Oct. 17, 2011
By Jeff Sattora, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Penn State Nittany Lions have been searching for offensive answers all season long. Unfortunately for the home crowd Sunday afternoon no answers were provided.
The Lions dropped this game against Northwestern, 1-0, at Jeffrey Field, the team's fourth consecutive Big Ten loss by one goal, to fall to 6-6-2 overall and 0-4 in conference.
"We have the right mentality going in, we're doing the right things," said freshman goaltender Andrew Wolverton. "We've just got to perform."
"I think they're massively disappointed right now," said head coach Bob Warming on his team after the loss.
Penn State fought with Northwestern all game long before Oliver Kupe for the Wildcats knocked one in the back of the net in the 58th minute.
The Wildcats Peter O'Neil crossed the ball, which then deflected off a Penn State defender and was headed in.
"We were pressing, pressing, pressing and that's what happens, you get that little counter," Warming said on the Northwestern goal.
While Northwestern did strike first hope was not all lost for the Lions with over 30 minutes to play.
"I think we responded pretty well, we still got our chances," Wolverton said. "We've got to unite in those moments."
That goal would prove to be enough as Penn State has now gone three straight games without finding the net offensively.
While they didn't score, the team did have solid chances throughout the afternoon as Wolverton mentioned, outshooting Northwestern 12-6 while also having a 5-4 shots on goal advantage.
"Our goal is to get the ball out wide and get services into the box and just crash," said senior midfielder Mackenzie Arment. "Try and make something happen"
For coach Warming it can't all come down to the stat sheet, with more depending on the kinds of chances his team was getting.
"I never get too caught up in the shots-on-goal thing," Warming said. "It's more clear chances, and I thought we had some looks today that looked to be clear chances."
Despite the tough losses, the home team tried to walk away from the defeat with their confidence still in tact.
"Things haven't been going our way lately but we just have to stay positive and keep pushing through," said junior forward Hasani Sinclair.
"We see we can play with all these teams," Wolverton said.
"We know if we win the rest of our games we'll be in good shape," Sinclair added. "It (the team's confidence level) is still high."
Penn State is going to try and use that confidence to get back on a roll vs. UMBC in a non-conference road test Wednesday.
Sinclair mentioned after the game how he still thinks this team can make a run, saying if they just get one win they can get on a roll.
Warming added the team needs to find a spark going forward, and one of those things could be the comeback of Julian Cardona (who missed the game with a red card) and Sinclair up top.
" I really think they are our two best forwards," Warming said. "They complement each other very well."
With Cardona coming back the Lions are hoping to put behind their streak of struggles.
"We're a family and not everything always goes great in a family." Warming said.
A high confidence level and that strong family attitude have hopes high that the Lions can finish strong as the season hits the home stretch.
