Northwestern
Penn State
'Cats Hit the Road to Face Two Top-10 Teams
9/21/2017 2:44:00 PM | Field Hockey
| NORTHWESTERN FIELD HOCKEY: GAME DAY INFORMATION | |||||
| DATE | OPPONENT | TIME | LOCATION | BROADCAST | LIVE STATS |
| Friday, Sept. 22 |
Penn State | 4 p.m. CT | PSU Field Hockey Complex University Park, Pa. |
GoPSUsports.com | GameTracker |
| Sunday, Sept. 24 |
Maryland | Noon CT | Field Hockey and Lacrosse Complex College Park Md. |
BTN2Go | UMTerps.com |
| Social: Twitter (@NUFHCats and @NU_SportsLive) | Instagram (@NUFHCats) | Facebook | |||||
EVANSTON, Ill. -- Northwestern faces a stiff challenge this weekend in its quest for a Big Ten title as it hits the road to take on a pair of top-10 teams. The Wildcats visit third-ranked Penn State at 4 p.m. Central time Friday prior to heading to 10th-ranked Maryland for a contest at noon CT Sunday.
Ranked No. 14 in this week's Penn Monto/NFHCA Coaches Poll, the Wildcats (6-3, 1-0 B1G) are riding a four-game winning streak having come out victorious in each of their first four home contests. This weekend's matches are the sixth and seventh for Northwestern against ranked opponents already this season.
The challenging slate has allowed the 'Cats to enter this week as No. 10 in the first release of the RPI.
NU is 2-3 against ranked foes to date, including a key 2-0 regional win over No. 15 Louisville on Tuesday in Evanston. Kirsten Mansfield scored both goals in the match, raising her team-leading total to four. Puck Pentenga assisted on both goals and leads the Big Ten in the category with eight.
Pentenga also is the conference leader with 51 shots.
Annie Kalfas has been impressive in her first season in goal, ranking first in the Big Ten in shutouts (3) and saves per game (5.90), while coming in second with an .841 save percentage and third with a 1.63 goals-against average.
Northwestern came out victorious on both ends last season's weekend against Penn State and Maryland at home. NU topped then-No. 4 Penn State, 5-3, Sept. 23 before defeating then-No. 6 Maryland, 3-2, two days later.
Friday's matchup pits a pair of siblings as Penn State junior Cori Conley is the sister of Northwestern freshman Christen Conley.
Scouting Penn State
The Nittany Lions (7-1, 1-0 B1G) are coming off their first loss of the season, falling 2-0 to Delaware on Sunday in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Penn State had allowed only one goal in its previous five games combined. Moira Putsch leads the team with six goals and seven assists while Madison Morano and Gini Bramley have contributed five goals apiece. In goal, Jenny Rizzo has a 0.90 goals-against average with an .851 save percentage.
Scouting Maryland
The Terrapins (5-3, 1-0 B1G) hosts No. 19 Iowa on Friday prior to taking on the Wildcats. Maryland is coming off a 2-1 home loss to Princeton on Tuesday, snapping the team's four-game winning streak. Lein Holsboer is the team leader with five goals, while Bodil Keus has pitched in with four. Sarah Holliday sports a 1.17 goals-against average with a .769 save percentage.
