Women's Soccer: WVU Travels to Penn State Invite
August 25, 2011 11:16 AM | General
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The No. 17-ranked West Virginia women’s soccer team travels to University Park, Pa., this weekend for the Penn State Invitational. The Mountaineers will face tournament host Penn State on Aug. 26 at 7:30 p.m., followed by a match against George Mason on Aug. 28 at noon.
The Mountaineers are coming off a 3-0 victory over visiting Purdue on Aug. 21 behind goals from Blake Miller, Bri Rodriguez and Mallory Smith. The defense picked up its first shutout of the season by limiting the Boilermakers to only two shots for the match.
“I thought we played very well against Purdue after such an emotional game two nights before (at Virginia),” says coach Nikki Izzo-Brown. “We are happy with the result and hope to carry that momentum into this weekend at Penn State.”
West Virginia and Penn State have faced each other eight times in the series, including twice last season. The Nittany Lions won the season opener, 2-1, and WVU pulled out a 2-1 victory in the second round of the NCAA tournament. The Mountaineers are 5-3 all-time against PSU and have won the last three meetings at Jeffrey Field.
Penn State is coming off a 1-1 opening weekend at top-ranked Stanford. The Cardinal posted a 4-0 victory before the Nittany Lions earned a 4-0 shutout against Nevada on Aug. 21.
Leading the Penn State program is coach Erica Walsh, now in her fifth season. The Nittany Lions were tabbed favorites in the Big Ten preseason coaches’ poll and three players were named to the Players to Watch list – Christine Narin, Tani Costa and Carly Niness.
“We have developed a great rivalry with Penn State going back and forth the past few years,” says Izzo-Brown. “They are very talented and well coached. I know it will be an exciting match and our team is looking forward to the challenge of playing in front of a large crowd.”
Penn State returns eight starters and welcome 10 newcomers from last year’s team that won a share of the Big Ten title.
The Mountaineers are 2-0 all-time against George Mason, winning matches in 2001 and 2002. Current assistant coach Lisa Stoia netted the game-winner in WVU’s 3-2 overtime win over the Patriots.
Diane Drake is in her eighth season in charge of George Mason, only the third coach in the program’s 25-year history. The Patriots return eight starters from their 2010 team that won 11 matches. GMU is led by all-conference defender Kelly Thomas.
“George Mason competed very well in the CAA (Colonial Athletic Association) last year and returns most of its starters from last season,” says Izzo-Brown. “Sunday’s match will be very competitive as well.”
The Patriots fell 2-1 in their season opener against BIG EAST foe St. John’s. Freshman Kelly Pizzingrilli scored the lone George Mason goal off a Thomas free kick.
West Virginia opens the season with three of its first four contests away from home for only the second time in the last eight seasons. The 2008 Mountaineers opened at home against Towson before traveling to tournaments at Notre Dame and Tennessee.
The Mountaineers are coming off a 3-0 victory over visiting Purdue on Aug. 21 behind goals from Blake Miller, Bri Rodriguez and Mallory Smith. The defense picked up its first shutout of the season by limiting the Boilermakers to only two shots for the match.
“I thought we played very well against Purdue after such an emotional game two nights before (at Virginia),” says coach Nikki Izzo-Brown. “We are happy with the result and hope to carry that momentum into this weekend at Penn State.”
West Virginia and Penn State have faced each other eight times in the series, including twice last season. The Nittany Lions won the season opener, 2-1, and WVU pulled out a 2-1 victory in the second round of the NCAA tournament. The Mountaineers are 5-3 all-time against PSU and have won the last three meetings at Jeffrey Field.
Penn State is coming off a 1-1 opening weekend at top-ranked Stanford. The Cardinal posted a 4-0 victory before the Nittany Lions earned a 4-0 shutout against Nevada on Aug. 21.
Leading the Penn State program is coach Erica Walsh, now in her fifth season. The Nittany Lions were tabbed favorites in the Big Ten preseason coaches’ poll and three players were named to the Players to Watch list – Christine Narin, Tani Costa and Carly Niness.
“We have developed a great rivalry with Penn State going back and forth the past few years,” says Izzo-Brown. “They are very talented and well coached. I know it will be an exciting match and our team is looking forward to the challenge of playing in front of a large crowd.”
Penn State returns eight starters and welcome 10 newcomers from last year’s team that won a share of the Big Ten title.
The Mountaineers are 2-0 all-time against George Mason, winning matches in 2001 and 2002. Current assistant coach Lisa Stoia netted the game-winner in WVU’s 3-2 overtime win over the Patriots.
Diane Drake is in her eighth season in charge of George Mason, only the third coach in the program’s 25-year history. The Patriots return eight starters from their 2010 team that won 11 matches. GMU is led by all-conference defender Kelly Thomas.
“George Mason competed very well in the CAA (Colonial Athletic Association) last year and returns most of its starters from last season,” says Izzo-Brown. “Sunday’s match will be very competitive as well.”
The Patriots fell 2-1 in their season opener against BIG EAST foe St. John’s. Freshman Kelly Pizzingrilli scored the lone George Mason goal off a Thomas free kick.
West Virginia opens the season with three of its first four contests away from home for only the second time in the last eight seasons. The 2008 Mountaineers opened at home against Towson before traveling to tournaments at Notre Dame and Tennessee.
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