Oct. 14, 2015
| PENN STATE VS. RUTGERS | |
| Friday, Oct. 16 - 3 p.m. ET | |
| Bauer Track and Field/Field Hockey Complex | Piscataway, N.J. | |
| GAME DAY LINKS |
TV: ESPN2 -->BTN Plus |Penn State Field Hockey BlogFollow Us: @PennStateFH | Facebook | InstagramGameday Central
Game Notes: Penn State | RutgersStatistics: Penn State | Rutgers
| PENN STATE VS. INDIANA | |
| Sunday, Oct. 18 - 12 p.m. ET | |
| IU Field Hockey Complex | Bloomington, Ind. | |
| GAME DAY LINKS |
TV: ESPN2 -->BTN Plus | Live StatsPenn State Field Hockey BlogFollow Us: @PennStateFH | Facebook | InstagramGameday Central
Game Notes: Penn State | IndianaStatistics: Penn State | Indiana
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Penn State field hockey team returns to action with two Big Ten Conference match ups on the road this weekend. Friday the Nittany Lions will face Rutgers at 3 p.m., followed by Indiana on Sunday at 12 p.m.
In the Spotlight on BTN
Field hockey will have its home finale against Iowa broadcasted on BTN live Friday, Oct. 23 starting at 3:30 p.m. The crucial contest will be the second to last for the Lions before the Big Ten tournament. The two prior games at Rutgers (Oct. 16) and Indiana (Oct. 18) will be streamed on BTN2GO.
Weekend Update
The Nittany Lions fought hard against No. 8 Maryland Friday afternoon, falling 1-0. Penn State was able to hold the Terps below their season average for shots on goal (20.8) allowing only 15. The Lions also yielded justtwo penalty corners, well below the Terps season average of 7.15 per game. On Sunday, Lock Haven scored on a fast break down the right side, hanging on over the next 55 minutes for the 1-0 win.
Rutgers Series History
Penn State is 14-4-3 all time in their series with the Scarlet Knights dating back to 1977. Penn State defeated Rutgers 3-0 in the last meeting on Oct. 17, 2014.
Scouting Rutgers
- The Scarlet Knights are currently sporting a record of 6-7 overall with an 0-5 record in conference play.
- Nicole Imbriaco leads the Scarlet Knights with 25 points, 11 goals, and a .741 shot on goal percentage.
- Goalkeeper Shevaun Hayes has recorded 65 saves on the season with a 3.54 goals against average and a .637 save percentage.
Indiana Series History
Penn State is 17-3-0 all-time against Indiana in a series dating back to 1978. The Nittany Lions last faced the Hoosiers in 2014, picking up a 2-1 win.
Scouting Indiana
- The Hoosiers are currently 6-7 overall, with a 2-2 record in Big Ten play.
- Maddie Latino leades the team with nine goals, 23 points, and three game-winning goals this seaason.
- Amanda Janney begins her first year as head coach for the Hoosiers.
New Lions Stepping Up
With graduating seniors accounting for 50 of 57 goals scored last season, new Nittany Lions as well as players in increased roles are filling the void.
- Penn State's 23 goals this season have been scored by nine different goal scorers. Of those nine goal scorers, six have notched their first career goal this season, and transfer Stephanie Hussey has scored her first goals with Penn State.
- The six first-time goal scorers have accounted for 17 of the team's 23 goals.
- Four of the first-time goal scorers are freshmen: Aurelia Meijer (3), Katie Dembrowski (1), Gini Bramley (3), Mary Nell Smith (1) and Emily Klingler (1)
- Meijer has a team-high three assists and nine points.
- Sophomore Shay Cannon has scored her first goals this season and is tied for the team lead with four.
- Junior Brooke Birosik has also scored her first career goals this season, tied for the team lead in goal (5), and holds the team lead in points with 12.
Close Contests
- Penn State has either been within a goal, tied or in the lead approaching the final six minutes in all but two contest this season (Michigan, L 1-3, 9/18; Princeton, L 2-0, 10/4)
- No. 16 Old Dominion broke a tie with 5:03 remaining to win the season-opener, 2-1, and No. 9 Virginia and California used late rallies to force overtime periods they would score first in.
- Penn State would take Ohio State to double-overtime before a fast-break goal secured the sudden victory for the Buckeyes.
- Penn State has been involved in eight games that saw the Nittany Lions fall by a single goal.
Youth Movement
- Penn State's roster includes 10 freshmen, eight sophomores, five juniors, and two seniors.
- The squad returns just three starters from 2014 in
junior Carly Celkos, junior Emilee Ehret and sophomore Cori Conley.
- Of the 25 players on the roster, 15 had never played in a regular season game for the Lions before 2015.
- Of Penn State's 57 goals and 36 assists (150 points) tallied last season, just seven goals and seven assists (21 points) returned.
- At one point during the Oct. 4 game against Princeton, Penn State had six freshmen on the field at the same time.
Preseason Accolades
Senior Stephanie Hussey, junior Carly Celkos and sophomoroe Cori Conley were each named to the 2015 Big Ten Field Hockey Players to Watch List.
On the Turf and in the Classroom
The Penn State field hockey program had six athletes recognized by Big Ten Distinguished Scholar Award. The list includes students from every institution and 38 different sports who have recorded a minimum grade-point average (GPA) of 3.7 or higher for the previous academic year.
Katie Breneman, Carly Celkos, Amanda Dinunzio, Laura Gebhart, Kirsten Gochnauer, and Haley Kerstetter, all earned the accolade.
Challenging Schedule
Penn State has again put together a top-tier schedule, facing eight teams that were ranked in the 2015 NFHCA Preseason Poll, including conference-foes Maryland (3), Northwestern (10), Michigan (14), Iowa (17), and Michigan State (19). Along with the conference opponents, the squad also has matchups against Virginia (9), Princeton (15) and Old Dominion (16). Three teams (Princeton, Northwestern and Maryland) each made the 2013 NCAA Tournament.
Leaders of the Pack
Seniors Haley Kerstetter and Stephanie Hussey were named the captains for the 2015 season.
Penn State Field Hockey on Social Media
Penn State field hockey is on social media. Follow the program on Facebook (www.facebook.com/PennStateFieldHockey) and Twitter/Instagram @PennStateFH. For all of your Penn State news, visit www.GoPSUsports.com.