University Park, Pa. -- The Penn State women's soccer team looks to be a strong contender this weekend as it heads to the UConn Classic to face opponents UConn and Brown. The No. 11 Lions already have played five games this season compared to Brown's two. Newcomers for Penn State are getting comfortable while Brown is still adjusting. However, No. 25 UConn has split its four games this season and will be looking to stay in the rankings with important wins as they host this weekend.
All three teams are 0-1 with ranked opponents this year as Penn State and UConn fell to Florida State, and Brown dropped to No. 13 Boston College.
The Lions lead the field in goals per game at 2.60 compared to Brown's 2.00 and UConn's 1.00 after big wins over William & Mary, Hofstra and Bucknell. However, Penn State's aggressive playing style has the team leading the field in penalties (48) and offsides (13).
Connecticut has historically been a strong recruiting area for future Nittany Lion stars and recent years have been no different as Penn State picked up Midfielder/Defender Alli Rago (Fairfield, Conn.) and current All-Americans Alyssa Naeher (Seymour, Conn.) and Katie Schoepfer (Waterford, Conn.). For this reason, competition between the Nittany Lions and the Huskies has always been more intense, and that is sure to be the game to watch this weekend.
LAST YEAR AGAINST UCONN
In the 2007 campaign the Nittany Lions shut out No. 17 UConn with a 1-0 victory early in the season. Senior Aubrey Aden-Buie (Allentown, Pa.) netted her second unassisted goal in as many games in the first half as sophomore Alyssa Naeher made six pivotal saves to secure the shut out.
CATCH THE NITTANY LIONS ON TELEVISION THIS FALL
Check local listings to follow the women's soccer team in at least three televised appearances this year. On Sept. 18, Penn State will be featured against James Madison in the NSCAA Fox Soccer Channel Women's Game of the Week, a broadcast which will originate from Harrisonburg, Va. The 10-time defending conference champions also will be featured in two Big Ten Network contests, meeting up with Notre Dame at home on Sept. 21 and hosting Wisconsin on Oct. 5.
NITTANY LIONS RANKED NO. 11
The National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) released its 2008 week three Division I Women's Soccer Poll with the Nittany Lions receiving a No. 11 ranking. Penn State started the season ranked No. 9 in the preseason and fell to 10 last week after a loss to fourth ranked Florida State. UCLA holds the top spot after receiving 21 first place votes.
Penn State remains the top-ranked Big Ten team with the Illinois coming in at 18 and Purdue receiving votes. Indiana and Ohio State both received votes in previous weeks, but have since fallen out of the rankings.
Six of the Nittany Lions' opponents are still ranked in the poll including Illinois and Purdue. The others include No. 7 Florida State, No. 2 Notre Dame, No. 6 Portland and No. 25 Connecticut.