By Michael
Renahan, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff
Writer UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - After leading through
most of the first half and battling hard in the second half, the Penn State
Nittany Lions fell to the Yale Bulldogs, 10-7, in the opening round of the NCAA
Tournament.
The loss marks the end to a historic centennial
season for the program and the end of stellar careers for nine Nittany Lions.
Penn State struggled early in the game turning
the ball over, but eventually found their feet and started to play very effectively
on offense. Yale, back-to-back Ivy League champions, opened up the scoring just
over four minutes into the game, but Penn State responded quickly scoring two
of their own to end the first period.
Goalkeeper Austin Kaut had a memorable first period saving five Bulldog shots
and keeping his team alive early on. Kaut, a junior, could be heard yelling out
commands and was proving why he had earned
nomination for a Tewaaraton award.
The Nittany Lions then scored three more goals
in the second period, including a rocket of a shot from freshman T.J. Sanders,
to take a 5-1 lead into halftime. Penn State had clear control over the
Bulldogs but knew they were still in for a fight in the second half. The
Nittany Lions fast pace offense had the Bulldogs on their heels and Penn State
knew it.
"We felt good at halftime but we knew that there
were some opportunities that we missed in the first half to almost put the game
away," Sanders said. "We learned earlier this season that the game is never
over at half, so we were ready for the second half, things just didn't fall our
way."
The Bulldogs answered the challenge of coming from behind. As Yale head coach Andy
Shay recognized, this was not the team's first time trailing at halftime. The
Bulldogs scored four goals in the third period to only one from the Nittany
Lions. They brought the lead down to just one and had started to frustrate the
Nittany Lions offense.
"I thought they did a great job of playing team
defense. They shared responsibility very well. I don't think we moved the ball
very well today, I thought we talked about it all week; I thought we did a good
job this week. But to their credit, they got their sticks in the passing lanes,
took away a lot of our initial options, [we] ran some plays early in
possessions and they did a pretty good job of defending that," head coach Jeff
Tambroni said. "We probably didn't do our part of sharing the ball enough and, again,
to their credit they played with seven guys. All six guys and their goalie
played well."
The Nittany Lions struggled to regain their
offensive synergy after halftime. The ball was not moving as well in the
offensive zone for Penn State, and the Bulldog defense had stepped up their
level of play tremendously. Penn State continued to battle and kept generating
solid shots on goalkeeper Eric Natale, but the shots just did not find the back
of the net.
The game was set up for what was sure to be an
epic fourth quarter. Just a few minutes
into the quarter the Nittany Lions faced a two man down situation. The game was
tied, but the Bulldogs were moving the ball well. Penn State stood tall and
killed the penalty off, something they hoped would lead to momentum going
forward.
"That was huge for our defense," senior captain
Jack Forster said. "Tyler Travis had a nice interception there which was huge
for us. Yeah, I thought it was going to definitely turn the tides."
Despite Penn State killing the penalty, Yale
continued to move the ball effectively against the Nittany Lions. After forcing
a turnover in the defensive end, Kaut launched a pass down the left side of the
field to make a quick play for the offense. The pass, unfortunately, went long
and opened a breakaway goal for Yale's Conrad Oberbeck.
"Just undisciplined play on my part," Kaut said.
"I was trying to make a play for the team, I saw Travis Crane open and just
sailed it. Just undisciplined play on my part."
The Bulldogs used a 9-2 run after halftime to
earn their NCAA win. The Nittany Lions defense battled hard in the second half,
but the Yale offense just had the better day.
"They were really trying to work that invert
short sticks behind and they just kept doing it and doing it and they really
kept our offensive middies on the field. Our offensive middies played great
defense, we just didn't really play great team defense down there and they got
the best of us," Kaut said.
All in all the Nittany Lions were forced into nine
fourth quarter turnovers, an uncharacteristic performance for the normally sound
group.
Along with the rest of the team, Forster battled
hard but could not find a way to put the ball past Natale. Even in the face of
defeat, the Nittany Lions never once backed down, never once quit and played
hard until the final whistle was blown.
"Yeah, it's tough when nothing is falling for
you and they're scoring on the other end," Forster said. "It seemed like things
just weren't going our way, it was tough."
The Nittany Lions will now take some time and
reflect on what a tremendous season they had. They earned their first NCAA
tournament bid since the 2005 season. They reached the CAA conference final and
Coach Tambroni was named Coach of the year. The team reached 12 wins and was
ranked in the top ten all season in the Ratings Percentage Index. Several
individual players were also recognized for their excellent efforts during the
season.
"Then for our guys, I just feel a sense of pride
for our seniors, our captains in particular, Jack [Forster] and Travis [Crane],
they did a wonderful job this year of bringing Penn State to new heights,"
Tambroni said. "I know it hurts and I know every one of those guys in there did
everything they could to put us in a position to win today, but it just wasn't
mean to be."
The 2013 season was a huge successful for the Nittany
Lions and gives the program quite the platform to build from going forward.
"I'm hopeful we will reflect positively on the
2013 season and I'm hoping our seniors will and I'm hoping that our juniors,
sophomores and freshman, some that are sitting here to my left and my right,
will have learned from this experience and just do a better job when we get
back here next year and see if we can start the building process ahead
immediately," Tambroni said.
"I'd like to congratulate Yale. I think that
they did a great job. They're coaching staff and team certainly believes in
what they do and you can see that certainly by the way they played through the Ivy
League championship games," Tambroni said. "They got great leadership, they
believe in themselves, they believe in their system and I'm sure they're going
to do very well in this tournament."
As for seniors like Jack Forster, they will look
back on their careers here at Penn State and be pleased. As a group, they
worked hard and they worked together, leaving everything on the field.
"It's been a long road. Six years," Forster
said. "This season definitely capped it off with making the NCAA tournament.
It's been a great year, just sad to leave and it definitely hurts going out
from this."
"We wanted so much more than just a step up,"
Kaut said. "We worked hard to get where we were at today and we wanted to make
it even more special than it already is and we just didn't come up with it
today."
By Michael
Renahan, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff
Writer UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Penn State Nittany
Lions beat the Canisius College Golden Griffins, 14-13, in a down to the wire
game Friday night at the Penn State Lacrosse Field.
The Griffins brought the Penn State lead down
to just one with 12 seconds remaining but were unable to score a final goal
against the tenacious Nittany Lion defense. The Lions never once looked worried
or nervous; they just remained focused and finished off the game.
As the rain fell and the Nittany Lions
celebrated the hard-fought victory, it was clear to see how much this game
meant to them. A loss would mean their season was over; instead they now get to
move forward and play again Sunday with hopes of advancing to the
quarterfinals, a spot where they were knocked out just a year ago.
"Any game could be your last game, so you
don't want to end your season on a loss," junior attacker Mackenzie Cyr said.
Cyr recorded a hat trick, her sixth of the
season, and assisted on three more goals. She is now second on the team in
assists with 30.
The Nittany Lions got terrific play from
their young star players. Freshmen and sophomore players accounted for nine of
the team's 14 goals. Sophomores Maggie McCormick and Kelly Lechner both scored
two goals while freshmen Jenna Mosketti and Ally Heavens also scored two of
their own in the victory.
"This whole experience and this whole year have been great. We've achieved
things that we didn't think we would. Every game has been sort of a battle, and
we're definitely battle tested, and a big reason for that is our young players
coming through, and our older players leading them," head coach Missy Doherty
said. "It's been a good mix and we're glad that people stepped up. It was good
to see them step up."
Canisius head coach Scott Teeter referred to the Nittany Lions as a "very quick
tempo [team] and they got some big scorers."
All in all, the Nittany Lions had seven
players score a goal in the win, six of which had two goals or more.
Penn State started the night extremely hot.
Attacker Molly Fernandez beat Griffin goalkeeper Kayla Scully just 18 seconds
into the matchup with a blistering high right corner shot. The goal set a tone
for Penn State as the team went on to open a 4-1 lead with a little over 17
minutes remaining in the first half.
The Nittany Lions made an emphasis to pound the ball in the offensive zone to
generate more and more shots. They used quick passes and hit their cutters
perfectly to open the lead. The offense looked to be unstoppable in the early
going, but Canisius rebounded quickly.
The Griffins scored two quick goals in a row to bring the game within one.
Morgan Leonard, the team's top scorer, beat freshman Emi Smith in the top right
corner. Lindsey Morgan then notched her first goal of the game, 36 of the
season, beating Smith with a low shot.
Penn State had a quick group huddle and looked determined to stop the Canisius
offense. The team would prove it could keep up with the fast paced offense
holding them scoreless for five minutes while Ally Heavens scored a goal to
widen the gap to 5-3. Colleen Shea proved her toughness numerous times taking
several charges from the Griffins and always getting back up.
Shea quietly had a solid game helping contain a very effective Canisius
offense. She has played a major role in shutting down top scorers and will
continue to do so as the team advances.
Penn State and Canisius were locked at 5-5 with one minute to go before the end
of the first half when Lechner took a feed from Mackenzie Cyr and beat Scully.
The goal gave a major boost to the confidence of the Nittany Lions as they
entered halftime up by one. Penn State played hard in the first half and knew
they had to come out strong in the second to beat the surprising Griffins. Canisius
had given them fits all afternoon and Penn State was slowly figuring out how to
get past them.
Canisius, however, continued to play strong against the battle tested Nittany
Lions. They came out and scored two quick goals to start the second half. Penn
State appeared to be re-energized once they lost the lead and came firing back
scoring four in a row. Canisius held their only lead for a mere 31 seconds.
"I think when it was back and forth a lot and I think when we come into those
minor situations, we always want to come up with [new energy] and come up with
the draws and the little plays and that's what our team is all about," Heavens
said.
"I think we want to play consistent the whole game regardless of how the game
is going and going back and forth. Thankfully, our girls make big plays when it
matters so we always know when it's close or when we take a big lead or they
take a big lead, that we just have to keep playing well," Doherty said. "We just wanted to come back in and start
doing the simple things well and finish on the simple shots and thankfully the
girls did a good job of battling back and winning the game."
Penn State then opened up their scoring with stellar lockdown defense leading
to fast-break opportunities for the offense. The team scored three goals to
widen the gap, including Fernandez's second goal of the night on a terrific
free position opportunity. The second goal marked 100 goals for Fernandez's
career, an incredible accomplishment for the senior.
As a defense, the Nittany Lions played hard. The game was much more physical
than the team had experienced this season, but they rose to the occasion every
time. Assistant coach Amy Altig seemed pleased with the way her team played
defense. The coach consistently applauded the strong play from the sidelines.
The Griffins, who only lost five games all season, also use their quickness to
beat defenses. Penn State's defense matched the speed and intensity the
Griffins brought.
Despite the Griffins bringing it within one with 12 seconds left, the team
finished strong as a whole. Emi Smith played solid again at home. She recorded
four saves in the victory, including a few big free position stops to preserve
the lead. Penn State forced Canisius into nine turnovers throughout the game. The
Nittany Lions also showcased their dominance off the draw by grabbing 22 to the
Griffin's seven.
The draw had been a focal point of the team's practice during the week, and to
see it executed so well was pleasing to Doherty.
"Like I said, Kate Guy did awesome on the draw today," Doherty said. "The girls on the circle did really well
coming up with the loose balls and the possessions and it was a focus for us
this week at practice and they really did a great job of that."
The Nittany Lions now turn their attention to the University of Massachusetts for
a 1 p.m. showdown on Sunday. Massachusetts is coming off a 14-10 victory over
the University of Connecticut Huskies. The Minutewomen match up well against
the Nittany Lions across the board. Two junior attackers, Sam Rush and Katie
Ferris, lead the charge for the team. Together they have scored 108 goals and
led one of the most explosive offenses in the nation. Ferris ranks No. 37 in
the nation with 2.76 goals per game while Rush ranks No. 8 in the nation with
3.21 goals per game. The Nittany Lions will face the challenge to slow down an
offense that scores around 15 goals a game if they want to win. On the other
end of the field, the Minutewomen will most likely start sophomore Jamie
Schiloski in goal. Schiloski and the rest of the defensive unit have been solid
this season.
"We're happy to walk away with a win. It was a really hard fought game,"
Doherty said. "I think in the first half
we didn't quite put away our shots the way we would have liked and Canisius did
a good job of continuing to fight the whole game, and work hard and make the
game close, and luckily we pulled away with the win."
By Kyle
Lucas, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Penn State's track and
field teams had a quite weekend in the national rankings with only a three athletes
improving their rank while hosting the Jim Thorpe Open last Friday.
Sophomore thrower Darrell Hill improved on his
Big Ten lead in the shot put with a new personal record. Hill bested the
competition with a toss of 62-9.25. Hill will head into the Big Ten
Championships this weekend as the No. 1 competitor for the title. He currently
sits at No. 4 nationally.
Jon Hendershot's outstanding performance at
the Jim Thorpe Open has him sitting at No. 3 in the Big Ten. The junior tied a
longstanding school record when he cleared the bar at 7-3.25. His jump lands
him at No. 10 nationally.
On the women's side junior Laura Loht improved
her standing in the javelin. Loht hit a season best 166-3 in the event. She
remains the No. 2 ranked thrower in the Big Ten, behind teammate Lauren Kenny,
but now has jumped from No. 22 to No.12 nationally.
In the team standings, the men jumped two
spots from last week to come in at No. 11.
Both teams are in Columbus set to kick off the Big Ten Championships
later today.
Men's Rankings as of May 8, 2013
Athlete
Event
Performance
NCAA Rank
Big Ten Rank
Jon Hendershot *
High
Jump
7-3.25
10
3
Darrell Hill *
Shot
Put
62-9.25
4
1
Casimir Loxsom
800
meters
1:46.77
2
1
Brannon Kidder
800
meters
1:47.23
4
2
Ricky West
800
meters
1:48.49
14
3
Robby Creese
1,500
meters
3:41.32
12
3
Brannon Kidder
1,500
meters
3:42.07
21
5
Matt Gilmore, Alex Shizler,
Bernard Bennett-Green, Brandon Bennett-Green
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - The
six-day, 12-stop Penn State Coaches Caravan, which covered 1,471 miles with
events in three states and the District of Columbia, wrapped up with visits in
DuBois (lunch) and Pittsburgh (dinner) on Thursday.
In all, 4,345 fans and alums attended Coaches Caravan events during the past
two weeks. Nittany Lion men's hockey coach Guy Gadowsky joined Bill O'Brien and Mark
Pavlik for the final day of the caravan tour.
Gadowsky, who will enter his second Division I season at the helm of the
men's hockey program gave the fans in DuBois and Pittsburgh a glimpse of what
is ahead at Pegula Ice Arena when it opens in the fall. Take a look through some highlights on the
final day of the Caravan.
Stop XI - DuBois (Penn State DuBois) The Penn State-themed Caravan bus traveled 60 miles to DuBois on Thursday
morning for the closest stop to State College on the 12-stop tour. O'Brien, Gadowsky and Pavlik spoke to a lunch
crowd of 170 on the Penn State DuBois campus.
On the heels of the Big Ten announcing its first men's hockey schedule for the
2013-14 season, Gadowsky shared his thoughts on what will be an exciting second
year of competition at the Division I level for the Nittany Lions.
The leader of Penn State men's hockey told the crowd that the program is eagerly
anticipating a move into its new home - Pegula Ice Arena - in early September
before playing its first game in the state-of-the-art facility on Oct. 11. The Nittany Lions will then play their first
Big Ten competition games on Dec. 6-7 at Wisconsin.
"I think what is coming with the Big Ten is really exciting for college hockey
and Penn State," Gadowsky said.
Gadowsky also showed the fans a short video presentation that gave the room a
virtual representation of what a finished Pegula Ice Arena will look like in
the fall.
Coach O'Brien followed Gadowsky and the video presentation, and like the entire
room of fans, was excited about what he saw.
"Did that video get you jacked up about Penn State Hockey, or what?" O'Brien
said.
All three head coaches included remarks about the toughness of the fans and
student-athletes hailing from the surrounding areas to DuBois. All of the fans in the room were among the
core supporters of Penn State's athletic teams, something Gadowsky said was
crucial to his team's success.
"The reason why we had the success we had everywhere we would go is because
everywhere we have phenomenal support," said Gadowsky.
O'Brien ended the 11th stop with parting words that echoed what Gadowsky and
Pavlik both said to the room about the importance of the continued support
moving forward.
"If you leave here with one thing, it should be that we really appreciate what
you do for us," O'Brien said.
VIDEO: DuBois Press Conference with Coaches
O'Brien and Gadowsky
Stop XII: Pittsburgh (Sheraton Station Square)
The Caravan bus made the two-hour drive through Western Pennsylvania to the
final stop of the six-day tour at Pittsburgh's Station Square. With more than 27,000 Penn State alums in
Allegheny County, more than any other county in the world, a night in
Pittsburgh was a great way to cap off the 2013 Caravan.
O'Brien, Gadowsky and Pavlik addressed a crowd of nearly 375 attendees inside
the Sheraton Station Square on the banks of the Monongahela River. Pavlik, who hails from 40 miles east of
Pittsburgh in Derry, took the microphone first and shared his passion for
Pittsburgh and what it meant to be a head coach at Penn State.
"I'm just a kid from Derry living the dream," Pavlik said.
Gadowsky spoke about the great anticipation for the upcoming start to Big Ten men's
hockey competition, and he again showed a video of Pegula Ice Arena. Gadowsky told the crowd that Penn State
Hockey will strive to encourage the best hockey players Pittsburgh has to offer
to attend school in Happy Valley.
A natural when it comes to public speaking, Gadowsky drew a large round of
applause when he sat down after the fans saw firsthand what it will be like to
attend a hockey game in Pegula Ice Arena.
"It's going to be a phenomenal place to watch hockey games," said Gadowsky.
The theme of the 2013 Coaches Caravan focused on fan support. At all 12 stops, Coach O'Brien thanked the
fans for their continued support of Penn State.
That was no different on Thursday night as he spoke for more than 20
minutes in Pittsburgh, spending much of the that time thanking the Penn State
loyalists for everything they do for not just Penn State Football, but all of
Penn State Athletics.
His message was well received at every stop on the tour, and the fans certainly
showed their appreciation with standing ovation after standing ovation for the
leader of Penn State Football.
All in all, the Coaches Caravan was again a resounding success with outstanding
crowds at all 12 stops around Pennsylvania, New York, Maryland and the District
of Columbia. A big thank you to the more
than 4,000 loyal Penn Staters who attended stops in 2013.
VIDEO: Pittsburgh Press Conference with
Coaches O'Brien and Gadowsky
Miles Covered on Day One - 203 miles Miles Covered on Day Two - 147 miles
Miles Covered on Day Three - 254 miles Miles Covered on Day Four - 188
miles Miles Covered on Day Five - 377
miles Miles Covered on Day Six - 302 miles
Caravan Final Total - 1,471 miles
Follow
GoPSUsports.com's Tony Mancuso on Twitter @GoPSUTony
By Michael
Renahan, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff
Writer UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - This weekend the Penn
State Lacrosse Field will be home to four teams as they battle in the opening
rounds of the NCAA Women's Lacrosse Tournament. The home team, the Penn State
Nittany Lions, will square off against the Canisius College Griffins on Friday.
Following that game, the University of Connecticut Huskies will face off
against the University of Massachusetts Minutewomen.
This is the first time opening round action is being played in Happy Valley
since 2005. The four teams together went a combined 56-16 on their way to
scoring 962 goals against their opponents. The Nittany Lions, the Griffins and
Minutewomen all were crowned champions of their respective conferences, while
the Huskies fell to Syracuse in the BIGEAST semifinals. The four will all need
two wins to get out of Happy Valley and move onto the NCAA quarterfinals.
University
of Connecticut Huskies This is the first time in the program's
history the Huskies have made it to the NCAA Tournament. They won 13 games this
season, including a 7-0 record at home. Huskies head coach Katie Woods called
the NCAA bid an "amazing accomplishment." Woods was named the BIG EAST Coach of
the Year after leading the program to a record-high 13 wins. The Huskies have
the BIG EAST midfielder of the year in junior Lauren Kahn. Kahn has registered
38 goals and 28 assists for a team high 61 points. She has registered 60 draw
controls and 31 caused turnovers, both team highs. The Huskies advanced to the BIG
EAST semifinals before losing to top-seeded Syracuse, 19-6. The Huskies use a
fast pace offense where they use their speed in hopes of outrunning and
outworking their opponents. They take quick and smart shots to beat opposing
goaltenders. The Huskies have a marquee win against No. 9 Notre Dame and have
competed hard against No. 5 Syracuse and No. 11 Loyola (Md.). Next to the
American Lacrosse Conference, the BIG EAST has been recognized as an incredibly
tough conference with five teams in the NCAAs.
University Of Massachusetts Minutewomen This is the seventh time the Minutewomen have
reached the NCAAs, and third season in a row. The Minutewomen were the first
team to win the NCAA sponsored championship back in 1982. Massachusetts is
coming off its fifth straight Atlantic Ten championship last week scoring nine
in a row to beat Duquesne, 14-7. The Minutewomen have one of the most prolific
offenses in the tournament. They are led by two junior attackers in Katie
Ferris and Sam Rush. Ferris has 47 goals and 23 assists on the season for a
team high 70 points. She helps control the pace of the game for Massachusetts
and is one of the best feeders in the country. She currently ranks No. 37 in
the nation averaging 2.76 goals per game. Ferris has connected with the team's
top scorer Sam Rush on several occasions leading to her scoring 61 goals this
season. The 61 goals are the third highest in the country this season behind
only 63 from Louisville's Nikki Boltja and Stony Brook's Demmianne Cook who
scored 86. Rush has been the face of a
dominant offense. She ranks No. 8 in the nation with 3.21 goals per game and
has controlled the ball very well for the Minutewomen. Massachusetts, like the
Huskies and Nittany Lions, has also gone undefeated this season at home.
Canisius
College Golden Griffins The Golden Griffins enter the tournament after
winning their third straight MAAC Conference championship. They are the first
team in MAAC conference history to win three championships in a row. The Golden
Griffins also boast a highly effective offense as they prepare to try to match
the intensity of the Penn State Nittany Lions. They have scored 233 goals this
season and average just fewer than 13 per game. Seven players have scored ten
or more goals for the Griffins, including four with over 35 goals. Canisius is
paced by Morgan Leonard. The senior attacker has scored 56 goals this season,
good for No. 10 in the nation. Much like Massachusetts, the Griffins have a
solid two person attack. Behind Leonard is sophomore attacker Tori Quinn who
leads Canisius with 74 points. She has been a tremendous feeder for the Golden
Griffins and helped propel Leonard to her elite goal scorer status. The
Griffins also have one of division one's best goaltenders. Sophomore Kayla
Scully is currently ranked No. 5 in the nation allowing just 7.38 goals per
game. The team has quick feet on defense and slides very well to help
counteract whatever offense they are up against. This is the first time the
Golden Griffins and Nittany Lions will face off in women's lacrosse. The
Griffins are led by head coach Scott Teeter, an alumnus of the college.
The Penn State Nittany Lions The host of this weekend is the No. 7 seeded
Penn State Nittany Lions. The Nittany Lions are led by third year head coach
Missy Doherty. The team has had their best season under Doherty going 12-6 and
winning all seven of their home games. The Nitany Lions boast a balanced attack
with eight players scoring 15 goals or more on the season. Penn State has one
of the youngest teams in the tournament with only three seniors, and a core of
freshman and sophomores. The Nittany Lions are led by sophomore attacker Maggie
McCormick. McCormick has had a stellar sophomore campaign scoring 43 goals,
assisting on 33 others for a team high 76 points. Along with McCormick, junior
attacker Mackenzie Cyr has also had an exceptional season with 27 goals and 27
assists. Cyr has scored a point in 27 straight games and has been one of the
best feeders on the field for the Nittany Lions. She is calm, collected and
confident on the offensive end of the field and has been hitting her cutters
with beautiful passes every game. Kelly Lechner has also had a stellar season
for the Nittany Lions. She has registered 41 goals for Penn State, a career
high. The Nittany Lions have improved their defense significantly since the
start of the season. Katie Guy is ranked No. 12 in the nation with 35 caused
turnovers on the season, an average of 1.94 per game. Emi Smith has had success
at home and should have continued success against Canisius on Friday. The
Nittany Lions advanced to the quarterfinals last season before Florida ousted
them. This is the first time Penn State has hosted NCAA games since 2005.
In order to advance to the quarterfinals, one of these teams will have to win
two games in Happy Valley. There is no double elimination this weekend, it's
one and done. All four have prolific offenses and score a lot of goals every game
setting up what is sure to be an exciting weekend. The Nittany Lions and Golden
Griffins will open the weekend with a 4 p.m. start on Friday, while the Huskies
and Minutewomen will play at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday. The winners of those two
games will play at 1 p.m. on Sunday for the right to advance to the
quarterfinals.
Women's Volleyball European Trip - May 10, 2013: Hello from Slovenia!
Today, we played the Croatian National Team in Maribor, Slovenia and tied 2-2. The first game started off a little rocky, but maybe it was just nerves that got us at first. The second set, we gained a bit of confidence and proceeded to win into the fourth set. Unfortunately, we didn't win the fourth set, which definitely lit a fire under us to play them tomorrow. I feel we have the confidence to play better tomorrow in our next match against them because we know that we're capable.
After the match, we took quick showers and headed to dinner where we had a buffet of meats, salad, fries, and other native Slovenian foods. It was delicious! In order to get to dinner, we had to ride a gondola up and down this huge mountain-although it was a great view, I was pretty horrified, but definitely enjoyed the new experience after looking back at it all. Following dinner, we went on a little adventure to explore what was on top of the mountain. We came in contact with a spa and a creepy old-school church that looked like it hadn't been touched in years.
After all of the food, games, and exploring, we all headed back down the mountain via gondola (I wasn't as scared this time because it was dark) and went to the Draś Hotel to get gelato-that was pure happiness. Now, it's time to head to bed and get ready for all the activities to come tomorrow.
Nia Grant
Our first morning in Slovenia was a really exciting one! We started off with a team breakfast at 7:30 in the morning, then we had a practice--working on some serving and passing. After practice we all headed back to our apartments and got changed and headed up the mountain for a team challenge on a rope course. We all arrived at the bottom of the ski lift and got on the lift to go up the mountain to the course. The view from the lift and on top of the mountain overlooking Maribor was incredible! You could see all the city and the rest of the Pohorje mountain range from the top. Then the first thing we did was get in our harnesses and ready to go on the ropes! One thing we did was climb to the top of this telephone(?) pole one at a time--it was really high!!
Then we had to stand on top of the pole and turn around and jump and our teammates would catch us (by pulling ropes on our harnesses). It was really scary and cool at the same time. Another thing we did was a giant swing thing (kind of) off the side of the mountain! It was scary, because we swung out over the trees. Which, interesting fact, Slovenia is home to over 400 brown bears...luckily we didn't see any in the forest. We had a nice lunch on the mountain then we got to take the alpine slide down. The alpine slide was like a one-man roller coaster down the side of the mountain. It was so much fun, you could get up to 25MPH!. After that we had a little time to ourselves to catch up on some sleep before the match. This trip has been amazing so far. We have got to see and do so many terrific things here. I want to thank all of you boosters for making this happen. This is a trip I will always remember fondly.
Lara Caraway
Women's Volleyball European Trip - May 9, 2013: Hello to All!
I hope everyone is well back in the states. We're continuing on our great Europe adventure today as we arrived in Maribor. It is beautiful here, but slightly in the middle of nowhere. There is a training center right next to what appears to be a ski resort. There are beautiful mountains all around us and the sunset was breathtaking. When we arrived today we got off the bus, and we went straight into practice. The facilities are new and in great condition. We're happy to be in a beautiful place that has free wifi so we can talk to everyone back in the states. Hi mom and dad!
Earlier today we had a chance to sightsee around Vienna. It is absolutely my favorite place I've ever been. The city is set up in a loop-shape which makes it easy to navigate. Yesterday some of us walked around and saw the cathedrals, parliament, and castles. There were gorgeous parks with statues, fountains, flowers, and lush greens. This morning a group of us went to Schonbrunn Palace. This is where the emperor and his family would go to vacation. We felt very accomplished as we navigated the subway system and found our way there. The palace was gigantic with acres of land which included a zoo. Some of us took a grand tour of the palace which allowed us to tour the entire first floor. The chandeliers alone were works of art. Included in the tour was a hand-held audio-guide so we could get the inside scoop on what happened in each room. My personal favorite was the ballroom where Mozart performed when he was six years old for a large group of people. It was a true brush with fame. Other people took carriage rides around the grounds which had perfectly-manicured trees and bushes. It was truly so magnificent.
Tomorrow we have a full day planned! We are going to do a ropes course, and then an alpine slide down the steep mountain. I can say that's something I've never done before. Then in the afternoon we will play a match versus the Croatian National Team.
I want to make sure all the boosters know how grateful we are for being able to take this trip. It's definitely an once-in-a-lifetime experience to be able to travel with so many of your good friends. We are so lucky to have all of your support. I will cherish this trip forever. I look forward to seeing everyone and sharing more stories once we get back to the states. Ciao!
Katie Slay
Women's Volleyball European Trip - May 8, 2013: On To Vienna!
After a great time in Prague, it was finally time to start making our way to Vienna. A 9 AM we packed up the bus and began our four hour bus ride. As for the people who enjoy scenery, this is was beautiful ride down the coast of the Czech border and a fantastic photo opportunity. We saw everything from beautiful fields to architecture that is nothing but a fantasy in the states. And as for everyone else...the ride was the perfect nap time. About three hours into the trip we made a 20 minute pit stop. Turned out we stopped at a gift shop with cool European candy and souvenirs. I bought a Milka Chocolate Bar, a popular brand in Europe. After two more hours we finally made it to our destination, beautiful Vienna, Austria.
After checking into our rooms at the Marriott we had the opportunity to tour the city just about all day. It was great to see the different styles of architecture and the awesomeness of a new European city. Most of us walked out to the Parliament building and the historical castles that line the outskirts of the main ring. We took pictures then continued our journey to a park in the center of town.
After that a few of the girls and I stopped at a cute little Austrian restaurant for lunch. It consisted of a typical meal with potatoes and some variation of meat. Although the language barrier was tough, it was nice to completely immerse ourselves in the culture. All in all, I consider Vienna a success. A new city always brings great opportunities to experience a new way if life.
Until next time,
Ariel Scott
Women's Volleyball European Trip - May 7, 2013: Hello from Prague!
Hallo from Prague!!
What an incredible experience! First of all, I just want to thank all of our boosters for your outstanding generosity in making this trip possible. We know none of us would be experiencing such a one-of-a-lifetime trip without you, and from the entire team we can't thank you enough! While we wish we could spend the trip with all of you, we hope our blogs and pictures will at least give you a taste of our travels. We miss you all!
This morning we started with another nice breakfast at the hotel, complete with about 17 different types of bread and pastries, Nutella, scrambled eggs, cold cuts, and caprese salad (mozzerella, tomatoes, basil, and olive oil)--which was a little bit of a mix-up for most of us. Our whole group then headed to the Charles Bridge, which is a very famous landmark for the Czech Republic, and connects the "Old Town" to the "New Town" of Prague. The view and the bridge itself were absolutely beautiful. Thankfully we were there early enough in the day that it wasn't too crowded, and we could meander about and check out all the statues as we pleased. Once we crossed the bridge, our tour guide took us to see the Old Town Square. There was a really neat Astronomical Clock there, which depicts the "Walk of the Apostles." We were told it is a very popular pickpocketing site, since at every hour all the tourists are focused on the moving figurines instead of their purses and wallets. Thankfully we made it without any incident!
We had a couple hours on our own after our tour of Old Town Square--some of us went shopping in the little shops, and some found other cool sites to see and take model-esque pictures in front of. :) I have to say I think my favorite part of the city was the cobblestone streets and roads everywhere. But we couldn't decide how in the world they could possibly plow for snow!
Later in the afternoon the team took the tram to the gym to warm up for our second match against the Praha Seniors. We traded games the whole match but ended up losing 15-13 in the 5th. It definitely wasn't the way we wanted to start the trip but it showed that we can't take the level of play here any less serious than the Big 10, and we all need to step it up for our next matches.
After the match we all headed to the same restaurant from the first night for a traditional Czech meal. It started with a beef and potato stew, which was delicious and quite the crowd-pleaser. The main course was a really common Czech dish--goulash with dumplings. After we were all stuffed to the max, the dessert was three mini pancake-type cakes with a blueberry sauce. Carp informed us that blueberry pancakes are her favorite so needless to say she was in Heaven, and we all left with purple tongues.
Overall, another awesome day on an amazing trip. Again, thank you to all the boosters for your incredible support in making this all possible!
Maggie
Women's Volleyball European Trip - May 6, 2013
Known as the "City of a Thousand Spires" Prague has seen it all. Centuries of kings, classical composers, invading Nazis and Soviet tanks and now the Penn State women's volleyball team have all passed over Prague's cobblestones.
So on our stay, we saw the many Baroque churches, the royal palace, flagstone courtyards all in which lay within Prague's castle. In fact, this castle is the largest castle area in the world composing of 18 acres. All of the architecture and artwork is incredible and covered in detail. However nothing was quite like viewing Prague's romantic skyline, and view from on top of the hill (where the Castle sits) to the city below.
Of course, important to talk about is the food. It scarcely matters which place you select expect menus with staples of tender, seasoned pork, mildly sweet cabbage and soft dumplings to soak up the rich sauce. Desert favorites include crepes or dumplings filled with fruit.
As for the fun facts:
Did you know...
That Prague is known for being having some of the biggest Beer drinkers? - Czech's drink more beer per capita than other country in the world and each head will sink about 43 gallons a year- dang!
During the Middle Ages turning minerals into gold was a hugely popular fashion among the elite. - The mark of ones status was magician- oooo ahhhh!!
Writers and academics have claimed to have felt strange and disturbing tremors coming from under the ground. - Dark alleys and desolate squares have been known to produce many eerie sounds.... Can you say ghosts??
And the first ever sugar cubes were made in 1841- yumm!
On behalf of the team, we would like to thank you boosters for sending us on the trip of a lifetime. We promise to work harder on the court to represent Penn State well and make you all proud.
Kendall Pierce
Women's Volleyball European Trip - May 5, 2013
Today was our first traveling day. The day started in an uproar as we scrambled around the locker room at 10 in the morning. Just about all of us had over-packed and were struggling to get our bags under 50 pounds. Despite the hectic start we were all extremely excited. By 11, we were settled on the bus accompanied by boosters headed to Philly. The 3-hour ride was very chill. We spent the time snacking, napping, jamming to music and talking about our hopes for Europe.
In Philly we headed to the gate boarding for Atlanta. As soon as we checked in we rushed to the food court. We ate giant ice cream cones but could only think about how much better the gelato in Europe was going to taste. We were loaded with no problem and within 2 hours the girls and I were in the Peach State. After waiting about an hour, we were boarding our flight to Amsterdam, making our trip officially international.
The plane was huge with three giant compartments and six stewardesses all dressed in bright blue. Each of their accents stuck out as they said hello to us as we boarded. All different types of languages were being spoken on the plane. Even the announcements came on in four different tongues. When we took off it was rainy and the skies were rough so the ride was bumpy. But even Lacey, who is not fond of flying, still made it through.
Eight hours and two airplane meals later the group was getting their passports stamped. I was amazed by the size of the airport, AMS being one of the biggest hubs in all of Europe. There were all kinds of shops, from Gucci to cigar shops. Because of a previous delay we didn't have much time to explore before starting the final leg of our trip.
As the crew got on our final plane to Prague we were all pooped. Flying above the countryside was breathtaking. The view of rolling hills and clusters of small towns was almost like flying over Happy Valley. The small jet got us to the Czech in two hours flat.
Even though the time spent getting to Prague was just the beginning of the trip it was also a time of bonding and memory making.
By Scott Traweek, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY
PARK, Pa. - Penn State was thinking long-term when it hired new strength
training coach Jamie Burleson. The
addition gives the Nittany Lions an important edge playing in the Big Ten and
on against some of the nation's top teams.
Building
a winning baseball program requires combining a variety of different
elements. While recruiting may provide
the foundation for success, it's strength and conditioning that creates the
structure around which these players grow and prosper as athletes.
Adding
Burleson to the staff was an important step for Penn State moving forward
according to head coach Robbie Wine.
"He's
another motivator, another person that these guys can look to in a different
area," said head coach Robbie Wine. "The
players respect him and [strength and conditioning] is an area that we were
lacking for a long time."
Prior
to joining the Nittany Lions in 2013, Burleson was a part of two prestigious baseball
programs at the University of South Carolina and the University of Florida,
where he learned the techniques that are implemented by teams consistently
competing at the highest level.
"He's
just brought that extra edge that we've been missing," said sophomore catcher
J.C. Coban. "Knowing he came from an SEC
program, South Carolina and Florida, he's got experience. He knows what he's talking about."
Appointing
an additional coach who can focus on developing the strength and stamina of
each player by creating individualized training regimens will give Penn State a
key advantage heading into the season.
Burleson
brings with him a concrete and proven training program that will keep players
healthy during the long and arduous season, as well as enhance their strength
and conditioning to meet the standards for a top-tier college baseball program. It's a long-term process, but the players
have already seen results.
"I
think that over the course of this season, even just one semester, the guys
have become better athletes and I think that that's going to benefit these
younger guys," said senior third baseman Elliot Searer. "It's just good overall to have him on
board."
One
of the main focuses for Burleson's program is to enhance movement and speed to
match the pace of college baseball. He
does this by implementing strength exercises that will help outfielders when
reading fly balls and increase the range of infielders on groundballs.
"[We're]
really focusing more on explosive strength and explosive exercises because of
the pace of college baseball today," said Burleson. "It's a fast-paced, explosive game, so we've
tried to bring that in and include some speed improvement."
During
the season, Burleson's focus will be on keeping the players healthy with
exercises that will increase their stamina, strengthen critical arm areas, like
their rotator cuffs, and keep their bodies loose and flexible.
"It's
a grueling season," said Searer.
"There's a lot of wear and tear [on your body] and you have to take good
care of your body. Jamie has really
brought something to the table that we haven't seen before here."
It's
a long-term program that will begin the moment the 2013 season ends. Burleson will develop personalized training
schedules for each player that they will be expected to fulfill during the
off-season in order to succeed.
"Over
the next year, as soon as these guys leave from here, they'll be given a summer
manual that I'll put together," said Burleson.
"It will consist of three days of lifting and two days of conditioning
that they're expected to do for the next three months over the summer."
When
the players return in the fall, Burleson will work them hard to prepare them
for the upcoming season.
"We
really take charge in the fall and they'll be working hard in the weight room
to try and get that to carry over into next season," said Burleson. "It's long-term in that it's a year-round
program."
In
addition to a well-designed strength and conditioning program, Burleson brings
a work-hard, never-give-up mentality that he hopes will motivate the Nittany
Lions both on and off the field.
"I'm
trying to encourage these guys each and every day in the weight room and trying
to get that to spill over onto the field," said Burleson. "Because of the nature of the season, it's a
long year, and you're going to be faced with some difficult situations and no
matter what happens you have to stay positive."
The
coaches and players are excited to have him with the team. Burleson is a
competitor and he understands what it takes to be successful.
"He
wants to win," said Coban. "He saw South
Carolina win. He saw Florida win. He wants us to win too, so I feel like it's a
great addition for us."
SCRANTON, Pa. - The Penn State Coaches Caravan rolled into Midtown
Manhattan on Wednesday afternoon for a lunch stop in New York City before
heading to Scranton for dinner.
Nittany Lion basketball coach re-joined the Caravan on Wednesday to make it a
four-coach lineup in New York. Chambers,
along with head coaches Bill O'Brien, Charlene Morett and Mark Pavilik all
spoke to a sold out crowd of 220 at the Edison Ballroom in Manhattan. Chambers, O'Brien and Pavlik then traveled
west for the Penn State Alumni Association Greater Scranton Chapter dinner in
Dickson City, Pa. Take a look through
some highlights on day five of the Caravan.
Stop IX - New York City (The Edison
Ballroom) Just down the block from Times Square on 47th Street in New York City, a
sold out crowd of 220 supporters packed The Edison Ballroom for the ninth stop
on the tour. Coach Morett joked as she
took the microphone that she felt like she was on Broadway performing and
thanked the crowd for coming to her debut show.
The stage in The Edison Ballroom featured leather, padded armchairs for all of
the coaches to sit in. With that in
mind, Coach Chambers opened up his speech by telling the crowd that he felt
like he was sitting on the set of Johnny Carson. The room erupted into laughter.
Chambers also shared his love for Madison Square Garden, what he called the
mecca of basketball. He coached in The
Garden as an assistant at Villanova.
O'Brien added some lighthearted jabbing with the New York fans about their
professional sports teams.
But all of the joking aside, the New York stop was another good reminder about
the way the athletic department at Penn State truly functions as One Team. All of the coaches support one another. They all get along. And they all understand that a united athletic
department is a strong athletic department.
"We truly support one another," Chambers said.
"That's what Penn State is all about."
And the One Team mantra goes deeper than just the head coaches supporting one
another. It stretches to the fans, like
the 220 in The Edison Ballroom at lunch hour in New York City. The Penn State fans are a big part of why
Penn State Athletics continues to grow together as One Team.
Following the lunch stop in New York, the Caravan bus made a quick stop at
MetLife Stadium for some photos and videos in preparation of Penn State's
season-opener against Syracuse on Aug. 31.
Call 1-800-NITTANY for tickets. VIDEO: New York Press Conference
with Coaches O'Brien and Chambers
Stop X: Scranton (Genetti Manor in Dickson City) Day two of the second week wrapped up in front of the Caravan's largest
crowd. More than 830 Penn State fans
seated at 80 tables crammed into the ballroom at Genetti Manor to welcome a
great group from the Penn State Athletics family. The list of attendees included Scranton
natives Matt McGloin, J.R. Refice and Eric Shrive, Wilkes-Barre product Eugene
Lewis, Director of Athletics Dave Joyner and the voice of the Nittany Lions
Steve Jones.
Prior to dinner, Coach O'Brien signed autographs for a throng of fans that
lined up more than 90 minutes prior to the program began. Fan after fan walked up to Coach O'Brien for
an opportunity to shake hands, take photos and obtain an autograph for more
than an hour. Some offered advice. Some told stories. Some even gave him gifts.
Pavlik and Chambers both spoke prior to O'Brien, energizing the room packed
with Nittany Lion supporters. Chambers
brought the crowd to its feet before he began his passionate speech. The room followed his command and stood up
cheering.
"This is a very coachable group in Scranton," Chambers joked.
Coach O'Brien took the opportunity to recognize the current and former Nittany
Lions at the dinner before he delivered his Caravan message to the crowd. McGloin and O'Brien had a special
relationship during his time as the leader of the Penn State offense in
2013. Commending him on his dedication
and work ethic, O'Brien told the room that a great deal of Penn State's success
in 2012 was a direct product of McGloin.
"Thank you for everything you did for Penn State," O'Brien said to McGloin, who
was seated at the head table while the crowd cheered for the hometown hero.
Throughout all three speeches, the crowd of more than 800 was glued to the
podium. Chambers, Pavlik and O'Brien all
deserve a great deal of credit for their delivery on Wednesday night.
But simply put, the Scranton crowd was again tremendous for the second-straight
year during the Caravan.
The Coaches Caravan will wrap up on Thursday with men's hockey head coach Guy
Gadowsky joining O'Brien and Pavlik for a lunch stop in DuBois and dinner in Pittsburgh.
VIDEO: Scranton Press Conference with
Coach O'Brien
Miles Covered on Day One - 203 miles Miles Covered on Day Two - 147 miles
Miles Covered on Day Three - 254 miles Miles Covered on Day Four - 188
miles Miles Covered on Day Five - 377
miles
Caravan Total - 1,169 miles
Follow GoPSUsports.com's
Tony Mancuso on Twitter @GoPSUTony
By Michael
Renahan, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff
Writer UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Penn State Nittany
Lions will take on the MAAC champion, Canisius Griffins, Friday night as they
host their first NCAA game since 2005. The Nittany Lions were ousted by North
Carolina, 7-6, in triple overtime the last time the team hosted.
Starting the tournament at home will be
extremely advantageous for the Nittany Lions. Penn State has been excellent going
undefeated and dominating their opponents at home this season. They have
outscored their opponents 116-70 and beat ranked teams like No. 2 Florida and No.
15 Ohio State.
The team hit the practice field hard this
week as they prepare for a major weekend in the program's history. With the sun
shining and the energy on the field palpable, the Nittany Lions know what's at
stake with their matchup Friday. If Penn State can edge Canisius, the team
would play the winner of University of Connecticut versus Massachusetts on
Sunday. If they can advance past Sunday's showdown, it would match the farthest
the team has advanced in the tournament under head coach Missy Doherty.
Penn State's focus is at an all-time high.
After falling short to the Northwestern Wildcats in the ALC conference
tournament last week, it is not hard to see the chip on the shoulder of these
Nittany Lions. Their practices have found a new intensity and tenacity, but
they still keep the same fun mentality they have throughout this season.
Tuesday's practice focused on getting back to their winning ways. Through
scrimmages, 7-on-7 drills, free position drills and more, the team looked
re-energized and prepared for their weekend ahead. Although the Nittany Lions are
not extremely familiar with Canisius, they know they cannot overlook their
opponent.
"You can't really [overlook Canisius] because if we don't win it's our last
game, the girls know that," Doherty said. "They're really good, they have some good athletic
players, they challenge hard and they're quick so it's not a team from film
that is going to take us lightly, so we have to be ready to bring our strengths
to the field and go for sixty minutes."
Penn State, who earned a share of its first
ALC regular season championship this season, outranks Canisius in nearly every
major offensive category. They have registered more goals this season and taken
more shots than their NCAA opponent. The major difference between the two
squads is the play on the defensive end of the field.
The Griffins have one of the most elite
goalies in the nation. Sophomore Kayla Scully has been the focal part of a
dominant defensive unit. She is
currently ranked No. 3 in the nation with a .521 save percentage and No. 5 in
the nation allowing just 7.38 goals per game. As a team, the Griffins have
allowed just 8.17 goals per game this season.
Scully will attempt to shut down an offensive unit that looks stronger after
every game. The Nittany Lions have gotten solid play from their attackers and
midfielders, and look to keep that going this weekend. Sophomores Maggie
McCormick and Kelly Lechner have had breakout seasons for the team. McCormick
paces the Nittany Lions with 43 goals, while Lechner has registered 41 of her
own.
Lechner has turned a solid freshman season
into a stellar sophomore season. She has more than doubled her goals as well as
her draw controls. Lechner has been the team's most outstanding midfielder
throughout the 2013 season helping control the pace of the game for Missy
Doherty's Nittany Lions. She has become an attacking force and also a solid
defensive contributor each game. Along with senior defender Katie Guy, McCormick
and Lechner were named IWLCA All-West/Midwest Region First-Team.
The Nittany Lions have been in this position
before. Last season the team advanced to the quarterfinals before losing to
Florida, 15-2. After gaining some experience and familiarity with postseason
play, Penn State now looks poised for a deep postseason push.
"Overall, every year is different from the
prior year. This year we have a fairly
young team experiencing the NCAAs for the first time," Doherty said. "We're bringing that youth into the tournament
and seeing how far that takes us."
Penn State has also emerged as a strong
championship contender because of the strength of their schedule. The Nittany
Lions have played several top ranked opponents and also play in what some might
call the toughest conference in the nation. The American Lacrosse Conference
currently has three teams ranked in the top 5.
"I think that what's really prepared them for
postseason is our schedule. I go back and forth on playing a pretty tough
schedule, but when you get to points like this in the season, they're not going
to face anything in the NCAAs that they haven't already faced," Doherty said. "We
went to overtime with Northwestern, we beat Florida, we beat Virginia, we
played tight games against some other teams that we really wanted to pull out a
win, so we've experienced pretty much everything we could have possibly
experienced in the regular season to get us ready for post season."
The Nittany Lions will look to continue
improving their defense as they prepare for their NCAA showdown. The team has
seen improvements with each passing game, but still needs to find their feet if
they hope to advance far into NCAAs. Emi Smith has become a solid goaltender
for the Nittany Lions, especially at home. She has yet to lose and has recorded
35 saves at the Penn State Lacrosse Field.
Guy, along with senior defender Colleen Shea, will also play a crucial role as
Penn State looks to advance. Guy has been the team's defensive leader this
season pacing the Nittany Lions with 35 caused turnovers. She currently ranks
No. 12 in the nation averaging 1.94 caused turnovers per game. Along with Guy,
freshman phenom Jenna Mosketti has been a major defensive contributor. Mosketti
has 21 caused turnovers this season and has helped lockdown opposing offenses.
The freshman midfielder has also registered 30 points, which is good for sixth
on the team.
"It's one game and out at this point so we
have to approach it like it's our last game of the season. We're ready to go
hard, were ready to work as hard as we can to get the win," Doherty said.
"We're fortunate [to be hosting]. I think the girls did a great job the whole
season of working hard and coming up with some big wins, so were excited to be
here for our fans and our friends.
With so much time to prepare for their upcoming
game, most teams might fear rust, not the Nittany Lions. The team has taken
advantage of the time off and Doherty says, although her team has more time off
than usual, it's never a challenge to get ready for game time.
"It's always difficult keeping them focused.
Classes are over, so they have a little too much time on their hands," Doherty
said. "But thankfully we have a team of competitors, they want to come out,
they want to go hard and they want to win and when you have people that are
innately competitive it's not too hard to draw it back out."
The Nittany Lions are well aware of the
importance of this weekend. They have worked hard all season in preparation for
this moment. While practice continues on Thursday, Penn State cannot wait to
hit the field Friday night. Game time is set for 4 p.m. at the Penn State
Lacrosse Field.
"Overall I think our focus all year has been on
us and bringing our best, so hopefully we'll do that Friday," Doherty said.
ALLENTOWN, Pa. - Week
two of the Penn State Coaches Caravan kicked off on Tuesday before a sold out
crowd of nearly 300 fans in Williamsport and 350 in the Lehigh Valley.
The modified Fullington Bus rolled out of the Bryce Jordan Center parking lot
shortly after 9:30 a.m. en route to the Pennsylvania College of Technology campus in
Williamsport. Head coaches Bill O'Brien,
Charlene Morett and Mark Pavlik delivered passionate speeches to an
enthusiastic group of Penn State fans and alums on Tuesday at lunch. Take a look through some highlights on day
four.
Stop VII - Williamsport (Penn College of
Technology) Week two began with a great Coaches Caravan stop inside the auditorium
on the Penn College of Technology campus.
O'Brien, Morett and Pavlik headlined the event with speeches to thank
the Penn State fans for their support. Morett, who will enter her 27th season at the helm of the Nittany Lion field
hockey team in the fall, opened the panel of speakers at the luncheon. The 2012 Big Ten Coach of the Year told the
crowd that she walked onto the Penn State campus in 1975 as a freshman, and
instantly, she knew what type of a special place it was. On the field of play, Morett has been a superb leader of the field hockey
program, leading the Nittany Lions to six Big Ten titles, six Big Ten
postseason titles and five of her teams have reached the NCAA semifinals. But off the field, the Philadelphia native has
been a tremendous ambassador for the University. "What makes an event like this special is to come out and see some great old
friends and to make some great new friends," Morett said. Pavlik, who just returned from Penn State's 28th trip (15th straight) the NCAA
men's volleyball semifinals, echoed Morett's comments about being in front of a
great group of enthusiastic Penn State supporters. Pavlik just finished his 19th season as a
head coach in Happy Valley. "When I go to work every morning, I have to pinch myself," Pavlik said of the
opportunity he has. The Western Pennsylvania native added that there is something special about
Penn State's support system everywhere he goes.
That being said, Pavlik noted how the fans play a direct, one-team role
when the department's teams are competing on the road. "To have a good crowd on the road,
there's no better feeling," Pavlik said. O'Brien was the final head coach to speak in Williamsport. He opened his speech by introducing
Williamsport native Jamie Van Fleet, who was a graduate of the Nittany Lion
football program. Van Fleet was unable
to play in 2012 due to injury, but played a key role for the Nittany Lions on
the sidelines, serving as a defensive mentor assisting the coaching staff. Heading into his second season as a head coach, O'Brien joked with Morett and
Pavlik that he only has 26 more seasons to catch up with the Lion field hockey
leader. As has been the case at every
stop, though, O'Brien's message focused on the support of the fans and how much
it means to the football program, athletic department and the University. "Every time you go to a speaking engagement (like this one), you know the room
will be filled with passionate fans," O'Brien said. VIDEO: Williamsport Press Conference
with Coaches O'Brien, Morett and Pavlik
Stop VIII: Allentown (Holiday Inn Conference
Lehigh Valley) Following the sold
out luncheon, the Caravan bus traveled south through Pennsylvania for an
evening stop on the western edge of the Lehigh Valley. O'Brien, Morett and Pavlik spoke to a dinner
crowd outside of Allentown.
Part of what makes the Coaches Caravan unique for the fans in attendance is how
each stop usually features a different story from the head coaches
speaking. The head coaches often tell
stories about their teams or time at Penn State.
On Tuesday night, O'Brien opened his speech by sharing about an event that took
place in Happy Valley shortly after the NCAA announced its sanctions against
the football program. Former Nittany
Lions Tom Donchez and Mike Guman, both former Nittany Lion greats from nearby
Bethlehem, were in the crowd. Seeing
those two prior to the evening event, it triggered O'Brien to talk about the
support from the Penn State Letterman's Club.
Just days after the announcement of the sanctions, O'Brien said that 500 lettermen
from all over the country attended a meeting in Holuba Hall on very short
notice to talk about what it meant to play football at Penn State. While it was a story O'Brien wanted to share
with the crowd about the lettermen, it provided a living, breathing example of
what he has talked about for the duration of the Caravan.
The support system surrounding Penn State is special.
Morett spoke about on Tuesday night. And
so did Pavlik.
"Char is right, you can feel the energy when you walk into a room like this," O'Brien
said.
Penn Staters are a unique group with unwavering support, no matter what the
circumstances are. The head coaches feel
fortunate to have the type of network behind them.
"Don't underestimate the power you have to help mold our students and
student-athletes," Pavlik told the crowd.
"We have an amazing product we get to sell year in and year out at Penn State,"
Morett said.
Now more than ever, as O'Brien has said at each of the eight stops on the
Coaches Caravan, the Penn State support system needs to be strong as the
athletic programs continue to move forward in a positive direction.
Following a great evening program, all three coaches received a standing
ovation as the event closed. The Caravan
moves on to New York City on Wednesday for a lunch stop before traveling to
Scranton for a dinner event.
VIDEO: Allentown Press Conference with Coach
O'Brien
Miles Covered on Day One - 203 miles Miles Covered on Day Two - 147 miles
Miles Covered on Day Three - 254 miles Miles Covered on Day Four - 188
miles
Caravan Total - 792 miles
Follow
GoPSUsports.com's Tony Mancuso on Twitter @GoPSUTony
The loss marks the end to a historic centennial
season for the program and the end of stellar careers for nine Nittany Lions. 
