page at /PSUWomensSoccer.
The 2025 Penn State women's soccer season is presented by Highmark.