MADISON, Wisc.- Penn State clinches a share of the Big Ten regular season title with a 1-1 draw at Wisconsin. Head coach Jeff Cook leads the team to a second regular season title in the last three years and now owns two titles in his six seasons in Happy Valley. This victory marks the team's fifth championship in program history.
The Nittany Lions head into the Big Ten Tournament as the no. 2 seed.
Penn State sits at regular season record of 9-3-4, 4-2-2 Big Ten after the tie score at Wisconsin.
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Half
An early offensive opportunity for the Nittany Lions came from a shot on an open goal from Atem Kato. The Badgers keeper came up with the save.
Wisconsin got on the board first as a result of a corner kick in the 14th minute. The player in white on the corner kick curled the ball into the back corner of the net.
Caden Grabfelder performed well on both sides of the ball, making two important defensive stops and giving Penn State opportunities on offense.
Second Half
The Nittany Lions came out of the break with fire blasting four shots in three minutes.
Alex Stevenson found himself on the right side of the goal and using his left foot, shot the ball just wide left of the goal. Samson Kpardeh's one on one with the goalie resulted in a save for the Badgers' keeper to keep a point just out of reach. Peter Mangione got in on the action with a shot that the goalie just got his hands on. Matthew Henderson had the final shot of the series for Penn State, winding up for a massive blow, but found a white defender in front of him who blocked it.
Van Danielson checked into the game and seconds later made an impact. A pass from Kpardeh to Mangione moved the offense up. Mangione found Danielson with a leading through ball and
Danielson outran his defender and rocketed the ball to the back of the net to tie the score at 1-1 in the 67th minute.
The junior forward, Danielson almost found himself in another one vs. one situation but the Wisconsin goalkeeper came up with a stop.
Penn State kept the ball in the Wisconsin defensive half applying constant pressure. A cross into the box from Stevenson was kicked backwards and over his head by Kato, going just high of the cross bar.
Despite the Nittany Lions efforts to the final whistle, the final score remained a 1-1 draw.
OF NOTE
- This is Penn State's fifth regular season Big Ten title and second in the last three years.
- Danielson scored his third goal of the season and seventh of his career.
- Cook owns two conference regular season titles in his six years as leader of the program.
- This is the second time Penn State earned the Championship in Madison, Wisc.
- The Nittany Lions outshot the Badgers 11-7.
UP NEXT
The Nittany Lions enter the Big Ten Tournament as the no. 2 seed. Penn State will host no. 7 Rutgers at Jeffrey Field on Friday, Nov. 3. Kick off time will be provided at a later time.