By Jeff Sattora, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Following Penn State men's soccer lately two main things have come to mind, the defense is shutting people down, and the offense can't seem to find a rhythm. 

Both themes were even more evident as of Tuesday night as the Lions battled to a 0-0 double overtime tie home vs. Georgetown at Jeffrey Field.    

The conditions didn't help matters on either side as the trend of bad weather and rain at home continued to plague the Lions, including what turned into a downpour early in the second half.

Despite the conditions and lack of scoring, head coach Bob Warming was happy with the way the team played vs. the Hoyas.

"I thought the whole second half was just fantastic soccer," Warming said.  "They (Penn State) kept the ball in front of them and just played such good passing soccer."

Junior Julian Cardona mentioned how the weather definitely affected play, and the team had to sometimes slow down a bit to get that great passing Warming was talking about.

"It was crazy," Cardona said.  "The ball slides a lot quicker, makes it a little harder to be technically perfect, so sometimes we have to slow the game down and maybe take an extra touch when we wouldn't have to before."

Despite the strong second half, the Lions were unable to get a goal in the back of the net for the third straight game, continuing a string of struggling offense, despite the defense playing well.

"We have a lot of new guys for our offense and I think the more we play the more chances we'll get," said Penn State junior Jacob Barron. "When a little luck comes our way and once we get a couple goals the next few games we'll start getting more."

Barron seemed to echo the statements of the Lions team, who all seemed positive the goals would eventually start coming.

"I think we've just got to concentrate on that last pass," added senior defender Justin Lee.  'Once we get that the floodgates will open."

Warming echoed both of his players statements, knowing the goals will come.

"We were kind of 9x25 tonight and the goal is 8x24." Warming said after the Georgetown game.

Warming also mentioned multiple "just misses" the team had vs. the Hoyas, adding that they are just going to keep rotating guys in there until someone can get a goal. 

Getting a goal is going to be just one of the things Penn State is going to be looking to do home Saturday night in a "White-Out" vs. Michigan. 

Coach Warming used the word "embarrassed" to describe last year's 4-1 home loss to the Wolverines, something this year's Penn State squad is sure to not forget. 

"We're real excited, obviously we were looking forward to tonight but now that it's over we can focus on Michigan, Big Ten is always a battle," said Cardona.  "We need to come out ready to play."

"It's going to be a great game, we need a Big Ten win," added Lee on the game. 

Getting the win does have a little extra meaning for the Lions as the team is sitting at 0-1 in Big Ten play after last week's loss to Indiana.

"We need every student to come out to this game," Warming said, "We're (Penn State and Michigan) both desperate for a win."

Penn State is hoping to use that desperation to not only get a win, but put an end to that scoring drought once and for all.

Silas Redd Video Scouting Report

Chaz Powell Video Scouting Report

A Timeline on the Way to Game No. 700 for Coach Paterno

Big Ten Season of New Changes

Around the Big Ten - Week Five

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Nittany Lions (3-1) kick off their 19th season of Big Ten football on Saturday with a Leaders Division clash at Indiana (1-3).  The game will kick at noon with television coverage on ESPNU.

Penn State, which is traveling to Bloomington for the first time since 2007, heads into conference play with a 3-1 mark following a 34-6 victory over Eastern Michigan.  Saturday marks the 700th game since legendary head coach Joe Paterno joined the Penn State coaching staff. 

The Lions and Hoosiers have met 14 times before this weekend, with Penn State winning all 14.  Penn State will be playing its first of five Leaders Division games in 2011.  The quest for a berth in the inaugural Big Ten Championship Game in December begins on Saturday.

Welcome to Penn State-Indiana gameday.

Pregame Reading:

What to Watch For - Penn State

1.  Indiana ranks 11th in the Big Ten in rushing defense.  The Hoosiers allowed 190 rushing yards per game during their non-conference schedule.  Silas Redd and the Nittany Lion offensive line are looking for a big afternoon on the ground in Bloomington.  Redd leads the Lions in rushing with 303 yards and four touchdowns, but the stat that is most impressive with Redd is his 4.9 yards per carry.  Penn State's offensive line wants to play physical for 60 minutes to help Redd and Curtis Dukes to have a strong afternoon against Indiana.  Redd is due for a big game, and this could be his opportunity to do so.  Additionally, Penn State's success on the ground will open up opportunities downfield for Rob Bolden and Matt McGloin in the passing game.

2.  Indiana's offense will test the depth of the Nittany Lion defense.  The Hoosiers run a no-huddle offense and average nearly 80 plays per game.  Penn State will be using plenty of different players to ensure that fresh legs are on the field as much as possible.  The Lions spent the week conditioning for plenty of snaps, but the high-paced offense is difficult to mimic on the practice field.  Putting pressure on Indiana quarterback Ed Wright-Baker is key for the Nittany Lions.  The Hoosiers will likely move the ball and tally first downs, but scoring could be another story.  Penn State's best defense could be long, sustained ball possession drives on offense to keep the Hoosiers off the field.

3.  Keep an eye out for a fast start from the Nittany Lion offense.  Penn State had a crisp week of practice, and they want to score early to put pressure on Indiana.  Effectiveness in the red zone is another key area to watch for the Penn State offense.  Scoring touchdowns during trips inside the 20 yard line will be a big boost for Bolden and McGloin.  Going back to the quick start, Indiana is known for its late-game heroics.  If the Lions get an early lead, they need to keep their foot on the accelerator to avoid a late-game charge from the home team.

What to Watch For - Indiana

1.  Indiana must slow down Silas Redd and the Nittany Lion rushing attack if it is going to be in a position to win on Saturday.  The matchup between the Indiana front seven and the Penn State offensive line will play a big role in the final outcome of the game.  If Penn State is able to control the line of scrimmage, it could potentially be an uphill battle for the Hoosiers.

3.  Offensively, the Hoosiers will be looking to keep the Penn State defense on the field as much as possible.  In order to do so, Indiana must move the chains on a regular basis.  Avoiding three and outs against the Nittany Lion defense is a must for the Hoosiers.  The big key, though, is consistency on both sides of the ball.

Breaking Down the Injuries:

Penn State: RB Brandon Beachum (foot) - Possible, T Mike Farrell (knee) - Possible, TE Garry Gilliam (knee) - Out, CB D'Anton Lynn (head/neck) - Doubtful, DE Pete Massaro (knee) - Out, LB Michael Mauti (knee) - Out, RB Pat Zerbe (knee) - Out

Indiana: No published injury report

The Game:

Kickoff: 12:01 p.m.

TV: ESPNU - Clay Matvick (PBP), Brian Griese (Analyst), Allison Williams (Sidelines)

Radio: Penn State Sports Network - Steve Jones (PBP), Jack Ham (Analyst)

Online: GoPSUsports.com

Stadium: Memorial Stadium (52,929) - FieldTurf

Coaches: Joe Paterno - 404-136-3, 46th season

Kevin Wilson - 1-3, 1st season

The Series: Penn State, 14-0

The Final Word:

The Nittany Lions have said throughout the week that the intensity level on the practice field has reflected the time of year.  The Big Ten season begins an eight-week stretch of crucial games.  Saturday's contest has some extra incentive with it being an intra-divisional matchup in Bloomington.  All the hype aside, Coach Paterno made a great statement earlier this week when he said that he wants to see the team get a little better each week.  The passing game took a big step forward against Eastern Michigan with Bolden and McGloin under center.  The defense played superb football during the non-conference slate.  The kicking game took a step forward in week four.  All three phases of the game need to continue improving on a weekly basis.  Indiana will run a lot of plays with its no-huddle offense, and the Hoosiers have talented skill players on offense.  Penn State will be looking to start fast, but it is critical to remain consistent (in all three phases of the game) for 60 minutes at Memorial Stadium.  Without the services of standout defensive players Michael Mauti and D'Anton Lynn, look for another strong performance from the Nittany Lion defense.

Be on the lookout for the Gameday Photo Blog and live in-Game Blog from Bloomington on Saturday.

Follow GoPSUsports.com Media Specialist Tony Mancuso on Twitter @GoPSUTony

By Kelsey Detweiler, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - In some instances in Division I sports, entire matches, games and competitions are remembered for just one short moment - one play or one decision that truly defines a whole contest.

Trailing one goal behind the Buckeyes after the first half on Thursday night at Jeffrey Field, that one moment came just fifteen seconds into the second half for the Nittany Lion women's soccer team when goalkeeper Erin McNulty lofted a long ball out of the back to find Maya Hayes less than 30 yards from the Ohio State net.

Charging toward the right side of the net, Hayes sent a sharp pass to her left toward Taylor Schram's feet and the sophomore forward crossed a beautiful shot over the right shoulder of Buckeye goalkeeper Katie Baumgardner and into the back corner of the net.

Schram's goal tied the contest at one just 15 seconds into the second half, and the crowd went wild.

"I think it changed the game," Penn State head coach Erica Walsh said of the Nittany Lions' first goal. "You know you talk about game-changing moments and that moment defined this game. It gave us a huge boost and it got the crowd back in it, it got our team rolling and confident again and from that moment forward I thought we played very good soccer."

Penn State went on to score two more goals in the second half, the next coming from freshman defender Kori Chapic just 1:44 after the first, and contained the Ohio State offense to win the conference showdown 3-1.

It was a tale of two halves as the Lions came out flat against the Buckeyes in the opening 45 minutes, allowing the first goal of the season on their home field. The Lions surged out of the intermission with an aggressive offensive approach, dominantly controlling the ball for the majority of the second half of the contest.

Hayes described her team's play in the first half of the night's game as something that she is not used to seeing.

"Basically they outplayed us on our home field in front of a bunch of our fans and in front of a thousand people that came out to watch us play and for them to outplay us on our own field is unacceptable," said Hayes. "That's not Penn State soccer."

The sophomore forward, who has more recently been looked to as a goal-scoring fiend, tallied three assists on the evening for the Nittany Lions. It is just the second time this year.  Schram pulled it off against West Virginia that a Penn State player has had three assists in a single game.

Hayes said that she was more than happy to play a different role for her team in the big conference win.

"It felt great," said Hayes. "You always want to contribute no matter how it comes and just for that to come was awesome.  I was just told by Ann [Cook] and Coach [Walsh] and even Christine [Nairn] to just keep working and however it was going to come it would come and it did and hey, hats off to them to push me to make me do that."

The win over the Buckeyes gives the No. 24 Nittany Lions a 10-3-0 record overall and boosts the team to a 3-1-0 mark in Big Ten play. With that record, Penn State also now holds the top spot in the conference.

But the win was more than just another number to add to the record for the Lions. In fact, Schram argues that it was one of the most important matches of the year.

"I mean this was one of the biggest games of the conference," said Schram. "Everyone was anticipating this game. This puts us in a good spot going forward - we need to take care of business the next few games but this was a big win for us."

With the win over Ohio State, the Nittany Lions have now won four straight contests and three straight Big Ten matchups. Penn State continues conference play at noon on Sunday, as the team travels to Minnesota.

By Kelsey Detweiler, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - When the matches shown on the Penn State women's volleyball 2011-'12 schedule have an asterisk next to them, it indicates more than just a conference event. The symbol is a reminder that that particular match is an especially important one.

Rec Hall will be the host of two asterisked matches this weekend, and both are pivotal contests for the No. 9 Nittany Lions as they look to build a strong Big Ten record to begin the season.

Penn State welcomes Wisconsin to Happy Valley on Friday at 7 p.m., and will host No. 10 Minnesota at 6 p.m. on Saturday.

Nittany Lion sophomore and outside hitter Ariel Scott said that outside of the conference rivalry that is fueling her and her team this weekend, the need to defend their home court and get ahead early in the Big Ten season will be a driving force for Penn State.

"We definitely need to take advantage of the teams that we're playing at home and make sure that we play well and play together at home," said Scott. "Other teams, especially other Big Ten teams, are going to have huge crowds like we saw at Nebraska which makes it a lot harder to win especially in a fifth set."

The Lions are 1-1 in Big Ten competition after dropping a five-set thriller to Nebraska and then taking it to the Hawkeyes in a commanding 3-0 sweep. Both of these tests were held outside the confinements of Rec Hall.

This weekend, the Nittany Lions are looking to play cleaner and more cohesive volleyball. The team has relied on tough serving and timely blocking at the net, but has been focusing on making smarter offensive strikes and providing solid back-row defense.

Scott said that she and her teammates are counting on this more concrete style of play to boost them against their conference rivals.

"We've been working really hard to limit errors," said Scott. "Hitting and just to stop making careless errors because with other Big Ten teams the games are going to be a lot closer and we know that each point matters and that's what we've just been working a lot on."

On Friday night, the Lions face a Wisconsin team that is 9-5 overall this season and similarly holds a 1-1 conference record. Scott said that she knows that the Badgers have big hitters and strong blockers in junior middle blocker Alexis Mitchell and sophomore outside hitter Annemarie Hickey, but assured that once she and her team can control Wisconsin's offensive game they should be able to get to work and control the match.

The next evening, Penn State will be seeking a bit of revenge on the Gophers. Minnesota took a thrilling five-set match from Penn State in the Lions' final conference match last season, so the matchup should prove to be an exciting one.

"We know that Minnesota is always going to go down fighting," added Scott. "They're always a really good team in the Big Ten and on the national level so they're going to play their best and we have to make sure that we key in our their good players and do our best at the net against them."

Be sure to tune into the Big Ten Network on Saturday night to watch the Nittany Lions and Minnesota square off live in Rec Hall.

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Big Ten football begins on Saturday.

As we do each week, the GoPSUsports.com Football Blog takes a look at all of the Big Ten matchups.  Ten teams have conference matchups this week.

Northwestern (2-1) at No. 24 Illinois (4-0) - Noon - ESPN2

Illinois is off to its best start since 1951.  The Illini know they needs to play better than they did last week against Western Michigan.  Illinois' defense has been the catalyst for the Fighting Illini during the first four weeks of the season.  Look for much of the same on Saturday in the battle for the Land of Lincoln Trophy.  Northwestern welcomes back starting quarterback Dan Persa.  The Wildcats need a big day from the veteran signal-caller, but Illinois' defensive pressure will be the key in Champaign on Saturday afternoon.

Minnesota (1-3) at No. 19 Michigan (4-0) - Noon - BTN

Michigan will play its fifth home game of the season on Saturday against a struggling Golden Gopher squad.  While the Wolverines turned in an impressive defensive outing against San Diego State last week, Minnesota suffered a 37-24 home loss to FCS opponent North Dakota State.  Denard Robinson has again been superb with his feet in 2011 (138.0 ypg - first in the Big Ten).  However, Robinson is completing just 48 percent of his passes with six touchdowns and six interceptions.  Keep an eye on Robinson's passing numbers as Big Ten play begins.  Minnesota needs to play a perfect defensive game in the Legends Division battle for the Little Brown Jug.

Michigan State (3-1) at Ohio State (3-1) - 3:30 p.m. - ABC (regional); ESPN (outer market)

Michigan State travels to Columbus for a very intriguing conference opener.  Spartan head coach Mark Dantonio is from just down the road in Zanesville, Ohio.  Additionally, MSU has more than 20 players from Ohio on its roster.  Needless to say, this is a big game for the Spartans.  Freshman quarterback Braxton Miller and the Ohio State Buckeyes are looking to improve on a solid week against Colorado.  Michigan State's defense is ranked No. 1 in the nation.  Coupling that unit with veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins, Michigan State will present the host Buckeyes with a big challenge.  Keep an eye on how Miller handles the Spartan defense.

Notre Dame (2-2) at Purdue (2-1) - 8 p.m. - ESPN

The Boilermakers have spent two weeks preparing for Notre Dame.  The Boilermakers will need a big game from running back Ralph Bolden.  Purdue's defense will have its hands full slowing down the Notre Dame offense, so a solid day on the ground and long, sustained drives will keep the Irish offense off of the field.  Notre Dame's defense shut down Pitt in a 15-12 victory at Heinz Field last week.  The final outcome will come down to the Purdue defense, though.

No. 8 Nebraska (4-0) at No. 7 Wisconsin (4-0) - 8 p.m. - ABC

The national game of the week will be in Madison on Saturday night at Camp Randall Stadium.  The highly anticipated clash between Nebraska and Wisconsin could be a preview of the Big Ten Championship Game in Lucas Oil Stadium.  The Badgers steamrolled their way through the non-conference schedule with four dominating victories.  Without question, Nebraska's defense will be Wisconsin's biggest test thus far.  The Blackshirts will be at full strength with a healthy Jared Crick, Lavonte Davida and Alfonzo Dennard.  Badger QB Russell Wilson has thrown for 1,136 yards with 11 touchdowns and one interception.  As a unit, Wisconsin has averaged more than 500 yards of offense and 48.5 points per game.  The Huskers will need a strong outing from quarterback Taylor Martinez, who ranks No. 2 in the Big Ten in rushing, and junior running back Rex Burkhead.  If Martinez and Burkhead can move the chains on the ground and avoid third and longs, the Huskers will be in a position to win.  However, Wisconsin is very tough to beat at home and Wilson has been putting up Heisman-like numbers in 2011.

Iowa is off this week.

Follow GoPSUsports.com Media Specialist Tony Mancuso on Twitter @GoPSUTony

Following the team's eighth-place finish at the Roy Griak Invitational, senior Caitlin Lane (Greenwich, N.Y.) and the Nittany Lions will head into their second high-powered competition in as many weeks, traveling to the Adidas Notre Dame Invitational in South Bend, Ind.  The Nittany Lions, who were fifth on the men's side at Griak, will once again have their hands full, as the field is set to feature top-rated programs from around the country, including the number-two ranked New Mexico women, and the third-ranked Stanford men.  Races are slated to get underway at 3:30 p.m., on Friday afternoon at the Notre Dame Golf Course.

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Each week, GoPSUsports.com sits down with one offensive player and one defensive player for a video scouting report of the Nittany Lion opponent.

After talking with running back Silas Redd on Wednesday, we move to the defensive side of the ball for a conversation with senior cornerback Chaz Powell.  The senior has made 12 tackles from the cornerback position in 2011.  Additionally, Powell has one interception and a kickoff return for a touchdown.  Watch Powell as he talks about the defense as it prepares for Indiana's no-huddle offense.

Follow GoPSUsports.com Media Specialist Tony Mancuso on Twitter @GoPSUTony

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Big Ten football is back.

Penn State will kick off its first ever Big Ten Leaders Division matchup at Indiana on Saturday (noon on ESPNU).  The stakes in conference play are different in 2011 than they have been since the Nittany Lions joined the conference in 1993.

The Nittany Lions will be one of six squads vying to represent the Leaders Division at the inaugural Big Ten Football Championship Game at Lucas Oil Stadium on Dec. 3.  The title game will pit the division winners from both the Legends and Leaders Division with the champion earning the right to play in either the Rose Bowl Game or the BCS National Championship Game and the Stagg-Paterno Championship Trophy.

While every Big Ten game is important, the five division matchups have some extra meaning.  Penn State and Indiana will be the lone Leaders Division matchup during week one of the conference season.  The other divisional matchups for Penn State will be on Oct. 15 against Purdue, Oct. 29 against Illinois, Nov. 19 at Ohio State and Nov. 26 at Wisconsin.

For Penn State, the goal is simple - play in Indianapolis on Dec. 3.  The Lions break the huddle after every practice with "Big Ten Champs".  That has been the target since offseason workouts began after the Outback Bowl on New Year's Day.  A new era of Big Ten football is here.

Division Alignment

Legends

Iowa

Michigan

Michigan State

Minnesota

Nebraska

Northwestern

Leaders

Illinois

Indiana

Ohio State

Penn State

Purdue

Wisconsin

Big Ten Football Championship Game

December 3, 2011 - 8:17 p.m. (FOX)

Lucas Oil Stadium - Indianapolis, Ind.

Legends Division Champion vs. Leaders Division Champion

Take a look at what the players are saying about the start the Big Ten season.

Player Quote Board

#28 Drew Astorino

"I'm really excited to get back into Big Ten season. It's a tough grinding season but our goal is to be in Indianapolis and so we're looking forward to starting it out."

#11 Matt McGloin

"It's definitely exciting, I'm anxious to get started at Indiana next week; it's a good football team...Now with the Big Ten play starting, we need to buckle down here, limit our penalties, limit our mistakes. It's another learning experience today."

#6 Derek Moye
"It's exciting. Our goal is to try to win a Big Ten Championship. It's something that we have been looking forward to all year."

#71 Devon Still
"We are done with our non-conference games, now it's time to get into the big shows and we're just looking forward to playing a good Indiana team next weekend."

#6 Gerald Hodges
"I'm definitely excited, I feel confident about our defense and confident about or offense. We're just ready to play. This is what we have been waiting for, the Big Ten. We got the preseason games out the way and now it's time to get into the conference and try to go out there and prove to everybody that we are one of the top teams."

The Nittany Lions will travel to Bloomington on Friday.  Stay tuned to the GoPSUsports.com Football Blog from the team's trip to Indiana for the conference opener.

Follow GoPSUsports.com Media Specialist Tony Mancuso on Twitter @GoPSUTony

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Each week, GoPSUsports.com sits down with one offensive player and one defensive player for a video scouting report of the Nittany Lion opponent.

Sophomore tailback Silas Redd heads into Big Ten play with 303 rushing yards and four touchdowns after a solid non-conference season.  Redd has averaged 4.9 yards per carry during the first four games of 2011.  GoPSUsports.com sat down with the talented running back for his thoughts leading up to Saturday's Leaders Division clash at Indiana.

Follow GoPSUsports.com Media Specialist Tony Mancuso on Twitter @GoPSUTony

By Scott Traweek, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Every soccer player dreams of playing for his or her country on a national stage. The euphoria of stepping onto the field in front of thousands of fans roaring with pride and passion for the players representing their nation against the world is unimaginable and a privilege bestowed upon a select few individuals.

For Penn State's very own Lexi Marton, being called up to compete with the Canadian national team was becoming the norm.  The Aurora, Ontario native played in six games through 2008, including three CONCACAF Olympic qualifying matches, for a total of 275 minutes.  In 2010, Marton returned to the national stage, starting in two international friendlies against Norway and traditional soccer powerhouse China.  Marton talked about the benefits of playing at such a high level.

"When you're able to play at the highest level, it just pushes you and motivates you," reflected Marton.  "I think I grew a lot just even in the last two weeks."

Despite her previous experience, the road to rejoining the team in 2011 was not easy.  On Sept. 12, 2010, Marton suffered a season-ending knee injury that severely hindered her chances of being called back to training camp.

"I was pretty devastated," said Marton. "I owe a lot to my teammates here and my coaches that really helped push me through it."

And push through it she did.  Marton was asked to rejoin the national team in 2011 under Canada's new head coach, John Herdman, in preparation for a pair of international friendly matches against the US in Portland, Ore.

"It's huge for me," said Marton.  "It's always been a dream of mine to play for the full national team, maybe get a chance at going to an Olympics."

The game against the U.S. showed Marton just how difficult the journey to the Olympics would be. After stubbornly holding the Americans scoreless in the first period, the defense collapsed towards the end of the second, allowing two goals by Abby Wambach in the 63rd and 70th minutes and a goal by Alex Morgan during stoppage time.  Canada fell 3-0, but Marton learned a valuable lesson.

"These players are so experienced," said Marton.  "They know how to read the game well.  If they get a couple inches on you, they're gone and they're just really good and know where to put the ball and when, so you got to be on your toes at all times."

Though the outcome wasn't perfect, the opportunity to play the former World Cup finalists in front of nearly 20,000 bellowing fans was enough to leave the junior defender star-struck.

"I was definitely nervous," laughed Marton.  "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't.  Especially shaking hands at the beginning before the match with Hope Solo, Abby Wambach, Ali Krieger, all those girls.  Kind of felt surreal like it was an out of body experience."

Marton returned to Happy Valley in time for the Illinois game on Sunday.  The team and players were excited to have her back, especially in a game where the better defense came out on top.  Marton's communication and energy both on the sidelines and in the backline proved to be pivotal in shutting out the Illini attack.  She sparked an exhausted team into stymieing any chance at an equalizer late in the second half, giving the Nittany Lions the win 1-0.

"Coming off the bench I just wanted to make an impact right away and lead the team from the back," said Marton after the game.  "We pulled off the win, so that was awesome."

"Lexi is the heart of our team and she communicates really well," added sophomore defender Bri Hovington.  "With her coming back from playing with the full women's team in Canada has definitely helped us."

Head coach Erica Walsh made it clear how important Marton was to the team during the game.  It was her leadership and communication that brought the team together after they struggled early on against Illinois.  Her voice could be heard from the stands as she organized the defense.

"She's the captain of our team," said Coach Walsh.  "That's the quarterback as far as I'm concerned and to have her voice, her energy, her presence back, it gave our team a massive boost."

Marton will never forget her experiences with the Canadian national team.  Her game improved tremendously in the few weeks that she was away.  Nevertheless, Marton could not be happier to return to her home away from home in State College with a team she considers to be her family.

"It was great to be back with my Penn State teammates on the field," said Marton.  "I love playing, these girls are like my sisters, they're like my family, so getting to be on the field again in front of the home crowd was awesome for me."

The words of a true Penn Stater.

Hello Again Fans,

I am happy to report back to you after a successful 2-0 weekend versus Northwestern and Illinois!

In what started out as a rainy and dreary looking day for a game turned into a beautiful Friday night with perfect weather for a game. The rain had stopped and the temperature was nice and cool, which helped us to put on a "finishing frenzy" as our coaches like to call it. We won 4-0 with two goals each from Maya Hayes and Ali Schaefer, with both of Schaefer's goals coming off set pieces!

For us, scoring off set pieces has been a major focus this year so to put two away on set pieces in one game was a big accomplishment for us. These were Maya's 14th and 15th goals of the season, making her the leading scorer in the country! These were Schaefer's first goals of the season and celebrated in style with a chest bump with our manager Kyle. This was a great result to open our home Big Ten matches, which we continued with a win on Sunday as well.

Although, we did not perform at our highest we were able to gut it out and get the win off another set piece goal by Ali Schaefer! Illinois was a tough team that came out on fire, especially in the first 20 minutes and battled for all 90 minutes. Yet, we were on the greatest field in the country and knew we had to battle and scrap to protect Jeffery Field!

It has been a very busy week with having four games in eight days, but this tough stretch isn't over yet. This Thursday and Sunday, we have two more games against some of the top teams in the Big Ten and some of our biggest rivals, Ohio State and Minnesota. Ohio State is coming to Jeffery Field tomorrow in our "Code Blue" game, and after a 1-0 overtime loss last year, we are out for some revenge, especially at home! Then we travel to one of the tougher places to play in the Big Ten in Minnesota. There have been many close games there, including the last time we played there in 2009 when we scored the game winner with just 10 seconds left in the match. So, before we start another stretch of road games, come out to our game Tomorrow Night at 7 p.m. as we take on the Buckeyes in a pivotal Big Ten match!

WE ARE!

By Laura Finley, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Sophomore middle hitter Katie Slay has proven to be a vital player to the Penn State women's volleyball team this season, actively contributing to the team both offensively and defensively.

After collectively scoring 27 kills and 19 blocks during the Hampton Inn Classic (Sept. 16-17), Slay was honored as the Co-Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week. She expressed gratitude for being the recipient of the award, but was quick to point out it was all a team effort.

"It's always exciting to get something from the Big Ten," said Slay. "I was able to help contribute to the team in a positive way and I'm really just glad I was able to help the team out."

At six-foot-six, Slay is easy to spot with her physical presence and performance on the court. Throughout the start of the 2011 season she has made key plays at the net, accumulating a .378 hitting percentage and leading the team with 58 blocks.

Statistics mean little to Slay as she is already focusing on the rest of the season and future Big Ten conference matches.

"[The award] gives me some confidence, but that was when we were in the preseason," Slay said. "Now we're going into our Big Ten matches. Those are a whole new beast."

In the past week, the Penn State women's volleyball team has faced its first two Big Ten opponents of the season. In their first conference game the Nittany Lions made a late charge, but fell to Nebraska 3-2. Later in the week, Penn State played Iowa and redeemed itself with a 3-0 sweep.

For the young Nittany Lions, the win at Iowa helped reinforce their ability to win. Based on the performance, Slay has seen improvement with her team, but acknowledges the girls have had their ups and downs.

"I think that this season has been a little erratic," said Slay. "Everybody has new roles, including myself, so we're trying to figure out a way to adapt to these new roles. It's really just about everybody finding their comfort zone and just starting to play together."

This improvement is not just limited to the team. Slay is one of the first to admit she has her own faults.

"I'm really trying to improve my attacking because that's part of my new role," said Slay. "I need to be more of a threat offensively. I just need to really concentrate on my own game so that the team knows what to expect from me. That way we can be consistent and play together."

Slays' relationship with freshman setter Micha Hancock is critical to her offensive performance as the two players must communicate with each other on the court in order to make big plays.  Hancock has worked during practices to learn more about each of her hitters and their expectations. Slay sees Micha as an important element of the team moving forward.

"There's always growing periods especially with a freshman setter, but I think [Micha] has done a great job and she's very willing to learn," Slay said. "It's been going well. We just need to keep improving on our communication."

After a full week of practice, Penn State fans will see if there is any improvement as the No. 9 Nittany Lions face back-to-back matches this weekend at Rec Hall. Their first match against Wisconsin will be Friday at 7 p.m. and their second match against No. 10 Minnesota will be Saturday at 6 p.m.

Tuesday Video Q&As - Matt Stankiewitch & Malcolm Wilis

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Throughout the offeseason, the Penn State defense repeatedly said that it wanted to develop an aggressive personality, a swagger if you will.

Through four games, the unit is well on its way to becoming one of the top defenses in the Big Ten, if not the nation.  The numbers speak for themselves.

Heading into Big Ten play, the Nittany Lions rank 10th or better nationally in four of the five major defensive categories.  The list includes total defense (No. 8), pass defense (No. 7), pass efficiency defense (No. 7) and scoring defense (No. 10).  Penn State ranks No. 30 in rushing defense.

On paper the Lions have been very good, but visually the group has been even better.  The aggressive style has led to nine forced turnovers in four games this season.  The defense has also made a habit of getting into the backfield and making big plays (7.25 TFL per game).

However, the defense heads into the Big Ten opener without two of its elder statesmen.  Junior linebacker Michael Mauti will miss the rest of the year (ACL), while senior cornerback D'Anton Lynn will not be in action after suffering a concussion on Saturday.  Mauti and Lynn are two instrumental pieces on the defense.

Both Mauti and Lynn bring a great deal of leadership to the defense, as well.  Mauti has been a big a vocal leader for the Nittany Lions, while Lynn tends to lead by example with a workmanlike approach in the secondary.  Lynn has been a staple in the lineup for 30 consecutive games.

While the duo will be missed on Saturday, the linebacker corps and secondary are two places the Nittany Lions have great depth.  Senior Nate Stupar will play a big role for the linebackers, as will freshman Adrian Amos and sophomore Malcolm Willis in the secondary.

"There again, I think there are two positions where we had some depth on both with Lynn and [Mauti]," Coach Paterno said.  "And you'd like to have them but we don't.  That's the way the game's played."

Mauti has already taken it upon himself to still play a big role for the Nittany Lions, despite being on the sidelines.  He walked from locker to locker on Monday introducing himself as Coach Mauti to the Nittany Lions.  Several players said Tuesday that he was very active on the practice field, as well.

On the field, Coach Paterno mentioned seniors Devon Still and Drew Astorino as two veterans the defense is turning to in Mauti and Lynn's absence.  Still is playing the best football of his career.  He is leading the Big Ten in tackles for a loss with 5.5.

"I think Still is obviously a very much underrated football player," Coach Paterno said.  "I think Still is one of the better linemen in the country.  Makes a lot of plays.  Demands in some cases some double-teaming by the offense.  He's been one of the captains, elected as one of the captains.  Astorino, elected as one of the captains.  So we have some leadership on that team."

Saturday's contest at Indiana will challenge the defense's depth, but the unit is up to the test.  Penn State has a corps group of players on the defensive side of the ball that is hungry to get better every week.  With that mindset in the huddle, the Lions are poised for another strong defensive game in the Big Ten opener against Leaders Division rival Indiana.

"I'm trying to get this football team just to think about getting a little bit better each week," Coach Paterno said.

Press Conference Notes:

- Coach Paterno said that the staff received very good news on the condition of senior cornerback D'Anton Lynn.  While he will not play this weekend at Indiana, Lynn could begin working out as early as Thursday.  He is being monitored for concussion symptoms this week.

- Also on the injury front - Brandon Beachum (sprained foot) will not play this weekend.  Offensive tackle Mike Farrell (knee) will be ready to play this weekend.  Coach Paterno said that wide receiver Curtis Drake is not 100 percent, but he will continue to play.  There is nothing wrong with Drake other than he is still building strength in his leg.

- As has been the theme throughout the first four weeks, Coach Paterno addressed several questions on the quarterbacks.  Here is word from Coach on Tuesday:

"...Now, when you get into a game, sometimes when a kid has a little hotter hand than the other one ‑‑ in fact, I think it's an advantage if you don't start at quarterback, as long as you know you're going to play because of the fact you're getting an opportunity from the sideline to see what the defense is doing, get a little feel for the pace of the game and so forth.  So when you go in, you don't have to make quite that adjustment that you do when you start a game, because you're never sure what you're going to get.  For me to tell you we're going to get this, this and this on the defense against our offense is not ‑‑ I wish it was that easy.  It isn't."

Follow GoPSUsports.com Media Specialist Tony Mancuso on Twitter @GoPSUTony

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Each Tuesday, GoPSUsports.com catches up with two Nittany Lions following Coach Paterno's weekly press conference.

This week, we spoke with junior center Matt Stankiewitch and sophomore safety Malcolm Willis.  Don't forget to submit your questions for next week's Q&As on Twitter or Facebook.

Matt Stankiewitch

Malcolm Willis

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UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Penn State wrestling team welcomed a very special guest to Lorenzo Wrestling Complex on Friday night.

The Keystone Little League team from just up the road in Clinton County had residents throughout Pennsylvania glued to televisions as they made a run to the Little League World Series in Williamsport.  The squad won the state championship and advanced to the U.S. Semifinals in Williamsport.  The players, coaches and families visited with several Penn State teams on Friday before being recognized on the field at Beaver Stadium on Saturday.

The first stop on the tour was to Rec Hall for a meeting with head coach Cael Sanderson and the defending national champion wrestling team.  The squads exchanged stories and took photos before playing some whiffle ball in the wrestling room.

Take a look at some video of the congratulatory meeting.

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UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - When head coach Rip Engle named Joe Paterno, his senior quarterback at Brown, to the Penn State coaching staff and assigned him to coach the quarterbacks on May 27, 1950, little did he know that 61 years later Paterno would still be on the staff in Happy Valley.

In a career full of milestones, Coach Paterno will reach another on Saturday when the Nittany Lions travel to Indiana.  It will be game No. 700 on the Penn State staff for the Brooklyn, N.Y. native.  The Hall of Fame head coach served as an assistant for 16 seasons before taking the reigns of the program on Feb. 19, 1966 at an annual salary of $20,000.

A coaching career spanning more than six decades at one institution is something that will likely never happen again.  Penn State has compiled a 508-184-7 record since Coach Paterno joined the staff.  The Nittany Lions rank No. 3 in win percentage since 1950.  Since he became head coach in 1966, there have been 886 coaching changes at FBS schools.

During his tenure on the staff, Coach Paterno has missed just three games in 61-plus years.  As an assistant coach, he missed the 1955 game at Army when his father, Angelo, died. As head coach in 1977, Joe and Sue Paterno's son, David, was involved in a serious trampoline accident the day before the Lions' game at Syracuse and Paterno did not attend the contest.  Coach Paterno missed the Nov. 11, 2006 game with Temple, which took place five days after he had surgery on his left leg, which was injured in a sideline collision at Wisconsin on Nov. 4.

Coach Paterno has served as head coach for the Nittany Lions in 66 different away stadiums.  Saturday will be the Nittany Lions' sixth game in Bloomington, but the first as Big Ten Leaders Division rivals.

Since he arrived in 1950, Coach Paterno has seen the University Park campus grow from an enrollment of 11,132 to more than 40,000.  The State College population has grown from 17,227 in 1950 to 42,034 (2010 U.S. Census).  The landscape of the town, University and college football have all changed, but the identity of Penn State Football has not.

Take a look at a brief timeline on the way to game No. 700 for Coach Paterno on the Penn State staff.

May 27, 1950 - Head coach Rip Engle named Joe Paterno to the coaching staff and assigned him to coach the quarterbacks.

September 30, 1950 - In his first game on the staff, Penn State defeated Georgetown, 34-14, before a crowd of 16,617 at New Beaver Field.

October 29, 1960 - Coach Paterno participated in his 100th game on the coaching staff.  The Nittany Lions defeated West Virginia, 34-13, at Beaver Stadium.

September 17, 1966 - A 38-year-old Joe Paterno won his first career game in front of a crowd of 40,911 inside Beaver Stadium.  The Nittany Lions ousted Maryland, 15-7, behind a team record three safeties from Mike Reid.  Coach Paterno was awarded the game ball following the victory, one of just two times in his career.

September 26, 1970 - In Coach Paterno's 200th game on the Penn State coaching staff, the Nittany Lions suffered a 41-13 setback at Colorado, snapping the Nittany Lions' 31-game unbeaten streak.

January 1, 1972 - Following a deflating loss to Tennessee in the final game of the regular season, the Nittany Lions rallied from 6-3 down at halftime to stun Texas, 30-6 in the Cotton Bowl.  The win was labeled "one of the greatest victories in school history" by Coach Paterno.

October 21, 1978 - The Nittany Lions defeated Syracuse, 45-15, during Coach Paterno's 300th game on the staff.

January 1, 1983 - Penn State won its first National Championship with a superb effort against previously No. 1 Georgia in the Sugar Bowl.  Todd Blackledge tossed a crucial fourth quarter touchdown of 46 yards to Gregg Garrity.  Curt Warner out-dueled Heisman Trophy winner Herschel Walker with 117 yards and a pair of touchdowns to lead the Lions.

November 22, 1986 - Penn State knocked off Pittsburgh, 34-14, in Coach Paterno's 400th career game on the coaching staff.  The victory clinched a perfect regular season for the Nittany Lions in 1986.

January 2, 1987 - The Nittany Lions claimed their second National Championship in four seasons by shocking the nation in a 14-10 upset of then No. 1 Miami in the Fiesta Bowl.  Led by All-American linebacker Shane Conlan, the Penn State defense stopped Heisman Trophy winner Vinny Testaverde and the Hurricane offense at the goal line on the final series of the game.  Linebacker Pete Giftopoulos hauled in Testaverde's fifth interception of the game on the goal line to seal the Penn State title.

September 23, 1995 - Penn State defeated Rutgers in Giants Stadium, 59-34, in Coach Paterno's 500th career game on the Nittany Lion staff.

October 27, 2001 - In one of the greatest Penn State comebacks in Beaver Stadium history, the Nittany Lions rallied from a 27-9 deficit to defeat rival Ohio State and give Coach Paterno his 324th career victory.  The win moved Coach Paterno past Alabama's Paul "Bear" Bryant into the all-time victories lead in Division I college football history.

September 27, 2003 - The Lions suffered a 20-14 setback to Minnesota during Coach Paterno's 600th game on the staff.

November 6, 2010 - Coach Paterno captured his 400th career victory inside Beaver Stadium, which was also the site of his first, 100th, 200th, 300th, 324th and 400th victories.  The game was the biggest comeback in Beaver Stadium history during the Joe Paterno era.  Down 21-0 in the second quarter, Penn State rattled off 35 unanswered to score a 35-21 victory over Northwestern.

October 1, 2011 - When the Nittany Lions travel to Indiana on Saturday, it will mark Coach Paterno's 700th game on the Penn State coaching staff.

Follow GoPSUsports.com Media Specialist Tony Mancuso on Twitter @GoPSUTony

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Take a look through some of the significant numbers following Saturday's 34-6 victory over Eastern Michigan in the non-conference finale.

1: Freshman wide receiver Bill Belton made the first reception of his Nittany Lion career.

3: For the second straight week, the Nittany Lion defense forced three turnovers on Saturday.  The team has now forced nine turnovers in four games.  Last year, Penn State forced 17 turnovers in 13 games.

4: Four different Nittany Lion quarterbacks completed passes on Saturday.  The last time four different Nittany Lions completed a pass was against Akron in 2004 when Zack Mills, Michael Robinson, Chris Ganter and Anthony Morelli all completed passes.

7: Following another strong outing from the Lion secondary, Penn State is ranked No. 7 in pass defense (148.25) and pass efficiency (94.17) defense in the nation.  The Lions are ranked No. 8 in total defense (249.0 yards per game).

13: Penn State's defense combined for 13.0 tackles for a loss on Saturday.  It marked the most by the Nittany Lions since 13TFL against Akron during the 2009 opener.  Nate Stupar, Khairi Fortt, Stephon Morris, Drew Astorino, Devon Still, Jordan Hill, Jack Crawford, James Van Fleet, Eric Latimore and Evan Hailes all made tackles for a loss.

68: The Nittany Lions held Eastern Michigan to just 68 rushing yards.  The Eagles came into the game averaging 290 rushing yards per game.

124: With his six receptions on Saturday, Derek Moye has now made 124 career receptions, which is sixth on the all-time list at Penn State.

364: Penn State had 364 passing yards on Saturday, which was the eighth highest total under head coach Joe Paterno.

Monday Notebook:

McGloin Named co-Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week

For his efforts on Saturday, junior quarterback Matt McGloin earned Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week honors on Monday.  McGloin, who shared the award with Michigan QB Denard Robinson, passed for 220 yards and three touchdowns in Penn State's 34-6 victory over Eastern Michigan.  McGloin finished 14-for-17 in the final non-conference clash of 2011.  McGloin connected with nine different receivers on his 14 completions.

Nittany Lion Defense to Show Depth

The Penn State defense suffered a big blow on Saturday when junior Michael Mauti left the game with a torn ACL in his left knee.  Mauti has been dominant at the linebacker position this season.  The junior will miss the rest of the season.  Senior Nate Stupar stepped into the lineup and played a superb game on Saturday.  Look for Stupar, Khairi Fortt and Mike Hull to play big roles at linebacker during the rest of the season.

In the secondary, the Nittany Lions also lost senior cornerback D'Anton Lynn on Saturday.  Lynn suffered a head and neck injury on Saturday, and he will be monitored throughout the week.  Junior Stephon Morris and freshman Adrian Amos will likely see increased playing time alongside Chaz Powell in the secondary on Saturday at Indiana.

Early Look at Indiana

The Hoosiers head into Big Ten play with a 1-3 mark under first-year head coach Kevin Wilson.  Indiana dropped contests to Ball State (27-20), Virginia (34-31) and North Texas (24-21).  The Hoosiers defeated South Carolina State in week three.  Most recently, Indiana found itself down 24-0 in the fourth quarter at North Texas before rallying to make it 24-21.  Ed Wright-Baker is the squad's leading passer with 925 yards and four touchdowns.  The Hoosier defense has allowed 387 yards off offense per game during the first four weeks of the season.  Penn State leads the all-time series with Indiana, 14-0.  The Nittany Lions last played at Bloomington in 2007 (W, 36-31).

Iowa Kick Time Set for 3:30 p.m.

Penn State's Big Ten home opener against Iowa on Oct. 1 will be a 3:30 p.m. kickoff at Beaver Stadium with television coverage from ABC (regional) and ESPN (outer market).  Iowa leads the all-time series between the two schools, 12-11.  Penn State last hosted Iowa in 2009.  The Hawkeyes rallied from an early deficit to defeat the Lions, 21-10, in primetime.  Iowa will be making its last trip to Beaver Stadium until at least 2015 since it rotates off the Penn State schedule in 2013 and 2014.

Indiana Week Coverage

Stay tuned to GoPSUsports.com for extensive coverage leading up to Saturday's noon (ESPNU) kickoff at Indiana.  Coach Paterno will meet the media on Tuesday afternoon at 12:30 p.m. during his weekly press conference.  Stay tuned for Tuesday video Q&As, video scouting reports and more.  We will travel with the Nittany Lions Bloomington this weekend.  Stay tuned for written and video content from Indiana.

Follow GoPSUsports.com Media Specialist Tony Mancuso on Twitter @GoPSUTony

By Scott Traweek, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Penn State (9-3-0, 2-1-0 Big Ten) entered its Big Ten home opener against Northwestern (1-9-0, 0-3-0 Big Ten) after a six-game away stretch spanning nearly three weeks where the Nittany Lions went 4-2-0.

Sufficed to say, the players came into the matchup Friday night fired up, eager to play on their beloved Jeffrey Field.

"Jeffrey's our home," said sophomore defender Bri Hovington before the game.  "We're going to protect him and we're going to go out hard."

After a slow start, the offense ignited under the lights as the Lions routed the Wildcats 4-0 with two goals from sophomore sensation Maya Hayes, her 14th and 15th on the season, along with a pair of scores from senior midfielder Ali Schaefer, her first and second of the season.  The outburst marked Schaefer's first multi-goal game of her career and she did it in front of her mother who flew in from Las Vegas to watch her daughter help lead Penn State to victory.

"Ultimately, it comes down to playing on Jeffrey under the lights," said a humbled Schaefer.  "We have the best field in the nation and nothing is better than a home game.  Especially tonight, my mom flew all the way from Las Vegas, so I got to play for her."

"She was a senior tonight," praised coach Erica Walsh.  "She was a leader.  Her set piece goal, I thought, was tremendous just in effort and idea.  That's creativity."

Both of the senior's goals came off of set pieces, a strategy coach Walsh and the Nittany Lions pride themselves on, the first from a free kick by Christine Nairn in the 32nd minute and the second a corner kick courtesy of Jess Rosenbluth in the 56th minute.  Schaefer added an assist in the second half, bringing her point total for the night to five, as Hayes capped off the victory with her second goal of the night, marking her sixth multi-goal game this season.

"There's no better feeling," said Schaefer.  "Maya must feel like a million bucks all the time because when you score goals there's no better feeling."

Schaefer's immaculate weekend didn't end there.  In Sunday's game against 22nd-ranked Illinois, she sparked an offense that struggled to create opportunities early on with her third goal of the weekend in the 38th minute.  The score turned out to be the game-winner in an exhausting defensive battle in which the Nittany Lions emerged victorious, 1-0.

"Schaefer's Schaefer," said Taylor Schram after the game on Sunday. "She always gives it her all when she's out there and she came up with some huge plays this weekend and she did it for us, so it was great to have her out there."

Schaefer's performance this weekend was picturesque of how crucial Penn State's bench play has been this season. Depth is key during games against Big Ten opponents who are known for their physicality and aggressiveness. To win requires subs that can come on towards the end of the half and play at the same intensity as the starters they are replacing.  Penn State's backups have shown time and time again that they are up for the challenge.

"They [the subs] have been absolutely huge for us," said Schram.  "We've had a lot of games these last two weeks and bodies are tired, so it's nice knowing that we have players that can come off and be as successful and help us that much."

The bench not only kept up the play on the field, but they energized the team off the field as well.  Shouts of "energy blue" could be heard from the sidelines early on in the game against Illinois as the Nittany Lions struggled to keep the ball off their side of the field.  The cries seemed to invigorate the starters who relentlessly attacked the Illini defense late in the first half, leading to the subsequent game-winning goal.  The victory was a team effort all around.

"I credit to the 29 kids that are on this team because if they weren't on the field, they were cheering," said Coach Walsh.  "If they were coming off the bench they were giving us energy.  To me that's a true college team right there."

The Nittany Lions are 4-0-0 at home and have yet to allow a goal on Jeffery Field this season.  They host Ohio State on Thursday at 7 p.m., the team that shared the Big Ten title with them last year.

By Cassie Speno, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - After outstanding performances against No. 6 Duke, Virginia Commonwealth, Temple and Iowa, Ayla Halus illustrated why she deserved Big Ten Defensive accolades last week.

Through 10 games, Halus has made 37 saves while allowing just 1.78 goals per game.  She is fresh off a dominant performance at Iowa in Penn State's Big Ten-opening 3-0 win at Iowa.

Halus contributes her success so far this season to the hard work she put in over the summer to become more physically fit and mentally tough.

"Over the summer I worked on a lot on my physical fitness as well as my nutrition," said Halus. "Last year I came in pretty fit, but was not passing my run tests. So going into camp this year, my goal was to pass them and surpass them. Also my nutrition, I focused on eating properly over the summer to prepare my body for the hard season."

The redshirt junior from Hershey, Pa., knew if she came back fit, she would have more time to focus on her technical skills.

"During camp, I worked on my skills and game play," Halus said. "Char always says the summer is (the time) to get your body fit and prepared and pre season is where we teach you how to play field hockey."

Coming off a stellar 2010 campaign, in which she completed one of the top goaltending seasons in Penn State history and earning first team All-Big ten accolades, Halus says overall she believes her mental game has improved the most from last season.

"I have really improved my mental toughness," said Halus. "The first couple of weeks this season were a new type of challenge for me and I needed to overcome that. I had to have confidence in my team and myself and play through it. We are a young team so we have been learning to play through it together. I have really learned to be prepared for everything at any moment."

After leading the nation last year with a high save percentage of .826 and being the only player to have at least 100 saves and allow fewer than 30 goals, Halus says through it all, her coaches, family and friends have been her biggest motivation.

"I look to everyone on my team," said Halus. "My coaches are my biggest motivation as well as my mom, family and friends. Our team has become really close knit. I especially look to my class a lot and our defense. I think I surround myself with a lot of people who don't accept mediocrity so I've learned that I need to be my own motivation."

Through 10 games, Halus has two shutouts and combined for a third team shutout.  Constantly working to improve her goals against average going into Big Ten play, Halus has continued to work on her one-on-one goal keeping skills.

"Lately we have been working on a lot on individual goalkeeper skills, especially breakaways and one-on-ones," Halus said.  "So when we get into these competitive games, we are used to it and ready for it."

Halus and the Nittany Lions return home to face Northwestern on Saturday at noon.

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Devon Smith has been waiting to put his track-like speed on display in the open field since the season began four weeks ago.

Smith tallied the first touchdown reception of his career last season against Kent State, but Saturday, the Maryland native made the biggest play of his career during Penn State's 34-6 victory over Eastern Michigan.

Facing a third down and five on the opening series of the second half, quarterback Rob Bolden found Smith on a crossing route in open space.  Smith caught the well-thrown pass in the middle of the field and turned on the jets in front of the Penn State sideline.

Thanks to a great downfield block from fellow wide out Derek Moye, Smith used his sub-4.3 speed to jet into the north end zone for a 71-yard touchdown play.  Bolden said after the game that he knew what was coming when he saw a wide-open field awaiting the streaking Smith.

"It was a crossing route, and as soon as I caught it, there was no one in front of me," Smith said.  "I was open and I just took off.  It feels good to see that (open space), so that I can get a touchdown for the team."

Smith's 71-yard score triggered his first career 100-yard receiving game.  The junior wide out finished with three receptions for 104 yards.

"It's a big step for me, and I hope to be able to build on it for the next game," Smith said.

It was a superb game for the entire Nittany Lion receiving corps.  In total, 13 different Penn State players caught a pass on Saturday.  The Lion quarterbacks accounted for 364 passing yards and four touchdowns, while completing 66 percent (23-35) of their passes.

"We played well as a unit today," Smith said.  "Everyone knew that they were going to have opportunities for catches because we knew Eastern Michigan was going to try to stop the run.  I think as a receiver corps, we played good today."

Moving to the defensive side of the ball, junior outside linebacker Michael Mauti suffered a left knee injury on the final Eastern Michigan drive of the first quarter.  With Mauti out of the game, the linebacker corps turned to senior Nate Stupar to provide a spark.

Stupar made an immediate impact on the drive, tallying two of his team-high seven tackles.  Stupar also finished with a career-high 3.0 tackles for a loss of nine yards and one sack.

"We played well today," Stupar said.  "The defensive line dominated the offensive front.  The linebackers ran around and made tackles today.  We had some fun today."

Penn State's defense forced three more turnovers on Saturday, giving the squad nine turnovers in four games this season.  The Lions forced 17 total turnovers in 13 games last year.  Additionally, the Nittany Lion defense made 13.0 tackles for a loss, including 3.0 sacks, marking the most tackles for a loss since the 2009 season opener against Akron.

"We have just done a better job going after balls, pressing gaps and not waiting for things," said Stupar.  "The coaches have really been emphasizing going and making plays yourself.  We did that today and had some fun out there."

The defense will take a great deal of confidence into Indiana week after four strong performances in non-conference play.

"We are on a roll and we just need to keep getting better week by week," Stupar said.

Stay tuned each week for the Faces of the Game feature where we highlight two Nittany Lions for their efforts on Saturday afternoon.

Follow GoPSUsports.com Media Specialist Tony Mancuso on Twitter @GoPSUTony

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Head into the Penn State locker room following Saturday's 34-6 victory over Eastern Michigan.

GoPSUsports.com talked with both quarterbacks, Devon Smith and a host of defensive players following Saturday's non-conference finale at Beaver Stadium.  See what the Lions had to say just after stepping off the field.

Follow GoPSUsports.com Media Specialist Tony Mancuso on Twitter @GoPSUTony

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Welcome to Beaver Stadium for gameday coverage of game No. 4 on the 2011 schedule.

GoPSUsports.com will provide in-game coverage from all 12 contests during the fall.  Today, Penn State will conclude its non-conference slate against Eastern Michigan.  The Lions travel to Indiana next week for their first Big Ten Leaders Division game.

Stay tuned throughout gameday for updates from the press box as things transpire.

10 a.m. - Good Morning from Beaver Stadium

Welcome to week four of the 2011 Penn State football season.  The Penn State defense turned in a dominant effort during last week's 14-10 victory at Temple.  This week, all eyes are on the Penn State offense.  The Nittany Lions will be looking to exploit an Eastern Michigan defense that allowed 376 rushing yards at Michigan last week.  Look for a healthy dose of Silas Redd this afternoon.  Fellow tailback Brandon Beachum will not see action today after spraining his right foot at practice this week.  Sophomore Curtis Dukes should see time in the backfield.

10:55 a.m. - Kicking Game

Anthony Fera warmed up with the first team kicking unit during pregame warmups.  Look for the sophomore to handle the punting duties and see time placekicking this afternoon for the Nittany Lions.  Coach Paterno has said all week that he wants to see more consistency from the kickers today.

11 a.m. - Bolden Leads McGloin Off Blue Buses

Sophomore quarterback Rob Bolden stepped off of the Blue Buses first, with Matt McGloin right behind him shortly after 10:20 this morning.  Both quarterbacks will likely again see split time with the Nittany Lion offense today.

First quarter - 12:12 remaining

Stephon Morris set the pace for the defense on the first drive, applying a crushing tackle on the EMU kick returner. Eastern Michigan surprises by starting the game with four consecutive passes and that may have been a good idea, as Devon Still blows up the Eagles' first rush attempt for a three-yard loss. After gaining 25 yards, the EMU drive sputters and it has to punt.

First quarter - 9:26 remaining

Penn State's first offensive drive stalls. Of note, freshman receiver Bill Belton made his first career catch on a flanker screen but couldn't break free and was tackled for no gain. More good news on special teams, Anthony Fera booms his first punt of the day, hitting a 57-yarder.

First quarter - 7:29 remaining

With four completed passes in the first quarter, Eastern Michigan already has more than it did in the entire game last week versus Michigan. However, EMU went to the well one too many times, as QB Alex Gillett gets sacked by Eric Latimore, who forces a fumble which is recovered by fellow defensive Jack Crawford. Penn State gets another shot on offense.

First quarter - 4:18 remaining

On Penn State's scoring drive, Curtis Drake made his first catch since the 2010 Capital One Bowl, hauling in a 17-yard pass from Rob Bolden. Kicker Anthony Fera capped the drive off with his first career field goal, connecting from 29 yards. Fera is the first Nittany Lion since Chris Bahr in 1975 to kick field goals, kickoff, and punt in a game.

Second quarter - 15:00 remaining

Eastern Michigan's pass offense proves to be no match for Penn State's pass defense on the Eagles' third drive. Linebacker Nate Stupar and defensive end Jack Crawford record sacks to put EMU in a big hole and force a punt.

Second quarter - 10:46 remaining

Special teams are off to a very good start today. Anthony Fera connected on a 29-yard field goal and has contributed field position changing punts of 55 and 57 yards. And now Malcolm Willis partially blocks a punt, forcing just a 31-yard EMU kick.

Second quarter - 8:19 remaining

Matt McGloin comes into the game and leads Penn State to its first touchdown drive of the game, connecting with running back Joe Suhey on a 27-yard scoring pass. McGloin had his choice of receivers on that play, as Suhey streaked unmarked down the sideline, receiver Derek Moye was running free through the middle of the EMU secondary.

Second quarter - 1:05 remaining

Matt McGloin is on fire through the air, completing his first eight passes for 140 yards and one touchdown.

Third Quarter - 8:00 Remaining

One more note from the first half: Penn State's defense forced three turnovers in the first half of today's game.  The Lions also forced three miscues in the fourth quarter at Temple, giving Penn State six turnovers in a span of two halves.

Third Quarter - 2:27 Remaining

Matt McGloin and Rob Bolden have put together a superb afternoon at the quarterback position.  McGloin tossed his third touchdown of the afternoon to Derek Moye in the corner of the north end zone.  Two possessions early, Bolden found Devon Smith in space for a 71-yard touchdown catch and run.  Moye made a superb downfield block to spring Smith to the end zone.  Statistically speaking, McGloin is 14-for-17 for 220 yards, while Bolden is 7-for-12 for 115 yards.  The duo has combined for four passing touchdowns today.

Fourth Quarter - 11:50 Remaining

Penn State received good news on senior cornerback D'Anton Lynn, who was carted off on a backboard after a hit during the third quarter.  Word from the team doctors is that the backboard was just a precaution.  Lynn has movement in his extremities.  He was transported to Mount Nittany Medical Center for observation.

Final Thoughts

The Nittany Lion offense turned in a 468-yard performance and the defense dominated in a 34-6 victory in the final non-conference game of 2011.  Matt McGloin and Rob Bolden combined for 335 passing yards and four touchdowns.  McGloin accounted for three scores, including two to senior wide out Derek Moye.  It was a big confidence boost for the unit heading into the Big Ten.  The Penn State defense lost two key pieces on Saturday when Michael Mauti left the contest with a left knee injury (See above for details on Lynn's injury).  Coach Paterno said after the game that Mauti's injury may be season ending during the postgame press conference.  Overall, it was a strong afternoon from the passing game and the defensive unit as the Lions now shift attention towards Big Ten play.

Follow GoPSUsports.com Media Specialist Tony Mancuso on Twitter @GoPSUTony

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Welcome to the Gameday Photo Blog from Beaver Stadium.  Stay tuned throughout Saturday for updated images from Penn State's final non-conference game of 2011.

Gameday at Beaver Stadium.

The new graphics outside the TV broadcast booth.

Inside the ESPN2 broadcast booth in the press box.

Rob Bolden and Matt McGloin lead the Nittany Lions off of the Blue Buses.

Mixing the Gatorade for the game. Four large coolers of a Gatorade and water mix.

The electronics hub on the Penn State sideline.

Coach Paterno on the sidelines during pregame.

Assistant coach Tom Bradley.

Chaz Powell's helmet.

Former quarterback Daryll Clark wishing the Lions good luck.

Assistant coach Mike McQueary talking with the Keystone Little League team.

Penn State defense.

Set for a snap on offense.

Rob Bolden back to pass.

Matt McGloin all alone before delivering his first TD pass to Joe Suhey.

Coach Paterno on the sidelines.

Follow GoPSUsports.com Media Specialist Tony Mancuso on Twitter @GoPSUTony

DeOn'tae Pannell Video Scouting Report

Glenn Carson Video Scouting Report

Beachum Sidelined with Foot Sprain

Around the Big Ten - Week Four

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Nittany Lions will wrap up non-conference play on Saturday when they welcome Eastern Michigan to Beaver Stadium for a noon (ESPN2) kick on Jersey Day.

Penn State's defense turned in a dominant performance at previously unbeaten Temple last week, forcing three turnovers and limiting the Owls to 197 offensive yards, in a 14-10 victory.  This week, the Lions will look build some momentum before their first Leaders Division game at Indiana next Saturday.

Welcome to Penn State-Eastern Michigan gameday.

Pregame Reading:

What to Watch For - Penn State

1.  After finishing the Temple game with a 12-play, 44-yard touchdown drive to clinch the victory, the Penn State offense heads into Saturday's game looking to execute scoring drives.  The Lions have preached consistency on the offensive side of the ball throughout the week of practice.  Quarterbacks Rob Bolden and Matt McGloin are seeking to end drives in the end zone.  Penn State's offense remains confident that it can become an elite unit in the Big Ten.  Establishing Silas Redd and Curtis Dukes in the running game is going to be a key on Saturday.  Also keep an eye out for the quarterbacks to tally the team's first passing touchdown of the season.

2.  Coach Paterno talked at great length during his weekly press conference about the kicking game.  The Nittany Lions are looking for much more consistency in week four after a 0-for-3 field goal outing last week at Temple (1-for-6 on the season).  Additionally, the Lions had two kicks (one punt, one field goal) blocked last week at Temple.  Look for more attention to detail in the kicking department.  Evan Lewis, Sam Ficken and Anthony Fera need to play with more consistency to help the offense put points on the board when the unit creates scoring chances.

3.  Michael Mauti, Gerald Hodges, Glenn Carson, Devon Still, Jordan Hill, Sean Stanley, Jack Crawford, Drew Astorino, Nick Sukay, Chaz Powell and D'Anton Lynn make up the starting lineup on a Penn State defense playing at superbly high level.  Look for the defensive unit to turn in another strong outing against an Eastern Michigan squad averaging 289.7 rushing yards and just 68.3 passing yards per contest.  Coming off a three-turnover outing, Penn State's defense wants to force more turnovers on Saturday.  Eastern Michigan quarterback Alex Gillett is a good athlete who likes to use his legs.  Penn State's linebacking corps has keyed in on limiting Gillett's opportunities in the running game.

What to Watch For - Eastern Michigan

1.  At the top of the gameplan for the Eagles is slowing down the Penn State running game.  Eastern Michigan allowed 376 rushing yards at Michigan last week.  The Nittany Lions want to play physical in the trenches to provide running room for Redd and Dukes on Saturday.  The Eagles need a strong outing from their front seven to keep things close on the scoreboard.

2.  The Eagles have been largely one-dimensional during the 2011 season, with a superb rushing attack and a very limited passing game.  With Penn State's size and speed up front, the Eagles will need to find some success in the passing game to move the chains offensively.  Granted, Eastern Michigan rushed for more than 300 yards in its first two games and more than 200 yards at Michigan last week, but the Eagles will need more from Gillett in the passing game to move the ball.  Eastern Michigan only attempted six passes in a 28-point setback at Michigan last Saturday.

3.  Keeping turnovers to a minimum is crucial for Eastern Michigan.  The Eagles can ill afford to give the Nittany Lions easy scoring opportunities as a byproduct of mistakes.  Penn State's defense will pose a big challenge for Eastern Michigan, but the Eagles need to execute their game.

Gameday Rundown

Breaking Down the Injuries:

Penn State: RB Brandon Beachum (foot) - Out, WR Curtis Drake (leg) - Probable, T Mike Farrell (knee) - Possible, TE Garry Gilliam (knee) - Out, DE Pete Massaro (knee) - Out, RB Pat Zerbe (knee) - Out

Eastern Michigan: No published injury report

The Game:

Kickoff: 12:01 p.m.

TV: ESPN2 - Beth Mowins (PBP), Mike Bellotti (Analyst)

Radio: Penn State Sports Network - Steve Jones (PBP), Jack Ham (Analyst)

Online: GoPSUsports.com

Stadium: Beaver Stadium (106,572) - Natural Grass

Coaches: Joe Paterno - 403-136-3, 46th season

Ron English - 4-23, 3rd season

The Series: Penn State, 1-0

The Final Word:

Penn State's defense will again set the tone for the Nittany Lions on Saturday, but all eyes will be on the offense.  Saturday provides a great opportunity for the Lions to build momentum for the start of Big Ten play.  Penn State wants to execute in all phases of the game.  Finishing drives with touchdowns, avoiding turnovers and executing in the trenches is critical for the offense.  On defense, look for another dominant afternoon from the unit.  Eastern Michigan is familiar with playing in front of a crowd, and it will come into Happy Valley ready to play.  Nonetheless, look for a crisp effort from the Nittany Lions on both sides of the ball, and in the kicking game, as they reach the end of the non-conference season.  Don't forget to wear your favorite jersey number to the stadium on Saturday.

Be on the lookout for the Gameday Photo Blog and live in-Game Blog on Saturday.

Follow GoPSUsports.com Media Specialist Tony Mancuso on Twitter @GoPSUTony

By Jeff Sattora, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - There are two ways you can look at how to win a soccer game.  First, score more than the other team, and second, don't let the other team score.  The Penn State men's soccer team has done a lot of both this season, with a newfound shutdown attitude.

Coming off a strong offensive 2010 team with an admittedly lackluster defense, the 2011 squad, with the loss of some key players, knew they would have to step it up on the defensive end.  They have done just that.

While last year's Lions group had allowed in three goals by partway through their fourth game of the season and eight goals through seven games, this Lions squad has only allowed three total in their first seven games of the year, going 5-1-1.

"A shutout is going to get us a win," said freshman goaltender Andrew Wolverton after Penn State's most recent home win, against St. Francis.

That is a sentiment that has been repeated all year long by multiple players and coaches, "the other team can't win if they don't score on us."

That mantra has been true in every win so far, as the only game that Penn State has allowed a goal was a 3-2 loss to Stetson.

Penn State senior defender Matt Smallwood mentioned one of the reasons this team has really improved on the defensive end, experience.

"Our back line, we've got a lot of experience back there between three seniors, including myself," Smallwood said. "As a defense we just try to get a shut-out every game and give our offense as much of a chance to get a goal and get us the win."

Smallwood added that while this year's team has a few new players coming in, they have all done a great job of buying into the culture in Happy Valley, and what it takes to win.

For head coach Bob Warming those new players are nothing new as he has been used to different teams with different styles his whole career.

"I have never coached two teams the same in over 30 years," Warming said. "Every group of people are unique and they're in a different place in their game each year, even if you have the same guys back."

Coach Warming knows that the defensive shutouts and stops can really help the team as a whole as Big Ten play approaches.

"It's bred confidence," he said.

Warming has been happy with the defense all year long; he is quick to not count the offense out as well.

"I think we have really good goal scorers they just haven't exploded yet."

The team is going to need that offense, along with their newfound top defense as they battle No. 7-ranked Indiana Friday night on the road.

The Lions come into town with their eighth-ranked defense nationally in goals against average at .42 allowed per game.  But on the other side of the field they are facing a Hoosiers team who is ranked 17th nationally in goals scored per game at 2.29.

"These are moments that you look forward to as a college player," said coach Warming on the game.

"We've been looking forward to this game from the beginning of the season," added Smallwood.  "You always look forward to starting you Big Ten season and they are obviously very good this year."

Although the Lions know that Indiana has that strong offense, they are confident they can get the job done.

"We've played against formations like they have use before and we've coped pretty well against it,"
Smallwood said. "We're not any more worried than any other game about going in there and getting goals and keeping goals out."

With a newfound defensive success and an offense ready to strike the Lions are really starting to roll just in time for Big Ten play.

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Big Ten season will kick off next Saturday.

As we do each week, the GoPSUsports.com Football Blog takes a look at all of the Big Ten matchups.  Let's take a look at the final week of non-conference games.

Louisiana-Monroe (1-2) at Iowa (2-1) - Noon - BTN

Iowa rallied to defeat Pittsburgh in the fourth quarter to avoid a 1-2 record heading into the final week of non-conference play.  Nevertheless, quarterback James Vandenberg stepped up when the Hawkeyes needed him to.  This week, Iowa plays host to an undersized Louisiana-Monroe squad at Kinnick Stadium.  Look for running back Marcus Coker to get things going on the ground.  Additionally, keep an eye on the Hawkeye defensive unit as it seeks a complete game against the Warhawks.

San Diego State (3-0) at No. 21 Michigan (3-0) - Noon - BTN

The Big House may be the setting for the Big Ten game of the day this week, as Brady Hoke's former team, San Diego State, travels to Ann Arbor to meet its former coach.  There is no question that the Aztecs will be motivated to play against Michigan.  San Diego State running back Ronnie Hillman is the nation's second leading rusher.  Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson will be looking for another superb game with his feet to put the Wolverines in a position to win.  The Aztecs have the personnel to make things interesting at Michigan Stadium.  It will likely come down to Michigan's play on defense.

Central Michigan (1-2) at Michigan State (2-1) - Noon - ESPNU

Michigan State will look to rebound at home following a loss at Notre Dame last weekend.  The Spartan offensive line has taken a big hit with injuries this season.  Keep an eye on the group in the trenches as it looks to jell before the start of Big Ten play.  Michigan State's offensive skill players should put the green and white in a position to put plenty of points on the board.  The Chippewas defeated South Carolina State in the opener before losses to Kentucky and Western Michigan.

Western Michigan (2-1) at Illinois (3-0) - 3:30 p.m. - BTN

The Illinois defense turned in a superb performance in last week's win over Arizona State.  The unit will face another stiff test when Western Michigan travels to Champaign.  Talented quarterback Alex Carder, who ranks near the top of the nation in passing efficiency, will put pressure on the Illini defense.  Illinois will be looking for a bigger day from Nathan Scheelhaase and the offense in its final tune-up before Big Ten play.

Colorado (1-2) at Ohio State (2-1) - 3:30 p.m. - ABC (regional); ESPN2 (outer market)

Ohio State named freshman quarterback Braxton Miller as the starter for Saturday's clash with Colorado.  Ohio State's offense struggled in its 24-6 setback at Miami last weekend.  Miller and the Buckeyes need more big plays on offense after a slow night in Miami.  Keep an eye on the turnover numbers from the Buckeyes, as well.  Colorado's offense has the ability to put points on the board coming off two good offensive games against Cal and Colorado State.

South Dakota (2-1) at No. 7 Wisconsin (3-0) - 3:30 p.m. - BTN

The hottest team in the Big Ten is Wisconsin.  The Badgers handily beat a very good Northern Illinois last week at Soldier Field (49-7).  Quarterback Russell Wilson is playing high-level football, and the Badger offense is having no trouble putting points on the board (45.0 ppg).  South Dakota upset Minnesota last season, so the Badgers know what the FCS opponent is capable of doing.  Nonetheless, the talented Badgers should have no trouble scoring early and often.

Indiana (1-2) at North Texas (0-3) - 7 p.m. - ESPN3

After scoring its first victory of 2011 against South Carolina State last week, Indiana heads on the road to North Texas for its final non-conference game.  Like Michigan State, the Hoosiers will be taking a very inexperienced offensive line on the road.  Quarterback Ed Wright-Baker tallied a 21-for-27 effort for 273 yards and two touchdowns last week.  Wright-Baker should see plenty of opportunities in the passing game against a Mean Green squad that has given up 43.3 points per game during the first three weeks.

North Dakota State (2-0) at Minnesota (1-2) - 7 p.m. - BTN

Minnesota will look to make it two straight victories on Saturday when it welcomes North Dakota State to TCF Bank Stadium.  The North Dakota State Bison come into the game ranked No. 12 in the FCS rankings this week.  Minnesota will need to play a solid football game against a talented Bison squad.  Quarterback MarQuies Gray, who leads the Gophers in passing and rushing, will be the catalyst for the Golden Gophers on Saturday.

No. 9 Nebraska (3-0) at Wyoming (3-0) - 7:30 p.m. - Versus

Nebraska's defense has given up 29 and 38 points in consecutive weeks.  While the Blackshirts need to play better defensively, the Huskers remain undefeated.  Quarterback Taylor Martinez has been dominant for the Cornhuskers, throwing for 490 yards and rushing for 424 yards in three games this season.  Nebraska will face an interesting challenge in its trip to Laramie before its first Big Ten game at Wisconsin next week.  Look for a crisp effort from Nebraska's defense as it preps for the showdown in Madison.

Purdue and Northwestern are off this week.

Follow GoPSUsports.com Media Specialist Tony Mancuso on Twitter @GoPSUTony

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Nittany Lion running back corps will be without junior tailback Brandon Beachum on Saturday.

Beachum sprained his right foot at practice this week.  He could be available when the Nittany Lions travel to Indiana next weekend for the Big Ten opener.  Beachum has carried the ball 21 times for 81 yards (3.9 ypc) through three games this season.

With Beachum out of the rotation, sophomore Curtis Dukes will likely see increased playing time in the backfield.  Dukes carried the ball six times for 47 yards during the season-opener against Indiana State.  Junior tailback Derek Day could also see action on Saturday.  Silas Redd leads the team in rushing with 255 yards and four touchdowns.

The Nittany Lions host Eastern Michigan on Saturday at noon in the final non-conference game of the season.  It is Jersey Day at Beaver Stadium.  Make sure to wear the jersey with your favorite number.

Follow GoPSUsports.com Media Specialist Tony Mancuso on Twitter @GoPSUTony

Coming off low-key competitions at the Lock Haven Dolan Duals, and the Harry Groves Spiked Shoe Invitational, the Nittany Lion cross country squads will hit the road for the first time this season, toeing the line at the high-powered Roy Griak Invitational at the University of Minnesota this weekend.  Competition is set for Saturday, September 24, with the men's 8,000-meter race slated for a 12:20 p.m., CDT, start, and the women's 6,000-meter run scheduled to follow at 1:10 p.m.

Video Scouting Report with DeOn'tae Pannell

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Each week, GoPSUsports.com sits down with one offensive player and one defensive player for a video scouting report of the Nittany Lion opponent.

After talking with senior offensive lineman DeOn'tae Pannell, we move to the defensive side of the ball for a conversation with sophomore middle linebacker Glenn Carson.  The Manahawkin, N.J., native tallied a career-high 11 tackles against Alabama.  He made three more hits at Temple on Saturday.

Take a look at what Carson has to say about the Nittany Lion defense and its preparation for the Eastern Michigan game on Saturday.

Follow GoPSUsports.com Media Specialist Tony Mancuso on Twitter @GoPSUTony

By Kelsey Detweiler, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - After graduating five senior grapplers, the 2011-'12 Penn State wrestling team may seem to feature a whole lot of new faces but the squad still has the same old expectation: winning.

Of the 36 Nittany Lions that are on the roster this season, half of those wrestlers stand at the freshman eligibility level. In other words, 18 athletes have yet to experience the feeling of attached competition under the Penn State name.

Ed Ruth and David Taylor were in the same position just a year ago. Now look at where they are.

Both Ruth and Taylor enter this season as veteran Nittany Lions, sophomores, and defending team national champions. The two combined for 76 wins and just three losses last season, and topped the charts in all but two dual match statistics.

Taylor said that coming back into the training room this year feels all too familiar.

"It's good, it's just like last year," said Taylor. "Everyone's got smiles on their faces coming in, goofing around and ready to start hitting it pretty serious here next week. We've got the freshmen coming in and they're some good kids. They're a good group of kids and they're getting along really well, fitting in real well so that's good."

In his debut collegiate wrestling season as a true freshman, Taylor led the Nittany Lions with 15 technical falls and 11 majors. Taylor garnered a team-best record of 38-1 at 157, losing his only match in his last competition of the season during the 2011 NCAA National Finals to Arizona State's Bubba Jenkins.

Ruth was a similarly strong force on the mat last season for Penn State, racking up 38 wins and just two losses all year for the second best record on the team as a true freshman. Recognized by his cat-like agility and strong counters, Ruth became a pivotal member of the Nittany Lion squad just a few weeks into his first season with the team.

The then 174-pound freshman rounded out his opening year with a third-place finish and earned All-American status for his accomplishments during the season. This year, Ruth will be working even harder at the same weight class to improve on what was an already impressive first season.

According to Wrestling Insider Magazine, Ruth is ranked No. 2 at 174 in preseason polls.

Penn State's 2011 National Runner-up at 157 is ready for more action too.

Taylor spent his summer doing some traveling and spending time with his family and friends, but he said that his mind was mostly focused on getting back onto the wrestling mats.

"I was just training and I got the opportunity to wrestle with Cael [Sanderson] when he was training for the [World Championships] and he's still growing so that was nice," said Taylor. "I'm just wrestling some different people and getting ready to wrestle again."

This year, Taylor is expected to move up a weight to the 165-pound class. Regardless of where he wrestles, he said that in order to improve on his last season he is going to need to work harder than he ever has throughout preseason.

As for the fresh roster that will make up this year's Penn State wrestling team, Taylor said that he is confident and hopeful that the newest additions to the Nittany Lions will have just as much of an impact as he and Ruth did last season.

"We need those guys to step up," Taylor said of the incoming freshmen. "We stepped up last year and we need some of those guys to step up this year and make a run at winning another title."

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - For the second time in fewer than 30 days, the Nittany Lion women's volleyball team nearly erased a 2-0 deficit to defeat a Top 10 opponent on Wednesday night.

The squad's highly anticipated Big Ten opener at10th-ranked Nebraska lived up to the expectations, as the Huskers fended off a furious comeback to defeat the fifth-ranked Nittany Lions, 3-2, in front of a sold out NU Coliseum.

Penn State's youthful squad of 13 freshmen and sophomores showed a great deal of resiliency in a hostile environment.  Nebraska stormed out to a 2-0 behind dominant play from Nebraska outside hitter Gina Mancuso.  The Huskers then jumped out to a 7-2 advantage in the third.  Everything was going Nebraska's way.

It would have been easy for the youthful Nittany Lions to surrender in the third, but they were far from being done.  Penn State rallied back to claim set three.  In set four, the Lions cruised to a 25-19 victory.  Nebraska then claimed a 3-0 lead in the decisive fifth.  Penn State would get as close as one, but Nebraska was not going to be denied on Wednesday night. 

Despite the setback, Penn State showed a great deal of grit and determination in Lincoln.  Sophomore Ariel Scott played the best match of her Nittany Lion career with 23 kills.  Fellow sophomore Deja McClendon finished with 16 kills.  Freshman Aiyana Whitney turned in a superb performance with nine kills on .353 hitting.

Penn State has plenty of things to work on moving forward, but Wednesday night's game was a learning experience and a steppingstone for the Lions.  The Nittany Lions committed 12 service errors and their ball handling will continue to improve, but the third and fourth sets should give the squad a significant boost heading into Saturday's match at Iowa.

Circle Oct. 29 as a day to be in Rec Hall.  Nebraska will make its first trip to Rec Hall as a member of the Big Ten.  First serve is set for 8 p.m., following the football game against Illinois.  Although Wednesday night's match will go down as a loss for the Nittany Lions, it opened the door for a great deal of improvement for the youthful squad.

Follow GoPSUsports.com Media Specialist Tony Mancuso on Twitter @GoPSUTony

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Each week, GoPSUsports.com sits down with one offensive player and one defensive player for a video scouting report of the Nittany Lion opponent.

This week's video scouting reports kick off with senior offensive lineman DeOn'tae Pannell.  The Southfield, Mich., native has started all three games at right guard this season.  However, a lingering ankle injury for tackle Chima Okoli has moved the versatile Pannell to right tackle at times during the last two weeks.

Take a look at what Pannell has to say about the Nittany Lion offense as it prepares for the final non-conference game of the season.

Follow GoPSUsports.com Media Specialist Tony Mancuso on Twitter @GoPSUTony

Hello Women's Soccer Fans! It's Meghan Gill here, back again this year to blog for our team as we begin competition in the Big Ten. Just to recap you on the season so far, we are 7-3-0 after a tough non-conference season, which included some great wins (Nevada, WVU, Richmond, NC State, Pitt, UVA, Bucknell) and a few tough losses (Stanford, UCF, Wisconsin). The best part of having such a tough non-conference season is that is has prepared us for the challenges we face in our Big Ten matches.

Our Big Ten season officially started this past Saturday with an away trip to Wisconsin. Wisconsin is known to be one of the better teams in the Big Ten, and one of the more physical. As the score line shows, it was a tough battle all game with the final score being a 1-0 loss for us. Although it wasn't quite how we wanted to start out our Big Ten games we learned a lot about our team and the mentality and physical presence we are going to have to bring to every game from here on out. It is a long season, and with 10 more Big Ten games left we are focused and ready to go.

However, before our first home Big Ten weekend against Northwestern and Illinois, we had a quick turnaround from Saturday with a game against Bucknell last night. This was a good game for us as we were able to almost instantly put into action those lessons we learned and not have to wait a whole week to compete and try to get back to our winning ways. It was a perfect Fall night to play soccer and a great game for the whole team as there were a few players who got their first start or made their debut for the Blue and White! The game ended in a 4-0 win for us with four different goal scorers, which goes to show our versatility that we hope to continue on in Big Ten Season.

Next up is Northwestern on Friday and Illinois on Sunday, which we hope to use to get us back on track in the Big Ten race. Northwestern played newcomer Nebraska in their Big Ten opener to a 3-1 loss, while 22nd ranked Illinois rallied from two goals down to tie Iowa 2-2 for their opener. So, as you can see the Big Ten conference is getting tougher every year, but we are as focused as ever to turn this around and keep the Penn State Tradition alive! To help us in our journey, come out to Jeffery Field on Friday at 7 p.m. as we take on Northwestern and Sunday at 1 p.m. as we take on Illinois! Hope to see you there!

WE ARE...

Tuesday Video Q&As - Jack Crawford & Michael Zordich

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - While he has never been a fan of playing two quarterbacks during his 46 seasons at the helm of the Penn State football program, head coach Joe Paterno has felt like playing two quarterbacks has given the Nittany Lions the best chance to win during the first three weeks of the season.

So, that is what he has done.  On Tuesday, though, Coach Paterno said that he would like to be able to decide on either sophomore Rob Bolden or junior Matt McGloin as the starter moving forward.

"I think both those kids are so close and both those kids deserve to play," Coach Paterno said.  "One of these days I would like to be able to say, hey, we are going to play one quarterback.  But I want to be fair.  As I said last weekend last week at the press conference, I said one thing I want to do is I want to be fair to them.  I want to be fair to the team."

When the day comes for Coach Paterno to ultimately decide on a starter, he is left to choose between two players with very similar numbers.  Bolden is 26-for-58 (44.8 percent) for 273 yards and two interceptions.  McGloin is 20-for-37 (54 percent) for 201 yards and zero interceptions.  Neither player has thrown for a touchdown.  And both have practiced well.  Granted, more goes into the decision than the noted numbers, but Coach Paterno said that the situation leaves him with a dilemma.

"And so I don't know maybe I'm making a mistake in not deciding," said Coach Paterno.  "Because as you said, I'm not real comfortable having two quarterbacks.  I'm not comfortable with it.  But I also wouldn't be comfortable if I did something that I felt ended up being unfair to one.  So I have a dilemma."

On the defensive side of the ball, Coach Paterno has been pleased with the level of the team's play.  The Lions were outstanding on defense at Temple, forcing three turnovers at crucial points in the 14-10 victory over the Owls. 

"I think we played well defensively," said Coach Paterno.  "I think we're a pretty good defensive football team.  The thing I liked about Saturday we made turnovers in the clutch.  We made some things happen for ourselves when we had to."

The Lions head into the final week of the non-conference slate with a defense performing at a very high level and an offense seeking to find more consistency.  Penn State has the personnel to become a very solid offensive unit.  The players said that Coach Paterno challenged the team to take a step forward this week prior to Monday's practice.

Whether it is Bolden or McGloin anchoring the Nittany Lion offense, the unit wants to play with more consistency from this point forward.  And with Big Ten play looming, it is time for the Lions to turn up the wick.

Penn State meets Eastern Michigan for the second time on Saturday at noon (ESPN2) inside Beaver Stadium.

Press Conference Notes:

- Coach Paterno was asked about the progress of the Nittany Lion offense during the first three weeks of the season.

"Well, a couple of things.  Obviously Alabama is a very good defensive team, and I thought Temple played really well.  We gotta do better, no question about it.  We hurt ourselves, which I think was obvious with field position on the kicking.  We had four major penalties which were careless that hurt us when we had the ball offensively."

- The Nittany Lions are working to improve the kicking game this week at practice.  The Lions missed two field goals, had a third blocked and one punt blocked at Temple.  Coach Paterno made this comment at the press conference on the kicking game.

"I'm very concerned about the kicking game, obviously.  And we are trying to get better at it.  Couple of those kids do very well in practice, and they get in the ballgame, they get a little uptight or I don't know what."

- Coach Paterno said that running back Stephfon Green will not play during the next two weeks.

- Additionally, Coach Paterno noted that he is unsure of wide receiver Curtis Drake's status moving forward.

Follow GoPSUsports.com Media Specialist Tony Mancuso on Twitter @GoPSUTony

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Each Tuesday, GoPSUsports.com catches up with two Nittany Lions following Coach Paterno's weekly press conference.

This week, we spoke with senior defensive end Jack Crawford and junior fullback Michael Zordich.  Don't forget to submit your questions for next week's Q&As on Twitter or Facebook.

Jack Crawford

Michael Zordich

Follow GoPSUsports.com Media Specialist Tony Mancuso on Twitter @GoPSUTony

By Kelsey Detweiler, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The youngest roster of Big Ten women's volleyball athletes is getting ready to face the newest member of the conference for the first time this season.

With a conference-high seven athletes registering in at true freshman eligibility, the No. 5 Nittany Lions are set to open their conference season against Big Ten newcomer and No. 10 Nebraska.

Penn State and the Huskers have not met since their last match in 2008 at the National Semifinals in Omaha, Neb., where the then tenured Nittany Lions pulled out a tough five-set win over a young Nebraska squad. This time, it's a whole new playing field featuring two of the strongest volleyball programs in the country.

The Nittany Lions are 7-3 heading into their first Big Ten match of the year on Wednesday at 8 p.m. in Lincoln, Neb. The Lions are coming off of an undefeated weekend in Rec Hall at the Hampton Inn Classic where the team swept Long Island and Rutgers, and came out on top of Florida Gulf Coast in a match that ended 3-1.

While the winning weekend is a push in the right direction for fifth-ranked team in the country, Penn State head coach Russ Rose said that he knows what lies ahead.

"We're going to be stepping up pretty big in the level of competition so we'll see how we do against the conference teams," said Rose. "I think the conference teams are going to be much more physical than the teams we saw this [past] weekend."

Rose and his coaching staff have been doing their best to find the most cohesive lineup of athletes to put together on the court for the Nittany Lions this season, but with so many new faces and such little experience on his bench he is still looking for more answers.

"I think we have enough players to have a pretty good team but we don't have a pretty good team, but we have some pretty good young players," explained Rose. "The problem is you can't flip a switch and all of the sudden the players are good and they have experience and they have confidence and they have swagger and they have confidence under pressure."

And to the Huskers' advantage, the 4,030-seat Nebraska Coliseum is not an easy place to be play volleyball as a visiting team.

Sophomore middle-hitter Ariel Scott has heard about how overwhelming and how intense the packed house of Nebraska's home court can get, and said that she and her teammates are really going to need to rely on having good communication on the court if they have a chance at contending with the Huskers.

"[Communication] is going to be a huge factor," said Scott. "They're going to have so many fans it's going to be really loud, so that's probably going to be one of the biggest things. We need to always be talking to each other, at the net be calling out hitters and the same with passers I'm sure. It's going to be crazy so it's going to be really important."

Nebraska holds a 7-1 record so far this season, taking five of those eight matches in just three short sets. The Huskers also hold an 11-6 all-time series record over the Nittany Lions.

Junior defensive specialist and setter Kristin Carpenter also knows that she and her teammates will have to play their best on every point of every set of their match against the Huskers. But she said that if she and her team really want to win, they're going to have to work side by side as one squad and really help one another out.

 "[It's] something I think we can handle if we play together," said Carpenter. "But Nebraska, like coach said like a lot of our teams in our conference, they're very physical and they're very good and they're out for blood because who's not?"

Tune in to the Big Ten Network at 8 p.m. on Wednesday night to watch live coverage of the Nittany Lions' first conference test of the season.

How's it going my Blue and White fanatics?!

Anthony here again and I just wanted to talk about our experience at the Penn State Alumni tailgate that we invited to.  Let me start off by saying this was like the after party of the Oscars.  Every Penn State celebrity was there from the Nittany Lion to the man himself, President Dr. Graham Spanier.  We actually saw Dr. Spanier right when we walked in and even though no challenge had anything to do with him I had to talk to him and get a picture.  Once we got our picture with him and after I stopped giggling like a little schoolgirl (for some reason I was really excited about meeting him) we got pictures with the Nittany Lion and the dance team too!

After we were done being starred struck we looked to the big tent in the center of the tailgate and saw that the pep rally was about to begin.  The music that every Penn State fan knows was played and Graham said some very inspiring words that got the crowd going.  Then after the team and I filled our gluttons with as many donuts as we possibly could. We made our way to the stadium, taking many pictures and videos along the way and even after the game was over. 

I invite you all to check out those pics and vids and have a good laugh and to remember to like our team page on Facebook.

Follow the Road Warriors on Twitter @PSURoadWarriors

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Follow the Penn State Alumni Association on Twitter @PennStateAlums

Thanks for the support and remember, ARE YOU WITH THE BLUE CREW???

Hi everybody! It's Anthony from your very own Chevy Blue Crew. 

This weekend was absolutely unbelievable.  Traveling down to Philly in the Chevy Sonic is something that we all will never forget.  Just try to picture the Sonic cruising down the highway at 65mph while being photographed by tons of Penn State fans yelling and honking their horn.  The most memorable moment of the trip to Philly was probably going through our first toll.  The man who we had to pay said he had a cousin who once played for Penn State football.  The funniest part of our encounter was the huge line of cars that formed behind us because of the conversation of Penn State taking place.  It is truly is amazing how you can run into people who have been directly or indirectly effected by Penn State. 

Falling to sleep that night was a challenge because of how excited we were about what tomorrow had in store for us.  Arriving to the stadium the next morning was a bit shocking to say the least.  I have always thought of Penn State as being the only school that has huge tailgates, so you could imagine my face when I saw the amount of people that filled the parking lots surrounding the Linking Financial Center and Citizens Bank Park.  Granted there were a lot of Blue and White folk in these parking lots but I did see a nice sea of red that did impress me.  We did turn a lot of heads when driving the car around but the smiles it brought to the Penn State fans was priceless.  Everyone came up to us talking about how much they loved the car and how they wanted pictures of it.

My favorite memory of Lexi, Chris, Kayla, and I driving around the tailgates would have to be when we made a wrong turn down a row of tailgaters that ended up being a one-way passage.  We were required to narrowly turn the car around with people, chairs, food, and most importantly cars surrounding us.  As I was about to get out to the car to help Chris turn that beautiful car around, a Temple fan came right up to us and helped us out.  Directing us perfectly we got the car in the right direction and were on our merry way.  It was that small act of kindness that really impressed me and made me realize that no matter who you were rooting for, everyone here was just trying to have a good time.  

Check out those pics and vids and have a good laugh and to remember to like our team page on Facebook. 

Thanks for the support and remember, ARE YOU WITH THE BLUE CREW???

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Take a look through some of the significant numbers following Saturday's 14-10 victory at Temple.

1: Cornerback Chaz Powell and linebacker Michael Mauti could not have picked better times for their first career interceptions on Saturday afternoon.  Powell and Mauti each hauled in a pick during the fourth quarter.  Mauti's interception ultimately set up Penn State's game-winning touchdown.

3: Penn State's defense forced three turnovers at Temple.  The Lions headed into the week stressing the importance of forcing more turnovers.  With two interceptions and one fumble, the defense answered the bell in a big way, and it came in the clutch moments of the ballgame.

4: Wide receiver Bill Belton became the fourth true freshman to play this season on Saturday, joining cornerback Adrian Amos, wide receiver Allen Robinson and kicker Sam Ficken.

6: Mauti and Devon Still led the Nittany Lion defense with dominant performances on Saturday.  The duo each tallied six tackles.  Mauti also registered a career-high 3.0 tackles for a loss on Saturday to go along with his first career interception.  Still added a sack to his stat line.

7: Senior wide receiver Derek Moye made a career-high seven receptions for 112 yards in the victory on Saturday.  Moye has 118 career receptions, good for sixth place in Penn State history.

11: Penn State moved to 11-4 in regular season games away from Beaver Stadium since 2008 with the win on Saturday.

15: Penn State has been very strong during the week after a loss since 2005.  During that six-year span, the Lions are 15-3 during the week after a setback.

50: The Nittany Lion defense did a superb job limiting Temple running back Bernard Pierce on Saturday afternoon.  Pierce came into the game averaging more than 150 yards per contest.  He finished with 50 on Saturday.

69: Penn State needs to limit its penalty yards moving forward after yielding 69 yards on seven flags during Saturday's game. 

197: The Nittany Lions held Temple to just 197 total offensive yards.

Monday Notebook:

Moye Tops the Century Mark

For the fifth time in his Penn State career, senior wide out Derek Moye eclipsed 100 receiving yards.  Moye turned it on the second half with several key receptions, including a crucial fourth down play on a ball delivered by Rob Bolden.  Moye also had a 52-yard touchdown reception called back because of a holding penalty.  Penn State's offense will continue to look for ways to get the ball to Moye often.

"I felt like I played decent," Moye said.  "I played a lot better in the second half than the first. I feel like I could've had some catches in the first half that could have helped the team out a lot.  But I put it upon myself to go out and make those plays in the second half."

Early Look at Eastern Michigan

The Eastern Michigan Eagles (1-2) opened the 2011 season with two victories over FCS opponents Howard and Alabama State.  The Eagles suffered a 31-3 setback at Michigan over the weekend.  Eastern Michigan played the Wolverines to a scoreless tie after the first quarter before Denard Robinson took over with 198 rushing yards.  The Eagles rushed for 207 yards on Saturday, including 80 from Javonti Green.  Michigan rushed for 376 yards.  Eastern Michigan attempted just six passes in its 31-3 setback at Michigan.

Indiana Kick Time Set for Noon

Penn State's Big Ten opener at Indiana on Oct. 1 will be a noon kickoff at Memorial Stadium with television coverage from ESPNU.  The Leaders Division contest will mark the Nittany Lions' first trip to Bloomington since a 36-31 victory in 2007.  Indiana was slated to host Penn State last fall, but the Hoosiers opted to play the game at FedEx Field in Landover, Md.  The Lions lead the all-time series between the two schools, 14-0.

Eastern Michigan Week Coverage

Stay tuned to GoPSUsports.com for extensive coverage leading up to Saturday's noon (ESPN2) kickoff.  Coach Paterno will meet the media on Tuesday afternoon at 12:30 during his weekly press conference.  Stay tuned for Tuesday video Q&As, video scouting reports and more.

Follow GoPSUsports.com Media Specialist Tony Mancuso on Twitter @GoPSUTony

By Laura Finley, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Penn State women's volleyball team redeemed itself at home this weekend, winning three matches and improving its record 7-3.

After suffering setbacks Palo Alto, Calif. last weekend, the Nittany Lions worked hard to find consistency on the court, successfully sweeping the Hampton Inn Classic tournament at Rec Hall

Sophomore middle hitter Katie Slay saw improvement in this weekend's games, but she knows there is still a lot to work on.

"I think this year is obviously a new team so everyone has new roles," said Slay, "I think we've done a good job of stepping up into our new roles. I think we can do an even better job and make sure we're really helping out the team."

Slay showed this dedication to improvement throughout the weekend, working hard both offensively and defensively to ensure the Nittany Lions took home wins against Long Island, Rutgers and Florida Gulf Coast.

On Friday night, the Nittany Lions started their first set against Long Island in a deadlock. The two teams struggled to hold onto their leads with the set resulting in seven lead changes and 12 tied scores. Long Island had control early, but a block by freshman setter Micha Hancock gave Penn State a 6-0 run led by a strong offensive showing at the net. The run ended as Long Island was not ready to give up, and challenged Penn State to a close battle. Back-to-back kills by the Nittany Lions gave them a 28-27 advantage, with the game coming to an end, 29-27, on an attack error by the Blackbirds.

Penn State dominated the following two sets taking advantage of numerous errors by the Blackbirds while also trying to find team cohesiveness. Head coach Russ Rose made a libero change in the second set, putting Ali Longo in the dark blue jersey.

Head coach Russ Rose seemed please with Longo's performance as he started her in the libero position for the rest of the weekend.

"Kristin [Carpenter] didn't have a great first game but the upside is Ali came in and did a real nice job and that's what teams are supposed to do," said head coach Russ Rose. "If somebody struggles you need somebody to step up and get the job done and I thought [Ali] played the entire game well."

Longo started as the libero Saturday morning for the Nittany Lions' match against Rutgers. A strong offense allowed Penn State to jump to early leads during the first two sets, helping the Nittany Lions win with relative ease (25-12, 25-17).

During the third set Rutgers managed to keep up with the Nittany Lions tying the game 10-10. Freshman outside hitter Aiyana Whitney, however, stepped up and made some key kills and blocks, leading the Lions on a 6-0 run. Penn State continued with this momentum concluding the set 25-13.

Later that night, the Nittany Lions had a tough start against Florida Gulf Coast, losing their first set 25-20.

"I thought we started the first game with the same inability to play that caused us to lose the three matches [this season]," said head coach Russ Rose. "Everybody had a blank face and couldn't control the ball and we made about ten errors in that game. As long as [we] do things like that it doesn't make a difference who the opponent is going to be."

Limiting their errors proved to help the young Penn State team as it quickly recovered in the second set. A strong performance by Slay helped Penn State win the match 3-1.  Slay posted ten blocks and nine kills and was helped by middle hitter Ariel Scott and outside hitter Deja McClendon on offense.

After being taken out of the libero position during the first match, Carpenter made a couple of appearances on the court in the setter position. Head coach Russ Rose felt Carpenter's experience was needed in the match against FGCU.

"[Kristin is] an experienced volleyball player and there's just some situations where we need to take the pressure off of our other attackers," said head coach Russ Rose. "If we can have [Kristin] set and Micha take a couple of swings then maybe that'll help."

As far as her own performance this weekend, Carpenter knows she needs to work harder and focus on improving her game. The next few days of practice will be vital to her and the team as the Nittany Lions will play their first conference game this season against No. 10 Nebraska on Wednesday.

"We have players that are able to be very successful and scary," said Carpenter. "I think it all starts in practice. We have to get better at practice and play harder."

By Jackson Thibodeau, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.- On a crisp morning in Happy Valley, the Nittany Lion men's and women's cross country teams hosted the Harry Groves Spiked Shoe Invitational.

With a rigorous upcoming schedule, coach Beth Alford-Sullivan decided to rest the men's and women's varsity squads.

"We took this race really low key," said Alford-Sullivan. "We sat our varsity squads so we really weren't expecting much of a team score. Our young runners gained a lot of experience as we gave them the opportunity to race on our home course."

Leading the way for the women's team were sophomores Lucia Sofo and Marta Klebe.  Sofo, placing 25th out of a field of 116 runners, posted a time of 22:51. She was immediately followed by teammate Klebe, who finished 26th and matched the time of Sofo. The tandem stuck together for the majority of the 6,000-meter race, using it as a strategy to push one another.

"I really enjoyed kicking it in with Marta [Klebe] at the end of the race," said Sofo. "It really felt as if we were working as a team out there and pushing each other."

As for the course conditions, it was a cloudy day in State College and a bit chillier than it traditionally is during this time in September.

"The conditions were great," said Klebe. "The cold really didn't bother me at all, it was perfect cross country weather."

"This is my favorite course," added Sofo. "It is pretty hilly, but the conditions were good and I felt great out there. This is my seventh time running this course including high school meets."

The No. 1-ranked Georgetown Hoyas placed first in the women's field, with six of their nine runners coming in the top ten in the race. Freshman Hannah Neczypor placed first overall, with a time of 21:05. The Nittany Lions placed fifth as a team.

On the men's side, junior Colin Anderson was the first Nittany Lion to cross the line, with a time of 27:07. Anderson was followed by sophomore Colin Baker, who crossed the line at 27:34. Both men placed in the top 25 in 5.2 mile race.

"It's starting to feel like cross country season out here," said Baker. "My strategy was to start off fast so I didn't get stuck in the back. I went out a little harder than I wanted to but I just tried to hang on and close as hard as I could."

The men's team didn't officially place, as they were ruled as an incomplete team for not having enough runners participate. SUNY Geneseo took home the top team spot, as four of their nine runners finished in the top ten. Geneseo senior Lee Berube took home the individual crown at 25:54.

The Nittany Lions can be seen in action next at the Roy Griak Invitational in Minneapolis, Minn., on Sept. 24. The next time Penn State will lace up for their home course will be on Oct. 14, for the Penn State National.

The following is the first of a series of blog posts from senior Caitlin Lane (Greenwich, N.Y.). Lane is a team captain, as well as an NCAA all-region standout in cross country, and an NCAA qualifier in track and field. The senior also holds a pair of school records, including the indoor 1,000-meters (2:45.95), and 4x800-meter relay (8:39.44) outdoors.

Life in the Fast "Lane " with Caitlin and the Nittany Lions ...

We are just two days out from our first home meet of the season! The Harry Groves Spiked Shoe Invitational is a college and high school meet named after legendary cross-country and track coach Harry Groves who coached at Penn State for 38 years. While the "top nine" from both the men and women's squads will be sitting out in preparation for next week's Roy Griak Invitational, it is time for a lot of the younger girls to have the spotlight. This race will be a big contributing factor to see who gets to travel in a few weeks to Notre Dame for the Notre Dame Invitational.

For the men and women sitting out, this will be a weekend where we train through. We will work out on the perfectly manicured Penn State golf course on Friday, (where Spiked Shoe and the Penn State National is held), and then get to the course bright and early on Saturday to cheer on our teammates racing.

The ladies that will be lacing up for this weekend's competition are junior Colleen Shannon, sophomores Matra Klebe, Kalyn Fisher, Markea Dickinson, Lucia Sofo, Gwenn Porter, and Dani Kocjancic. The freshmen that will be racing at home for the first time are Kerrin Jennings, Leigha Anderson, Rachael Casciano and Lauren Mills.

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Trailing 10-7 in the fourth quarter at Temple on Saturday afternoon, the Penn State defense knew that it needed to make a big play to spark the Nittany Lion offense.

Senior cornerback Chaz Powell provided the spark with the first interception of his career, which handed the Nittany Lion offense possession at the Temple 26 yard line.  However, four plays later, an Evan Lewis 36-yard field goal sailed off the right upright.

Like it did throughout Saturday's clash at Lincoln Financial Field, the Nittany Lion defense trotted back onto the field and answered the bell.  This time it was junior linebacker Michael Mauti who stepped up with the big play.

For Mauti, it was his first career interception at the Temple 44 yard line.  The play set up Penn State's game-winning touchdown drive, which was capped by a 1-yard score from fullback Michael Zordich.

"I'm really proud of our defense," Mauti said.  "They kept calling our number and we kept showing up.  I like the way we improved on last week.  We were emphasizing turnovers and big plays, and we did that today."

Mauti and the Nittany Lions forced three turnovers in the second half during a dominant performance from the defensive unit.  Temple gained 82 yards on its opening drive of the game, which ended with a Bernard Pierce touchdown run.

After that drive, the Owls had the ball 11 times.  Temple gained 137 total yards on those eight possessions.  Eight of the Owls' final 11 drives were four plays or fewer, including five three-and-outs.  With the score close throughout the contest, Mauti said that the Lions needed to play with intensity for 60 minutes.

"You are just more in tune," Mauti said.  "We know that when it is time to turn it on, we turn it on and we go to work.  I was really proud of our defense.  We all came together and we knew what we had to do.  We knew we had to keep getting the ball back."

Following Penn State's go-ahead touchdown with 2:42 to play, the Lion defense headed back onto the field needing to make one more big play.  Temple quarterback Mike Gerardi moved the Owls to the Penn State 34 yard line, but defensive end Sean Stanley closed the door with a sack and forced fumble on fourth down to ice the victory.

"I was on the sideline before the play was about to happen," Stanley said.  "I thought that I wasn't going to be out there for the big play.   Coach J (Johnson) turned to me and said, 'we need speed off the edge.'  I just took it upon myself to play fast.  I out-hustled the guy in front of me."

The Penn State defense has been superb during the last two weeks.  In total, the Lions limited Alabama and Temple to a combined 14 drives with two or fewer first downs.  That includes nine three-and-outs in two weeks.

On Saturday, Penn State held Temple to 197 total offensive yards.  To go along with three turnovers, the Lion defense accounted for six tackles for a loss (three from Mauti) and two sacks.  Mauti and Still led the Nittany Lions with six tackles apiece.

"It gives us a lot of confidence (heading into next week)," Mauti said.  "I don't think the game should have been that close, but we are going to improve on it every week.  We will watch tape on Monday and we will start getting ready for next week."

Stay tuned each week for the Faces of the Game feature where we highlight the Nittany Lions for their efforts on Saturday afternoon.

Follow GoPSUsports.com Media Specialist Tony Mancuso on Twitter @GoPSUTony

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Penn State touched down at the University Park Airport shortly before 6 p.m. on Saturday evening following a hard-fought 14-10 victory at Temple inside Lincoln Financial Field.

GoPSUsports.com caught up with all of the major impact players following the victory.  From Michael Mauti and Sean Stanley on the offense to Michael Zordich and Derek Moye on the Lion offense, take a look to see what the players had to say following Saturday's win at Temple.

Follow GoPSUsports.com Media Specialist Tony Mancuso on Twitter @GoPSUTony

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Behind a dominant defensive effort and a late touchdown from Michael Zordich on Saturday afternoon, the Nittany Lions knocked off Temple, 14-10, at Lincoln Financial Field.

Head into the media room for postgame comments from head coach Joe Paterno.

Follow GoPSUsports.com Media Specialist Tony Mancuso on Twitter @GoPSUTony

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. - Welcome to Lincoln Financial Field for Temple gameday coverage.

GoPSUsports.com will provide in-game coverage from all 12 contests during the fall.  Today, Penn State is in Philadelphia for a matchup against intra-state foe Temple.  The Lions are looking for their 29th straight victory against a talented Temple squad.

Stay tuned throughout gameday for updates from the press box as things transpire.

11 a.m. - Welcome to Lincoln Financial Field

The Nittany Lions arrived shortly after 10 a.m. on Saturday morning in preparation for today's clash with Temple.  Penn State wants to play a mistake-free football game against the Owls this afternoon.  There is a large contingent of Penn State fans in Philadelphia for today's game.  The tailgate lots featured plenty of blue and white to complement Temple's maroon.  The Lions should have a nice welcoming this afternoon.

11:10 a.m. - Thoughts and Prayers for Andrew Szczerba's Family

Thoughts and prayers go out to Penn State senior tight end Andrew Szczerba on the passing of his uncle Sgt. Joseph Szczerba, who died in the line of duty. He was a New Castle (Del.) County Police officer.  Szczerba traveled with the Nittany Lions and plans to play against Temple this afternoon.

11:15 a.m. - Quick Hit Keys to the Game

Penn State's offense needs to make a few big plays in the passing game, execute in the trenches and establish its running game.  On defense, the Lions must contain Temple tailback Bernard Pierce.  The Lion front seven needs a physical afternoon, as well. 

11:20 a.m. - Heading to the Field

The teams are on the field warming up.  We will be heading down to the playing surface to take some images for the Gameday Photo Blog.  Keep an eye on the play in the trenches.  That will decide today's outcome.

13:28 in the Fourth Quarter: Derek Moye Leading the Offense

Senior wide out Derek Moye is doing his part to lead the Nittany Lion offense on a second half charge.  Moye has registered a career-high six receptions for 101 yards.  Moye had a 52-yard touchdown reception thwarted by a holding call or his day would be even bigger.  He moved into seventh on Penn State's receiving yards chart.  Fellow wide receiver Justin Brown has also equaled a career-high with six catches for 62 yards.

Final Thoughts

Penn State's defense stepped up when the Nittany Lions needed it during the fourth quarter.  The Lions yielded just 137 total yards after Temple's first scoring drive.  Led by a spirited effort from Michael Mauti, the Lions forced eight Owl drives of four plays or fewer on Saturday afternoon.  Temple running back Bernard Pierce finished with 50 yards on 17 carries.  Mauti's first career interception set up Penn State's game-winning touchdown drive with 8:46 to play.  Rob Bolden marched the Lions 44 yards on 12 plays, converting two fourth downs, before Michael Zordich plunged into the end zone from 1-yard out.  Give the defense a great deal of credit for its effort on Saturday.  Penn State's defense truly took over the contest in Lincoln Financial Field.  Defensive end Sean Stanley put some icing on the cake with a sack on Temple's last-ditch effort in the final minutes.  Penn State's offense has a lot of work to do moving forward, but the defense deserves the game ball on a hard-fought battle at Temple.

Stay tuned tomorrow for the Faces of the Game Feature from the Temple game.

Follow GoPSUsports.com Media Specialist Tony Mancuso on Twitter @GoPSUTony

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. - For the first time in 2011, GoPSUsports.com is on the road with the Nittany Lion football team.

Welcome to the Gameday Photo Blog from Lincoln Financial Field.  Stay tuned throughout Saturday for updated images from Philadelphia.

Penn State boarding the charter in State College.

The view from the Lincoln Financial Field press box.

The press box.

The Nittany Lions arriving at the stadium.

Penn State on the field.

Setting the scene at Lincoln Financial Field.

Devon Still on the field at Lincoln Financial Field.

Penn State set to take the field.

Joe Suhey ready for kickoff.

First half action.

Lined up for a play.

The defense ready for a series.

First half action.

The linebackers.

Michael Mauti leaning in for instruction from Tom Bradley.

First half action.

Michael Mauti and defensive coordinator head off the field after the 14-10 win.

Coach Paterno addresses the media postgame.

Follow GoPSUsports.com Media Specialist Tony Mancuso on Twitter @GoPSUTony

Brandon Beachum Video Scouting Report

Jordan Hill Video Scouting Report

Around the Big Ten - Week Three

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Nittany Lions (1-1) hit the road for the first time in 2011 with an intra-state matchup against Temple (2-0) on Saturday afternoon at Lincoln Financial Field.

The Nittany Lions and Owls will meet for the 41st time on Saturday afternoon.  Penn State heads to Philadelphia having won the last 28 meetings between the two foes, dating back to a 7-7 tie in 1950. 

Following Saturday's setback to No. 2 Alabama, the Nittany Lions are looking to get back on track in week three.  Since 2005, Penn State is 14-3 in games after a loss.

Two state rivals are set to do battle in a critical game for the Nittany Lions.  Welcome to Temple gameday.

Pregame Reading:

What to Watch For - Penn State

1.  Penn State's defensive effort has been superb during the first two weeks of the 2011 season.  From Devon Still and Jordan Hill in the middle of the line to the linebacker trio of Glenn Carson, Michael Mauti and Gerald Hodges, the Nittany Lions are developing a superb unit on the defensive side of the football.  With Bernard Pierce and the Temple rushing attack at the forefront of the Owl offense, Penn State will look to play another physical defensive game.  The lone item missing from a strong defensive outing against Alabama was a turnover.  Look for the Lions to press for a turnover or two against Temple on Saturday.

2.  Going hand-in-hand with forcing a turnover on defense is Penn State's ability to produce big plays on the offensive side of the ball.  Coach Paterno talked at great length this week about the importance of making a few more plays.  The Nittany Lions have the personnel in the skill spots to make big plays on any given down.  Quarterbacks Rob Bolden and Matt McGloin will be looking to put pressure on the experienced Temple secondary.  Senior wide out Derek Moye and junior Justin Brown have been on the cusp of a big play during the first two weeks.  Keep an eye on those two.

3.  Establishing a running game is the top priority for the Penn State offensive line on Saturday afternoon.  Silas Redd and Brandon Beachum are two weapons for the Nittany Lions every time they carry the football.  The play up front will dictate the type of afternoon the Lion running back tandem will have on Saturday.  Temple's defensive line is a physical unit led by Adrian Robinson, but the Lions need to set the tone up front with a flawless day in the trenches.  Success in the running game will open up opportunities for Moye and Brown in the passing game, as well.

What to Watch For - Temple

1.  Temple has not beaten Penn State since Oct. 18, 1941.  The Owls head into Saturday's game with a great deal of confidence after a strong two weeks to open the season.  Playing at home, it will be a determined Temple squad on Saturday afternoon.  This is a huge game for the Owls.  Look for an aggressive approach on both sides of the ball on Saturday.  Coach Paterno labeled this Temple team as the best he has seen during his time on the sidelines at Penn State.

2.  The focal point of the Temple offense is junior running back Bernard Pierce.  The talented back rushed for 150 yards last week against Akron, marking the 11th time in his career he has eclipsed the 100-yard mark.  Pierce brings good size and superb vision to the backfield.  The Owls need a big game from Pierce on Saturday to open things up for junior quarterback Mike Gerardi in the passing game.  Temple's offensive line must play well against Still and the Nittany Lion defensive line for the Owls to put themselves in a position to win.

3.  Like the offensive line, Temple needs a very good outing from its defensive line on Saturday.  All-MAC defensive end Adrian Robinson and the Owl front seven needs to put pressure on the Nittany Lion quarterbacks.  Additionally, the Owls can ill afford a big afternoon from Redd in the backfield.  Should the Lions manufacture a strong day on the ground, Temple's defensive front will face an uphill battle.

Gameday Rundown

Penn State: T Mike Farrell (knee) - Doubtful, TE Garry Gilliam (knee) - Out, DE Pete Massaro (knee) - Out, T Chima Okoli (leg) - Probable, RB Pat Zerbe (knee) - Out

Temple: No published injury report

The Game:

Kickoff: 12:01 p.m.

TV: ESPN - Dave LaMont (PBP), Ray Bentley (Analyst)

Radio: Penn State Sports Network - Steve Jones (PBP), Jack Ham (Analyst)

Online: GoPSUsports.com

Stadium: Lincoln Financial Field (68,532) - Natural Grass

Coaches: Joe Paterno - 402-136-3, 46th season

Steve Addazio - 2-0, 1st season

The Series: Penn State, 36-3-1

The Final Word:

Coming off Saturday's highly anticipated matchup with Alabama, Penn State heads to Temple looking to get back on track.  Following a game like last Saturday's, there is always the potential for a flat start, but the Nittany Lions have talked about the importance of executing on both sides of the ball throughout the week.  Temple's offensive strength is its ground game and that plays right into the teeth of a Nittany Lion front seven that is coming off of arguably the best game the unit has every played.  Offensively, the Lions want to play a mistake-free football game.  Penn State has preached big plays throughout the week.  It will be interesting to see how that translates onto the field (on both sides of the ball) against a talented Temple team. With it being week three, the Nittany Lion offense is poised to create more success sustaining drives and putting points on the board in the red zone.  But the outcome will be decided in the trenches on what should be a sunny afternoon at Lincoln Financial Field.

Be on the lookout for the Gameday Photo Blog and live in-Game Blog on Saturday from Lincoln Financial field.

Follow GoPSUsports.com Media Specialist Tony Mancuso on Twitter @GoPSUTony

By Jackson Thibodeau, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.- The Nittany Lion cross country team heads into Saturday eager to host one of its only two home meets this season.

The meet, The Harry Groves Spiked Shoe Invitational, is named after hall of famer and former Penn State cross country head coach, Harry Groves. The meet is an invitational, so it not only hosts Penn State and other collegiate squads, but area high school teams and other participants can enter.

The races will take place on the Blue-White Golf Course on Saturday morning. The women's race, a 6,000-meter trek, will begin at 10 a.m. The men will follow with a grueling 5.2 mile contest starting at 10:45 a.m.

Groves, who coached the Nittany Lions' cross country and track teams for 38 seasons, is honored to have his name on a meet that contributes so much to the sport.

"It's always nice to have your name on something that is worthwhile," said Groves.

The hall of famer was the head coach at William and Mary for 12 seasons before taking over the reigns at Penn State in 1968. According to the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association, Groves coached 21 national champions, 227 all-Americans, and 14 Olympians in his five-plus decade career.

The annual meet began in the early 70s after Coach Groves took over as head coach in Happy Valley. The meet started as a traditional two-team dual meet before progressing and transforming into an invitational hosting more teams, and for the Nittany Lions, providing more competition.

Throughout the years, the competition at this event has fluctuated.

"The meet goes back and forth," said Groves. "The last few years have been very competitive, but it really depends on how the national schedule falls out. It really depends on the team and the year, it just varies."

Being so early in the year, some coaches decide to rest their top stars and give younger runners experience. For Groves, however, he is confident that the meet will be competitive regardless of who is racing on Saturday.

Groves retired in 2006, but has remained an active member of the meet and has had some involvement with the team.

"It is hard to say how they will fare this year because I'm not as involved with the team," said Groves. "I do know they have been doing some great training and are ready to do some good running."

Regardless of the season or the race, Penn State cross country has had a history of success.

"It has always been a good program and you can always count on the team to make an impact in cross country and track and field," said Groves.

The Nittany Lions will host their final home meet of the season on October 14, the Penn State National.

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Big Ten season is two weeks away. 

As we do each week, the GoPSUsports.com Football Blog takes a look at all of the Big Ten matchups.  Let's take a look at the penultimate week of non-conference games.

Pittsburgh (2-0) at Iowa (1-1)- Noon - ESPN2

After letting a lead slip late in a 44-41 triple overtime loss to rival Iowa State last weekend, the Hawkeyes welcome the "high-octane" Pitt Panthers to Kinnick Stadium.  Pittsburgh head coach Todd Graham will spread the field against the Hawkeyes on Saturday.  Additionally, Iowa will face off with running back Ray Graham, who leads the nation in rushing.  James Vandenberg and the Hawkeye offense will find opportunities to score, but the Iowa defense needs a 60-minute performance to score a much-needed home victory.

Eastern Michigan (2-0) at Michigan (2-0) - Noon - BTN

Following its epic comeback victory over rival Notre Dame in the first night game at Michigan Stadium, Michigan welcomes Eastern Michigan to the Big House in week three.  The Wolverines made big plays when they needed to on Saturday, but head coach Brady Hoke wants to see more consistency on both sides of the ball.  Keep a close eye on the defensive performance from the Wolverines.  With its playmakers on offense, Michigan should have no trouble putting points on the board against the Eagles.

Southeast Missouri State (0-1) at Purdue (1-1) - Noon - BTN

The Boilermakers received some very good news earlier in the week when starting quarterback Robert Marve was given medical clearance to play.  Caleb TerBush has done a nice job in Marve's absence, but the Boiler offense will be looking for a nice boost from Marve.  Don't be surprised to see both quarterbacks on the field on Saturday.

South Carolina State (1-1, 1-0) at Indiana (0-2) - 3:30 p.m. - BTN

The Indiana Hoosiers are desperate for a victory after a tough start to 2011.  The Hoosiers suffered a heartbreaking loss at Virginia last week.  They welcome FCS foe South Carolina State to Bloomington on Saturday.  Look for big plays from Ed Wright-Baker and Demarlo Belcher in the passing game. 

No. 15 Michigan State (2-0) at Notre Dame (0-2) - 3:30 p.m. - NBC

For the second straight week, Notre Dame will square off with a Big Ten opponent.  Notre Dame's turnover-prone start to the 2011 season has prevented the Irish from winning both games on its schedule, and the Fighting Irish are desperate.  With that being said, the Spartan defense will need to play a very good game on Saturday afternoon.  Notre Dame will put points on the board, but limiting big plays is going to be a key area to watch for when Michigan State is on defense.  Kirk Cousins and the Spartan offense will have opportunities to score, but this game could come down to turnovers.

Miami (Ohio) (0-1) at Minnesota (0-2) - 3:30 p.m. - BTN

Minnesota will likely have head coach Jerry Kill back on the sidelines after recovering from last week's seizure.  The Golden Gophers, like Indiana, are searching for their first win of 2011.  Minnesota is searching for more consistency on both sides of the ball against the defending MAC champion Red Hawks.  Dual-threat quarterback MarQueis Gray should see plenty of opportunities to put points on the board for Minnesota.

Washington (2-0) at No. 10 Nebraska (2-0) - 3:30 p.m. - ABC (regional); ESPN (outer market)

Nebraska will meet Washington for the third time in 12 months on Saturday afternoon in Lincoln.  The Huskers drilled Washington in Seattle during the regular season (56-21), but Washington shut down Nebraska in the Holiday Bowl, 19-7.  Taylor Martinez and the Huskers should have plenty of motivation after an inconsistent outing against Fresno State last weekend and the result of the Holiday Bowl in mind.  Head coach Bo Pelini wants to see more from his defense against the Huskies.

Northwestern (2-0) at Army (0-2) - 3:30 p.m. - CBS Sports Network

Northwestern's 2-0 start in 2011 has been an impressive one with backup quarterback Kain Colter undefeated as a starter.  The Wildcats will likely be without Dan Persa again this week, but the focal point of Pat Fitzgerald's gameplan will be on the rare test Army's triple option offense provides.  Northwestern will be playing on the road at Michie Stadium, marking the second time in three weeks the Wildcats have been away from Evanston.  Army has the potential to move the football offensively, but Northwestern's offense should move the chains on a regular basis.

Northern Illinois (1-1) vs. No. 8 Wisconsin (2-0) (Soldier Field) - 3:30 p.m. - ESPN3

Northern Illinois head coach Dave Doeren knows Wisconsin very well.  The former Badgers defensive coordinator will face off with his former team in a neutral site contest on Saturday afternoon.  Doeren's defense will need to play a perfect football game to contain Russell Wilson and the talented Badgers.  Wisconsin will likely put points on the board, but the key area to keep an eye on is the Wisconsin secondary against Northern Illinois quarterback Chandler Harnish.  Harnish has thrown seven touchdown passes in two games.

No. 18 Arizona State (2-0) at Illinois (2-0) - 7 p.m. - BTN

The primetime clash between the 18th-ranked Sun Devils and Illini has the potential to be a very intriguing matchup.  Arizona State posted an impressive victory over Missouri (37-30) last week, but Dennis Erickson's squad needs more consistency.  For Ron Zook and the Illini, this game is a great opportunity to score a signature non-conference win heading into Big Ten play.  Illinois quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase and senior tailback Jason Ford need solid nights, but the Illini defense is the place to watch.  A victory over Arizona State could go a long way for Illinois' confidence level.

No. 16 Ohio State (2-0) at Miami (Fla.) (0-1, 0-1) - 7:30 p.m. - ESPN

All eyes will be on Sun Life Stadium on Saturday night for a matchup between two teams who have been under the watchful eye of the NCAA during the past few months.  The Buckeyes escaped with a five-point victory over Toledo last weekend.  Miami was off last weekend after a season-opening road loss at Maryland, without starting quarterback Jacory Harris.  The Canes welcome Harris back to the lineup this week.  Ohio State is still searching for more consistency in all three phases of the game.  The Buckeye defense will need a strong outing, and quarterback Joe Bauserman will need to make some plays.  Consistency on both sides of the ball is crucial for the Buckeyes in Miami.

Follow GoPSUsports.com Media Specialist Tony Mancuso on Twitter @GoPSUTony

By Scott Traweek, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Penn State concluded a grueling eight game out of conference stretch in epic fashion after upsetting seventh ranked Virginia (6-1-1) on Sunday, 3-2.

The Nittany Lions (6-2-0) emerged on a high note after falling short against, now 20th-ranked, Central Florida (4-1-1) in double overtime, 2-1.  Despite the heartbreaking defeat, the Lions rallied around sophomore forwards Maya Hayes and Taylor Schram, who combined for all three of Penn State's goals and two of the squad's four assists, to outduel the Cavaliers in the second half.  The win at Virginia was critical to the team's confidence with the start of Big Ten play this weekend.

"Our confidence has grown through our depth this past weekend," said head coach Erica Walsh.  "Most importantly is just the unity of this team, these guys are working for each other right now."

At the heart of Penn State's victory on Sunday was the play of sophomore forwards Hayes and Schram.  In the 22nd minute, Schram scored her fourth goal of the season, assisted by Hayes and Christine Nairn.  Hayes tallied her 11th and 12th goals of the season, including the game winner in the 66th minute off of a cross from none other than Schram.

Hayes has now scored in seven straight games, tied for the third longest scoring trend in Penn State history with Katie Schoepfer (2009) and Christie Welsh (2000).  Together, Hayes and Schram have proven to be a lethal combination up front.

"We've been playing well together," said Hayes referring to the chemistry between the two young forwards.  "My movement with her knowledge of the field, I guess you could say, just works well."

With the spotlight on the offense, little credit has been given to a defense that has allowed a mere five goals in seven games, accompanied by four shutouts.  The Lion defense gave up a goal early in both games last weekend, a problem senior defender Emma Thomson spotted immediately.

"I think just right from the start being switched on," Thomson said in response to the defense giving up four goals in two games.  "Two of the goals on the Friday and the Sunday came early, so I think that was just a lack of concentration."

The defense will be key as Penn State approaches Big Ten play.  This weekend, the Lions will be missing a crucial piece in junior Lexi Marton, who is currently training with the Canadian national team.  As the offense faces the physical Big Ten teams, it will become significantly more difficult to put points on the board, which means the back line will be forced to stand together and keep the ball out of the net.

"There's some very good goal scoring teams within this conference, so we're going to have to be strong in the back line," said Coach Walsh.

The difficult out of conference schedule has served to prepare the Nittany Lions for what's ahead.  Penn State finished with a 6-2-0 record having already faced three teams currently ranked in the top 25, not including West Virginia who was formerly ranked 17th. The experience was huge for the youthful Nittany Lion squad who has since come together in preparation for the Big Ten schedule.

"We've been faced with many challenges already and just for that to happen so early on, it's just positive for Big Ten play," said Hayes.  "Especially with the different types of teams you face against in the Big Ten."

"It's just going to be sticking to our game plan, what we do best and just working on our strengths," added Thomson, referring to the upcoming game against Wisconsin.

The Lions meet the Wisconsin Badgers on Saturday in Madison, Wis., to open up Big Ten play.

Video Scouting Report with Brandon Beachum

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Each week, GoPSUsports.com sits down with one offensive player and one defensive player for a video scouting report of the Nittany Lion opponent.

After talking with Brandon Beachum, we move to the defensive side of the ball for a conversation with junior defensive tackle Jordan Hill.  The Steelton, Pa., native is coming off the best game of his Penn State career on Saturday.  Hill tallied eight tackles against Alabama.  The center of the Penn State defensive line is beginning to evolve into a dominant unit for the Nittany Lions.  Hill and senior Devon Still have done a superb job disrupting the offenses during the first two weeks of the season.

Take a look to see what Hill has to say about the Nittany Lion defensive line and Temple.

Follow GoPSUsports.com Media Specialist Tony Mancuso on Twitter @GoPSUTony

By Laura Finley, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Relief could describe the Penn State women's volleyball team this week as the team returns home for the Hampton Inn Classic this Friday, Sept. 16-17.

The team is coming off of two tough losses at last weeks Nike Big Four Volleyball Classic in Palo Alto, CA. The players are looking forward to playing in front of their home crowd, but still know there is a lot at stake.

Practice this week has been critical as the players work hard to find their team balance. Senior outside hitter Katie Kabbes said this balance comes down to limiting errors and communicating on the court.

"We know what we need to work on and coach has highlighted that for us," said Kabbes. "We're working on communication and getting the kinks out of a young team that hasn't played together much. The focus is on getting reps for our setter and just talking more in our drills. Talking is critical."

After travelling for two weeks, the women's volleyball team returns to Rec Hall with their work cut out for them. The Nittany Lions will play matches against Long Island University, Rutgers and Florida Golf Coast University. All three teams are coming off of recent wins.

"We have some of the best fans in the volleyball world," said Kabbes. "This is a chance for us to redeem ourselves at home and play our game and get ourselves together for our first Big Ten conference game against Nebraska next week."

Head coach Russ Rose has reiterated to his players that cutting down on errors this weekend is key. The team finished with a .179 hitting percentage last weekend at the Nike Big Four Volleyball Classic, accumulating a total of 59 errors in two matches.

"Coach tells us if we want to be a good team we have to keep our eyes open and we have to work on limiting our errors," said Kabbes. "You can't win when you're averaging seven errors a game against a competitive team. That's just never going to happen."

The Nittany Lions will play their first match this weekend at 7 p.m. against Long Island on Friday, Sept. 16. The next match will follow on Saturday, Sept. 17 at 10 a.m. against Rutgers with a match against Florida Gulf Coast later that evening at 7 p.m.

  -      Last Week: The Penn State Women's Volleyball team lost 3-1 to Stanford and 3-2 to Texas at the Nike Big Four Volleyball Classic. Sophomore outside hitter Deja McClendon continued to lead the team in kills, reaching a career milestone of 500 kills.

  -     This Week: Penn State hosts the Hampton Inn Classic on September 16-17. The Lions look to improve their record this weekend as they get ready for their first Big Ten Conference game against Nebraska next week.

Vs. Long Island University has won its past two games, carrying it to a 4-7 mark overall this season with a 0-3 record in away games. Sophomore outside hitter Hanna Gibeau and freshman right side hitter Annika Foit will be players to watch during the match on Friday as both lead their team on offense. Penn State is 4-0 against Long Island with their last match in 2008.

Vs. Rutgers recently won their last game against Lehigh, 3-0, allowing them to maintain a 6-7 record this season. Junior setter Stephanie Zielinski leads the team in assists with senior middle blocker Hannah Curtis leading the offense in kills. The Scarlet Knights are also 0-3 in away games. Penn State has won the past 15 matches against Rutgers and hopes to extend this record on Saturday.

Vs. Florida Gulf Coast University claimed a much needed win over Radford this past weekend with the Eagles now 3-6 overall. Freshman setter Gigi Meyer leads the team in assists on offense while senior libero Holly Youngquist has been a team leader on defense. This will mark the first meeting Penn State has had against FGCU.

By Jeff Sattora, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, PA - The players and coaches on the Penn State men's soccer team know that they can score goals late in games when the pressure is on.  The question this season so far has been can they put one in the net early to put the pressure on, and take that to a win?

The team answered that question Wednesday night: yes.

The Lions (5-1-0) had yet to put in a first half goal in any of their four previous wins on the season going into Wednesday night's 1-0 battle with in-state rival Saint Francis.

That streak thankfully ended for the Lions at the 18:55 mark in the game when junior defenseman Brian Forgue knocked it in the back of the net.

"It was a great ball whipped in to Jordan (Tyler) at the front post and he headed it," said Forgue on the goal. "After that it was just a scrum and I was lucky to be in the right spot at the right time."

For Penn State, they know just how important it is for the team to be able to get on the board early in the game.

"It was very important because it dictates the game," said junior forward Minh Vu. "It gives us confidence."

The goal by Forgue increased the number of players who have scored for this Lions team to six on the year, making it hard for other teams to key on any one player.

"We don't depend on one guy, it's all about teamwork, whoever gets the goal gets the goal," Vu said.

"That's the great thing about our team, everyone has their own unique talent," added head coach Bob Warming on the goals being spread around.

Coach Warming brought up another stat outside of goals scored for a reason he was in a good mood after the game, plus/minus.  That is the goals scored vs. the goals given up on free kicks.

"Last year we were -1, this year so far we're +5, that's huge progress for a program," Warming said.

With the top teams in the country being in the double digit plus range the Lions know that that number is a strong indicator of just how far this team is going to go.

That early goal was even more important as the game went on for the Lions with St. Francis getting physical and drawing three yellow cards (two by one player) within a two-minute span late.

Freshman goalie Andrew Wolverton mentioned after the game how the team being so competitive helped them in that situation with the Red Flash.

"We're pretty competitive in practice," Wolverton said. "Through practice everyone is pretty level headed and we use each other to stay calm."

Penn State is hoping to keep up those competitive practices and this winning streak as they begin a road trip and Big Ten play in the upcoming weeks.

"Being undefeated at home is going to give us a lot of confidence going away," Vu said. "We just take one game at a time, we focus on one game and get the W then focus on the next one."

With first half goals finally going in and the defense locking down like they are Penn State has every reason to believe they can keep this winning streak right on going.

By Cassie Speno, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - On Monday, the Penn State women's lacrosse team started its first week of fall practice. After graduating seven key members of the squad, the Lion's are ready to assume new leadership rolls and begin to rebuild the team.

"Fall is going to be really interesting this year," said head coach Missy Doherty. "We graduated a lot of leadership. Fall ball is a great time to discover new leaders whether they are coming from any class. Returning players need to assume impact-playing rolls. We need young players to step in and possibly start right away. So fall ball is a good time to see that and push players in rolls maybe there not as comfortable with but we need for our team right now."

Senior captain and Big Ten Goalie of the Year, Dana Cahill says the team is excited and ready for the challenge.

"Going into fall ball I think the team's goals are to build a strong team chemistry and learn more about the different styles of play that people bring to the team," said Cahill. "We are looking forward to working hard this fall season. When we play teams we need to look at what we are doing well as well as what we need work on, so we can fix them before the season starts.  As a team we want to push each other in practice. We want to show people that we are ready."

The Nittany Lions practice four days a week, with one day being a scrimmage day and will participate in four weekend competitions.

"October 1 we have our alumni game at Penn State, which is always a great weekend," said Doherty. "The next day we will travel to play at Maryland. Oct. 16th we have a tournament in Virginia that benefits Parkinson's disease. The men's team will also be participating in this tournament.  Then the final competition will be at JMU on Oct. 22. It's a good mix of really tough competition. Last fall, I thought we could have challenged ourselves more, so this year we are playing some really tough teams."

The team who already ran one of their run tests a few weeks ago, proved how hard they had been working all summer and came back stronger and faster than ever.

"The girls came back in awesome shape," said Doherty. "We had our first conditioning test and it was one of the more fit teams I have worked with.  They really worked hard over the summer to give themselves a head start as far as conditioning goes. Now, thankfully from that we can move on and go into more of the team building concepts."

During practices the coaching staff mixes conditioning into drills, but is careful to not go overboard in the offseason resulting in any injuries.

"We are running sport, they picked lacrosse so they know its running," said Doherty. "We want to keep the girls healthy and keep a good balance of keeping them fit, but not going overboard and hurting them."

The practices this week have focused on team concepts and individual skills that the Lions don't get the opportunity to focus on as much during the season.  Going into her fourth year of fall ball, goalie Cahill knows how important it is to work hard during the off season.

"Since this is my fourth year of fall ball, it is easier to know what to expect and how hard you have to work during this time to prepare for the season in the spring," said Cahill. "Fall ball is a great time to work on improving your individual game so that by the time February comes around, you do not have to work as much on the little parts, instead you can focus on the big picture...the season that is ahead."

The Penn State Nittany Lions after just a week of practice are already making improvements individually and handling challenges together as a team.

"They are responding really well so far," said Doherty. "I have already seen some players really make an effort to improve their game more than they would have before. We need them to assume roles that they may not be as comfortable with, but we need for our team right now. It is off to a great start, I think the team has been really positive and working hard."

The Nittany Lions will begin their fall action when they take on their fellow alumnae at 10:30 a.m. on Oct. 1.     

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Each week, GoPSUsports.com sits down with one offensive player and one defensive player for a video scouting report of the Nittany Lion opponent.

The Temple scouting reports kick off with Youngstown, Ohio, native Brandon Beachum.  The junior tailback brings a hard-nosed, downhill running style to the Nittany Lion backfield.  Beachum has the tools to play a big role in the passing game out of the backfield, as well.

Take a look at what Beachum has to say about the Nittany Lion offense as it prepares for the road trip to Temple.

Follow GoPSUsports.com Media Specialist Tony Mancuso on Twitter @GoPSUTony

By Kelsey Detweiler, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - When it comes to being a successful athlete at the Division I level of collegiate volleyball, sometimes it helps to have a bit of a split personality.

Penn State setter Micha Hancock has mastered the art of being a relatively quiet student outside of Rec Hall, and then becoming an aggressive force to be reckoned with when she steps onto the volleyball court.

"I mean, I'm pretty relaxed as a person and some people even call me passive," said Hancock. "But when things need to be done I just want to get them done and I want to win. I want to come out on top."

Returning AVCA Freshman of the Year and teammate Deja McClendon has already noticed the same spark in her new left-handed setter.

"She's fiery - I like her a lot," said McClendon. "I think she's one of those people who is quiet, and then when she does talk she's super spunky. Especially on the court when she's being loud and she's being vocal, she's super spunky."

The 5-11 freshman has quickly made her presence known on a squad of defending national champions, earning the starting spot at setter for the Nittany Lions just two matches into the 2011 season.

Hancock is your typical all-around athlete. Growing up in the small town of McAlester, Okla., she enjoyed playing both basketball and volleyball but because both were so time conflicting, she had to choose between the two.

Hancock said that by the time she was in seventh grade, the choice was an easy one to make.

"I'm not a really a runner," admitted Hancock. "I don't like to run that much so that kind of takes down basketball but I've always just really liked volleyball so it just kind of went from there. I was really young and I was just really in love with the game."

It doesn't hurt that the lefty freshman seemed to find herself surrounded by volleyball for the majority of her childhood. Hancock started playing volleyball when she was just seven years old, following in the footsteps of her mother, Kelly, and her older sister, Kelsey, who is a three-year letter winner and senior outside hitter at the University of Tulsa. In fact, Hancock and her family moved to Edmond just so that she and her sister could get more exposure as athletes.

"I'm just really competitive," said Hancock. "I just want to win all the time. I'm competitive in mostly everything I do but mainly volleyball just because I've been doing it for so long that I just love it."

Her go-getter attitude and strong left-handed swing has helped her tally a team-high 22 service aces in just the six matches she has seen playing time in this season.

Hancock is becoming what McClendon would say is a threat to other teams that the Nittany Lions face.

"People are going to see her power," said McClendon. "Other teams are going to see that and know that she can hit. She can do these things and she has a great serve. It's great to have that option because when she's an option that means a blocker has to worry about her and not us."

The Oklahoma native is settling in just fine at Happy Valley, and she is looking forward to continue learning the ways of such a prestigious volleyball program. Hancock said that the tradition of winning that Penn State holds is one that makes her even more determined to succeed.

"Knowing what's been going on at this school kind it doesn't pressure you, you just know that there's that standard there," said Hancock. "When I step on the court it's just another game, no game is different for me I just want to win."

That drive and passion is something that Nittany Lion fans can expect to consistently see from the newest Penn State setter. Hancock is ready to deliver.

By Jeff Sattora, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - They often say in sports that you can't teach height, and standing next to Penn State men's soccer goalie Andrew Wolverton that phrase is clearly true.

Wolverton, the 6'5" starting freshman goalie on the 4-1-0 Nittany Lions, has helped steady a once shaky defense and made the jump from high school to Division I soccer seem seamless for the Nittany Lions.

Wolverton talked about knowing what to expect in his jump to Division I, and mentioned how previous experiences have helped him along the way.

"I kind of knew somewhat with the experiences in the past from playing at some decent levels," Wolverton said about what to expect.

Decent levels seemed to be an understatement from the freshman, who was a two time state champion goalie in high school, as well as member of the Under-18 national soccer team before coming to Happy Valley.

The highly touted All- American recruit has really seemed to impress head coach Bob Warming early in the year, who is excited about the possibilities down the road.

"I think Andrew's made some big saves for us, really terrific saves, and very mature saves," Warming said of his young goalie. "The good news is I think he has more in him."

The head coach isn't the only one who has seen improvement in the recently named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week, senior defender Matt Smallwood has also seen a step up in his freshman teammate.

"When he started you could obviously tell he was a little nervous, he was a freshman coming in here to a pretty big Division I program, but every game he's gained confidence," said Smallwood. "He's really improving."

Wolverton also was one to acknowledge changes in his game, as he talked about how much his game has changed from the high school fields in Georgia to the college ones in State College.

"I think I've improved with a lot of hard work, it's just everything, especially getting here and playing with the team is huge, seeing how the back four play," he said.

Wolverton realized the importance of hard work in his early high school club days when he actually lost the starting spot in goal.  Standing on that Division I field today Wolverton said how that moment really made him push himself every day to always go harder, and helped him get to where he is now.

Four people who have seen and benefited from Wolverton's hard work are the Penn State back defensive players.

That back four, filled with three seniors and a junior, have been on some Penn State teams in the past who struggled in the goals against department.  That has changed so far this year, with one of the biggest changes having one of the biggest guys on the field in net.

"He's a monster," said coach Warming, talking about his 6'5" freshman's height.

'His size his incredible," added Penn State assistant coach, Bo Oshoniyi, saying it is the one of Wolverton's biggest strengths early in his career.

Although the goalie is well known, and often first noticed, for his height, he talked about wanting to be known as an all-around player.

"I try to make my game as all-around as possible; I think you shouldn't necessarily focus on one particular thing, "Wolverton said. "In order to be the best you have to work on every single aspect."

One person who has helped make Wolverton into that better all-around goalie is assistant coach Oshoniyi, who works with the goalies.

Oshoniyi, the former Division II All-American goaltender has been vital to his young goalie's success, according to both Wolverton and Coach Warming.

Wolverton talked about how both coaches, Oshoniyi and Warming, have helped his game improve, adding that they knew things he would never have thought of, which has made him a better student of the game.

"Bo is such a calm man, I think that's helped Andrew be calm in the goal," Warming added.

Oshoniyi can also be added to the list of people who likes what he has seen so far from his goalie.

"I think right away he's come in and he's done well, he's gaining confidence in the group, especially with the back four," Oshoniyi said. "I think they believe in him and he's been able to do pretty well."

"He's no longer a freshman, he's a Penn State soccer player," Coach Warming said after Wolverton's fourth shutout in five games.

Looking at the numbers so far Wolverton isn't just any Penn State soccer player; he is a good one.

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Each Tuesday, GoPSUsports.com catches up with two Nittany Lions following Coach Paterno's weekly press conference.

This week, we spoke with two senior offensive tackle Quinn Barham and senior defensive end Eric Latimore.  Don't forget to submit your questions for next week's Q&As on Twitter or Facebook.

Quinn Barham

Eric Latimore

Follow GoPSUsports.com Media Specialist Tony Mancuso on Twitter @GoPSUTony

Tuesday Q&A - Quinn Barham

Tuesday Q&A - Eric Latimore

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Penn State tackle Quinn Barham said it best on Tuesday afternoon at the weekly press conference.

"Right now, we are in the present tense," Barham said.  "We are focused on Temple now."

The Nittany Lions reviewed the film from Saturday's clash with Alabama, learned from it, and now focus has been shifted to this week's contest at Lincoln Financial Field against a talented Temple team.  Coach Paterno said on Tuesday that he is very impressed with what he has seen from the Owls on film.

"This Temple team is the best Temple team I've ever seen, and that's in all the years we've played," Coach Paterno said.  "They've got some size.  They've got speed.  They've got excellent quarterbacking.  They're a good football team."

Temple will be a very hungry football team heading into Saturday's game.  The intra-state foes battled to a close 22-13 contest last fall in Happy Valley.  The Nittany Lions are expecting a valiant effort from the Owls on Saturday.  Coach Paterno's focus is on the team's ability to step up and make some big plays, on both sides of the ball.

"We've got to go out there with the idea, hey, we're going to make some things happen for ourselves," Coach Paterno said.  "Can't moan about the officiating, can't moan about this or that.  We've got to make some things happen for ourselves.  And right now we don't seem to have that sense."

Penn State's playmaking ability stems from confidence.  There is no question that the Lions are on the cusp of making a big play on both sides of the ball, and Coach Paterno thinks the group will respond to the test.

"I think we've got to take a good look at ourselves and say, hey, we've got a ways to go," Coach Paterno said.  "And Temple certainly is not going to be somebody that's going to be easy.  It's going to be tough.  And we better get ourselves ready to play as well as we can play."

The defense will need another strong outing against talented running back Bernard Pierce and the Owl offense.  On the offensive side of the ball, Coach Paterno said that he wants to see more focus from the receiving corps to eliminate dropped passes.  He also noted that he intends on using both Rob Bolden and Matt McGloin under center on Saturday.

It is a critical week for the Nittany Lions to refocus and regroup after the emotional contest against Alabama.  Penn State will travel Temple on Saturday at noon on ESPN.

Press Conference Notes:

- As we mentioned in the story, Coach Paterno intends on playing both Rob Bolden and Matt McGloin. Here is what he had to say on the quarterback subject:

"I think we've made a decision up to a point that we want to play both of them for a while until we find out exactly which one we think might be better for the football team and help them win as opposed to the other kid.  But right now I think it's a toss up.  I think both of them are doing well.  There again, I think I said after the ballgame I'm reluctant to have people start blaming it on the quarterback.  I mean, I think we're just not making plays."

- Following his career-high tying performance on Saturday against Alabama, Devon Still is poised for a big fall.  Since his superb outing at the Outback Bowl, Still has been on a tear for the Nittany Lions.  Coach Paterno had this to say about Still at the press conference:

"Devon played an outstanding game Saturday.  He really did.  And Devon was elected captain by his teammates.  And his own quiet way he's a guy that leads by performance.  And he's one of the guys that right now is going to have to come to the front and pick up a couple of guys that have not had the kind of success he's had or paid the price he's paid to be good."

- Wide receiver Curtis Drake saw action on Saturday against Alabama for the first time since the Capital Bowl at the end of the 2009 season.  Coach Paterno noted on Saturday that he does not think Drake is quite at 100 percent yet.  He is wearing a green cross at practice (no contact).

- Coach Paterno said that senior running back Stephfon Green will not be with the team this week.

- Coach Paterno hopes to be back on the sidelines on Saturday at Temple.  He said that he is "optimistic, but not positive" that he will be back at field level on Philadelphia.

Follow GoPSUsports.com Media Specialist Tony Mancuso on Twitter @GoPSUTony

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Penn State's defense heads into Temple week with a great deal of confidence after a strong outing against Alabama, but it wants to force more turnovers.

The Lions just missed out on two critical interceptions on Saturday that could have altered the landscape of the 27-11 setback to the Crimson Tide.

"Yes, we thought we had a couple of picks," defensive coordinator Tom Bradley said. "We were in some good coverage schemes I thought. When we get the opportunity, we have to make those plays."

The Lions were close, but they realize the importance of creating turnovers as the season wears on.

"I was proud of our defense," junior linebacker Michael Mauti said. "We forced a lot of three and outs and were flying around making tackles, but the main thing is we didn't cause turnovers and they did. It's a big determiner in wins and losses; we've been trying to emphasize that all week. It's one area we've got to capitalize on."

Putting pressure on the quarterback is a big piece to the turnover puzzle.

"That's frustrating. It comes down to getting to the ball, putting pressure on their quarterback and really stopping the run," senior defensive end Jack Crawford.

The Lions will build on Saturday's strong defensive day against the second-ranked Tide when they meet Temple at Lincoln Financial Field on Saturday.

"We were real close, real close," senior defensive end Eric Latimore said. "It's just the way the ball goes, so you just keep on trying."

Early Look at Temple

Temple moved to 2-0 and 1-0 in MAC play with a 41-3 rout of Akron over the weekend.  The Owls returned 46 letterwiners and 13 starters in 2011.  Junior running back Bernard Pierce has rushed for 297 yards and six touchdowns already in 2011.  Pierce is the focal point of the Temple offensive attack.  Junior quarterback Mike Gerardi is 21-for-37 for 328 yards and three touchdowns.  Defensively, the Owls rank No. 3 in college football in sacks this season (5.50) and No. 4 in scoring defense (5.00).  Temple defeated cross-town rival Villanova, 42-7, in Steve Addazio's head coaching debut.

Temple Series Stats

Saturday's game will mark the 41st meeting between the Owls and Nittany Lions.  The Lions lead the series, which dates back to 1931, 36-3-1.  Under head coach Joe Paterno, Penn State is 27-0 against Temple.  The Owls have not defeated Penn State since a 14-0 victory on Oct. 18, 1941.  The two teams tied in 1950.  This will be Penn State's 15th game at Temple and its second trip to Lincoln Financial Field.

Eastern Michigan Kick Time Set

The Big Ten announced the kickoff times for all 12 of the conference's Sept. 24 games on Monday.  Penn State and Eastern Michigan will kick off at noon on either ESPN, ESPN2 or ESPNU.  The network decision will be finalized following this Saturday's games.  The Nittany Lions and Eagles have met just once before, with Penn State tallying a 52-7 victory at home in 1992.

Temple Week Coverage

Stay tuned to GoPSUsports.com for extensive coverage leading up to Saturday's noon (ESPN) kick at Temple.  Coach Paterno will meet the media on Tuesday afternoon at 12:30 during his weekly press conference.  Stay tuned for Tuesday video Q&As, video scouting reports and more.  We will also hit the road with the Nittany Lions on Friday to provide extensive coverage from Philadelphia.

Follow GoPSUsports.com Media Specialist Tony Mancuso on Twitter @GoPSUTony

By Kelsey Detweiler, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Penn State wrestling squad added a total of 16 new faces to its roster and all but one of these athletes are true freshman for the 2011-'12 season.

After an exciting 2010-'11 season that saw the Nittany Lions' win the program's first Big Ten Championship and the 2011 NCAA National Championship, this year's team has some big shoes to fill.

The national champions graduated five tenured wrestlers at the end of last season, and the Lions are looking to use a few of these rookie athletes in their title defense.

Morgan McIntosh is one of these several fresh grapplers that have been added to the mix. The new Nittany Lion spent his summer preparing for his first year in college and also competed in the 2011 USA Junior Greco-Roman & Freestyle Nationals.

McIntosh said that when he was trying to decide what school to attend this fall, his decision became much easier after his first visit to Penn State where he met head coach Cael Sanderson.

"He's an awesome guy - he's probably the main reason why I decided to come here," said McIntosh. "I can't wait to watch him in the World Trial."

The Santa Ana, Calif. native said that he will be working hard at getting faster and stronger before the start of the season, trying to wrestle at the 197 spot. McIntosh is ready to go.

"I can't wait," said McIntosh. "It's going to be so fun and I'm just so excited to be here right now. I just get to train and follow all of these guys here and the All-Americans and the coaches, it's just going to be a great experience."

Another new Nittany Lion had a slightly different opinion of coach Cael.

"Cael's okay," joked incoming freshman Nico Megaludis. "No, Coach Cael is awesome and all of the coaches, it's unbelievable how much they know and how great they are. They know their stuff to say the least."

Megaludis comes to Penn State from just outside of Pittsburgh in Murrysville, Pa. The lightweight freshman spent his summer in State College taking classes and training with other Penn State wrestlers, discovering just how unique the Nittany Lion program really is.

"It's awesome," said Megaludis. "[There are] a lot of jokesters, I love it you know we have a lot of fun. It's not just wrestling, wrestling, wrestling - it's enjoying it so, it's really nice."

Having only spent a few months in Happy Valley, Megaludis already seems to understand the tradition of winning that surrounds Penn State wrestling.

"I like to wrestle the full seven or however long the match is," said Megaludis. "I like to have a high pace and hopefully it will lead to some national titles so that's the goal."

By Cassie Speno, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.- On Sunday afternoon, the sixth-ranked Penn State field hockey team (3-3) defeated the Quinnipiac Bobcats 6-1. After Thursday's tough loss to Princeton, the Penn State Nittany Lions were able make adjustments and refocus with a quick turnaround.

Following Thursday's 4-3 set back, the Nittany Lions wanted to fix their passing game, play more solid defense and play as a unit. Captain Hannah Allison believes the team did a good job of that against the Bobcats.

"We wanted to keep up possession passing and play good defense and I think we picked that up today," said Allison. "I thought we came out as a team, a lot of other games have been individualized and I think today we played well as a unit and did a great job of finding each other."

The Nittany Lions made it evident that they were there to win from the opening whistle. With just 2:43 gone on the clock, Kelsey Amy fired in a penalty corner shot assisted by Sophomore Whitney Reddig. Sophomore Ashtin Klingler went on to put Penn State ahead by two with her first goal of the season with 15:53 played in the first half. Only 44 seconds later, Amy fired in her second shot of the game off of a breakaway.

Penn State finished the first half leading with a score of 5-1. Even though they were ahead by four, the Lions weren't going to let this lead slip away. Head coach Charlene Morett told the squad at half time that the team still needed to play with more effort.

"I told them we needed to be better," said Morett. "I think we have a tendency to get a little sloppy when we look at the score. I wanted to try to make our game better, especially our passing game because I didn't think we did a great job of that in the first half."

The Lions were able to make these adjustments even with various substitutions and lineup changes throughout the second half.

"Even with the substitutions we rolled throughout the game I thought that the people who stepped in really stepped up and did a nice job," said Morett. "Defensively I thought we did a much better job in the second half. We changed some people around. We put Brittany Grzywacz in the back, I like her back there and she did a great job of getting the ball out for us."

Going into this week the Penn State field hockey team will look to build off this 6-1 victory and continue the momentum throughout this week in practice. "Team" is a theme the Lions have emphasized strongly this season and they will look to continue that effort and improve upon it during training this week.

"I think we need to keep the field spread and get every one involved in the passing and attacking game as well as the defensive game," said Morett.

The Nittany Lions will be traveling this weekend with back-to-back road games. Saturday's match-up will take place in Durham, N.C. against the ninth- ranked Duke Blue Devils (3-1) at 1 p.m.  The team will then travel to Harrisonburg, VA to take on the Virginia Commonwealth Rams at 1 p.m.

The team's next home contest will be on Thursday Sep. 22nd against Temple.

By Jeff Sattora, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - While rain and lightning strikes filled the sky, Penn State used a few offensive strikes of their own to take down Saint Peter's in men's soccer at home Friday night, 3-0.

The Nittany Lions and Peacocks battled through a whistle-filled first half to a 0-0 tie at the break when two half an hour lightning delays slowed down the action.

The first half was filled with missed chances and sloppy play on both sides as Penn State was aggressive on the offensive attack but was unable to put away any of their six shots into the back of the net, or convert off any of the team's six corner kicks in the first half of play.

The Lions were also held back by the ref's whistle, being called for seven offside penalties in that first 45 minutes of action.

Saint Peter's was held to only one shot in the first half against the Penn State defense and also hurt themselves with the officials, committing eight fouls.

While the rain and weather would be assumed to be a problem, Penn State coach Bob Warming just seemed to add it to the list of weather issues that the Lions have faced this season.

"This has been three crazy games in a row," Warming said, explaining how the Lions had to deal with heat exhaustion last Friday and lightning delays last Sunday in Columbus at Ohio State, and now another delay back at home.

Penn State sure seemed to play like the weather delay didn't bother them, as after the hour long break they really seemed to step their game up.

"Obviously it changed the atmosphere we just had to get ourselves fired back up and get ready to play and obviously we did that," said senior defender Matt Smallwood.

After a quick second half goal on a header by junior forward Hasani Sinclair from six yards out gave Penn State the 1-0 lead Smallwood showed he was ready to play with great hustle on the defensive end of the field.

With a Saint Peter's player breaking down the field looking to tie the game at one Penn State freshman goalie Andrew Wolverton misplayed the ball on a diving attempt, which let almost a completely open shot from the side of the net.  Fortunately for the Lions Smallwood had other ideas and slid in to make a kicking save.

"Wolverton came out and as a defender when he comes out your first instinct is to come back towards the goal and I did it and luckily I was able to get there in time and clear it off the line," Smallwood said about the play.

That play kept a string of great plays going for the home team as they started to pull away as the clock wound down.

Sinclair mentioned after the game he felt confident once one goal hit the team would start rolling.

"I feel like the team knew once one goal went in more would start coming, so basically all we needed was one goal then we knew we would get more," Sinclair said.

Behind the momentum of Sinclair's quick goal and the save by Smallwood the Lions seemed to step up their game, especially sophomore forward Jordan Tyler.

Tyler, who was tied for second on the team with five goals last season, was able to knock in his first two of the 2011 campaign to secure the win. 

"Coach has always told me that he has big expectations of me this year and I kind of felt like I wasn't living up to his expectations because I hadn't scored yet, so I'm just happy to finally be on the scoreboard," Tyler said about his two goals.

There was no disappointment in Warming's voice after the game as he was happy to see both Sinclair and Tyler get some offense going.

"Goal scorers often go in streaks, so it's nice to get one going," Warming said, adding, "every time you score a goal you gain more confidence."

Confidence is high in Happy Valley following another shutout win, and the Lions just hope to keep that streak right on going, no matter what the weather tries to do to stop it.

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Take a look through some of the significant numbers following Saturday's 27-11 setback to No. 2 Alabama.

0: Penn State forced zero turnovers for the first time since last season's clash with Northwestern on Saturday.  Most of the defensive players we talked to after game said that this stat was the only thing missing from an otherwise strong outing.  Forcing turnovers is huge for the Lion defense moving forward.

6: Penn State's defense turned in a strong collective performance on Saturday.  Although the final score shows 27 points for the Tide, Penn State halted six Alabama drives featuring two or fewer first downs from the Tide.  The list includes four three and outs.

7: Devon Still was one of five Nittany Lions to equal or set a career-high in tackles on Saturday.  The senior defensive tackle registered seven hits, including one tackle for a loss, in a very strong performance.  Still also had seven tackles in the 2011 Outback Bowl against Florida.

8: Fellow interior defensive lineman Jordan Hill posted a career-high eight tackles against the Tide.  He had seven at Alabama last season.  Hill also posted one tackle for a loss on Saturday.  The junior tackle arguably played the best game of his career against Alabama.

11: Eleven was a good number for the Penn State linebacking corps on Saturday afternoon.  Both middle linebacker Glenn Carson and outside linebacker Gerald Hodges posted a career-best 11 tackles against Alabama.  Both players were disruptive throughout the afternoon.  Hodges was also just inches away from an interception on Alabama's first touchdown play.

13: The third starter in the linebacker unit, Michael Mauti, capped off a career-best afternoon with 13 tackles and two pass breakups.  Mauti played a central role in Penn State's strong defensive performance in his third career game of 10 or more tackles.

16: Rob Bolden marched the Nittany Lions on a 16-play scoring drive to open the game.  It was the longest drive by the Nittany Lions in terms of plays since a 17-play field goal drive against Kent State last season.

86: Through two games, Penn State has converted six of its seven red zone appearances into points, which is good for 86 percent success inside the 20 yard line.  The Lions scored a touchdown on their only trip to the red zone on Saturday.

111: With three catches for 51 yards on Saturday, senior wide out Derek Moye has now made 111 career catches, which is good for eighth on the all-time list at Penn State.

107,846: Saturday's atmosphere at Beaver Stadium was fantastic.  A big pat on the back goes to Nittany Nation for creating a superb environment for college football.  The 107,846 fans in the stadium marked the largest crowd to ever watch Alabama play.

Follow GoPSUsports.com Media Specialist Tony Mancuso on Twitter @GoPSUTony

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Alabama's point total in Saturday afternoon's 27-11 outcome inside Beaver Stadium is not indicative of the defensive effort Penn State's unit put together.

The Lion defense forced the No. 2 Crimson Tide to punt six times, all of which came after drives that were five or fewer plays.  Overall, the Nittany Lions forced a trio of three-and-outs, and linebackers Michael Mauti and Gerald Hodges will argue that there were four.

Middle linebacker Glenn Carson met Brad Smelley in the hole on the fake.  However, the Tide earned a first down by the slimmest of margins.  Seven plays later, Alabama punched in its first touchdown to claim a 7-3 lead.

It was a huge momentum swing for the Nittany Lion defense at the time, and the Lions thought they had the fake punt stopped short of the first down marker.

"I thought we had the stop," Mauti said after the game.  "Glenn (Carson) hit the kid and he went backwards.  We were all going crazy on the sideline and then they called us back.  We were kind of breathing heavy and sucking wind a little bit and then they went on a long drive.  But you have to respond."

Like Mauti, Hodges said that the fake punt was a big momentum play.

"Definitely, it felt like a dagger," Hodges said.  "You felt like you had it, and then they get the ball.  We had to come back and change our whole momentum."

Mauti and Hodges were two of five Nittany Lions who posted career highs (or tied) in tackles on Saturday.  Mauti paced the Lions with 13 hits, while Hodges added 11.  Carson also tallied 11, Jordan Hill made a career-high eight stops and Devon Still added a career-high tying seven tackles.

While the Tide put 27 points on the board, Hodges and Mauti spoke at great length after the victory that the defense played well on Saturday afternoon.  It was a strong collective outing for the defensive unit.   The lone thing missing on the defensive stat sheet was a forced turnover.  The Lions were inches away from a pair of interceptions, but give Alabama credit for playing a mistake-free ballgame.  

"We are ready to go," Hodges said.  "Even though it might not seem like it because they put points (on the board), we are ready to go...I just feel like we have to come together as an offensive and defensive team.  Once we put it all together, we will be good."

The Lions will use Saturday's setback as a learning experience to build on for the remaining 10 games on the schedule.  While the final score was not what the squad had hoped for, Mauti is already looking ahead.

"We have to bounce back," Mauti said.  "We have to learn from everything.  Whether it is a big win or a big loss, we have to learn from it.  After tonight, we will watch this tape, and then it will be gone...It's hard to put a positive spin on it, but we haven't started Big Ten play yet.  We still have to go out and win the Big Ten.  That is our goal.  That's what we are going to be emphasizing."

Stay tuned each week for the Faces of the Game feature where we highlight two Nittany Lions for their efforts on Saturday afternoon.

Follow GoPSUsports.com Media Specialist Tony Mancuso on Twitter @GoPSUTony

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Head into the media room following Saturday's 27-11 setback to No. 2 Alabama to hear from several Nittany Lion players.

Follow GoPSUsports.com Media Specialist Tony Mancuso on Twitter @GoPSUTony

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Welcome to Beaver Stadium for Alabama gameday coverage.

GoPSUsports.com will provide in-game coverage from all 12 contests during the fall.  Today, Penn State hosts No. 2 Alabama in clash among national powers.  The Nittany Lions and Crimson Tide will collide for the 15th time, but the first in Happy Valley since 1989.

Stay tuned throughout gameday for updates from the press box as things transpire.

1:30 p.m. - Good Afternoon from Beaver Stadium

Welcome to the day everyone in Happy Valley has been waiting for.  Penn State is set to clash with No. 2 Alabama for the 15th time in its history.  One big area to keep an eye on is how well Penn State plays in the trenches on offense.  Penn State's offensive line will need to execute against a talented Alabama defense for the offense to find success on Saturday.  Going hand-in-hand, Penn State will need to move the ball on the ground to put itself in a position to defeat Alabama.  It is easier said than done against Alabama's elite defense, but the Lions need a surge up front to reach the second level (linebackers) on Saturday afternoon.  Doing so will give Silas Redd and Brandon Beachum room to operate.  Additionally, the jerseys worn by the Penn State quarterbacks need to be clean.

2:30 p.m. - Quarterbacks Lead Team Into the Stadium

Rob Bolden was the first to step off the Blue Buses with fellow quarterback Matt McGloin right behind him.  Both quarterbacks will likely again see time for the second straight week for the Nittany Lions.  As we mentioned in the first post, the Lions need a crisp afternoon from the men up front.  Additionally, it is essentiall for the Nittany Lions to play mistake-free football.  We will be heading down to the field for the first half to take photos for the Gameday Photo Blog.  Stay tuned for an update at halftime with thoughts from the field.

First Half Observations

After a strong opening drive that ended with a field goal, Penn State's offense headed into the locker room looking to find a way to find more consistency moving the football.  Credit the Nittany Lion defense for a very strong half against the second-ranked Tide.  Aside from A.J. McCarron's 29-yard connection with Marquis Maze, Alabama's offense was held without a big play.  The key play of the first half came on the fourth-and-short fake punt from the Tide at its own 40 yard line.  It looked as though the Nittany Lions had the play stopped, but Brad Smelley edged his way for a first down.  Seven plays later, the Alabama offense was in the end zone.  Additionally, a crucial fumble on a pivotal third down play late in the first half on a Rob Bolden completion to tight end Andrew Szczerba led to Alabama's second touchdown.  Szczerba had enough yardage for the first down on the play, which would have set Penn State up with a first down at mid field.  Nonetheless, the Lions trail by two scores at the break with Alabama receiving the opening kickoff.  Penn State needs a flawless second half.

Third Quarter Rundown

Penn State's defense did its part on the opening two series of the second half with back-to-back three and outs.  Both Alabama drives resulted in punts, which put the ball in Penn State's hands at its own 38 and 46 yard line, respective.  Nonetheless, Alabama's defense forced two punts.  On Penn State's third drive of the half, Bolden connected with Derek Moye for a 27-yard completion.  Bolden had the Lions on the march, but a toss into double coverage resulted in a Mark Barron interception.  Alabama's 18-yard field goal in the third quarter was the lone score in the period.  Penn State heads into the fourth needing a scoring drive.

Final Thoughts

The Nittany Lion defense forced Alabama into six punts, all of which coming on drives in which the Tide had five or fewer plays.  But the big stat of the afternoon was the turnover column on the final stat sheet.  The Lions committed three costly turnovers, which led to 14 Crimson Tide points.  The defense played a solid football game, but lacked the big turnover it needed to potentially alter the landscape of the contest.  On the flipside, Penn State's offense could not find a rhythm against a very talented Alabama defensive unit.  Penn State will regroup this week before its trip to Temple on Saturday.