UNIVERISTY PARK, Pa.- Penn State remains unbeaten in conference play with its 4-1 victory over Michigan State. The Nittany Lions are now 5-3-3 overall, 2-0-2 Big Ten.
Senior forward Liam Butts led the offense with two goals to add to the team's total of four, first half goals.
FIRST HALF
The Nittany Lions were off to an early start with a goal from Peter Mangione just five minutes in. Andrew Privett crossed the ball into the box but it was knocked away by a Michigan State defender. Mangione found the ball off the clear attempt and sent it past the Spartans goalie to take an early 1-0 lead.
Liam Butts got in on the action with two back-to-back goals just three minutes apart. Sean Bettenhausen nailed a shot at the Spartans keeper that was blocked, and Butts was right there to knock it in with his head.
Minutes later, the ball was back in Michigan State's end of the field. Andrew Privett cut past a defender and crossed the ball from the left side into Butts positioned in front of the net. Butts again used his head to put it past the goalkeeper.
Penn State was not done for the first half, with just a few minutes remaining Privett moved the ball up the field and launched it to Van Danielson in the box who used his head to send it to the back of the net.
The Nittany Lions sat at a comfortable 4-0 lead after the first half.
SECOND HALF
After an action-packed first half, the second period of play consisted of a back-and-forth change of possession. Both teams moved the ball well up the field but came up shy of converting a goal.
Michigan State got on the board for the first time late in the game with less than 15 minutes to go. Spartans' Jack Guggemos managed a shot off a Penn State clear attempt to lessen the margin to three goals.
The clock winded down and the final score remained 4-1.
OF NOTE
- Mangione scored his sixth goal of the season and 19th of his career.
- Butts joins Mangione as the only two players to score two goals in one game for Penn State this season.
- This was Butts' fifth goal of the season and 20th of his career.
- Privett assisted two of the four goals.
- Three of four goals were scored with the head of a Nittany Lion.
- Penn State outshot Michigan State 10-6.
- The Nittany Lions have now won the last four consecutive games against the Spartans.
UP NEXT
The Nittany Lions return to the pitch next Friday at Indiana for a nationally televised match up. The game is set to kick off 6:30 in Bloomington, Ind.