GAME 20: Nov. 3-5, Big Ten Championships
Nov. 3 #2 Penn State Lady Lions (15-4) vs. #7 Indiana Hoosiers (1-11)
PHYLLIS OCKER FIELD, Ann Arbor, Mich.

Big Ten Championship Gets Underway: The Big Ten Tournament kicks off with #2 Penn State and #7 Indiana on Friday morning. The Lions are looking to capture its fifth tournament crown n six seasons. The Lions won the title from 1995-98. This is Indiana's first Big Ten Tournament appearance. The Hoosiers still have not scored against a Division I team. The host Michigan is the reigning champion. The regular season champions earned a number one seed and a first-round bye. Third-seeded Iowa is the only other team, besides Penn State and Michigan, to win a Big Ten Tournament crown in the tournament's six-year history. Ohio State is seeded fourth, followed by #5 Northwestern and #6 Michigan State.

Penn State Coach's Corner: Head coach Charlene Morett is in her 14th season at the Lady Lion helm and 17th overall. She boasts an overall record of 268-89-16 and a 231-73-8 record at Penn State. Last year, Morett reached yet another milestone, winning the 250th game of her career (10/15/99 vs. Northwestern). She guided Penn State to its 18th-straight NCAA Tournament and the 13th under her guidance. Her 1999 Lady Lions received 17 postseason honors, including Big Ten Player of the Year and Offensive Player of the Year (Tracey Larson), and four were named USFHA All-Americans. The Lions also reached No. 1 in the first poll of the season last year. Since entering the Big Ten in 1992, Morett's teams have garnered three conference titles and an unprecedented four straight tournament titles from 1995-98. Morett's record in the Big Ten Tournament is 9-2.

Scouting IU: The Hoosiers have just one victory on the season, a 4-0 win versus Bellarmine. Indiana has had a rough road in its inaugural season, losing every other contest without scoring a goal. IU has been shutout seven-consecutive times and 11 times overall, allowing at least four tallies to every Division I opponent.

PSU vs. IU: The Lions and the Hoosiers have met three times. The Lady Lions have yet to give up a score to the Hoosiers. Earlier in the season, Penn State defeated IU in convincing fashion, 9-0. Before IU ended its field hockey program in 1981, Penn State had two other posted to wins over the Hoosiers. The teams met once in 1978 and 1980. Penn State won both of those contests, 3-0 and 4-0 respectively.

Last Time Out: The Lions ended the regular season on the winning track defeating its final two teams after slipping to Michigan and Princeton. After shutting out Penn, 3-0, PSU travelled to Ohio State and won, 2-1. Penn State got out to a 2-0 lead after the first half and kept the Buckeyes off the board for the last 34 minutes of the game when OSU snuck in a goal in the finals minute. Seniors Traci Anselmo and Maegan Galie have stepped up their level of play leading the Lions to the squad's final two games of the season. Both accounted for all five of Penn State's goals in the last two games of the season.

In the Big Ten Tournament: The Lady Lions have had much success in the six years of the Big Ten Tournament. Penn State has gone on to win four crowns, while posing an impressive 9-2 record. Penn State is also one of just three teams to ever in the crown. Last season, Michigan became the first team besides Iowa and Penn State to ever win the crown.

Penn State at the
Big Ten Championships

Win Streak Ends at 11: The Lady Lions were on an 11-game tear until Michigan came to Bigler Field and defeated Penn State, 1-0, in a Big Ten showdown. The win assured Michigan of at least a tie for the Big Ten regular season title. The 11-game win streak was the longest since 1993 when the Lions won a school-record 15-consecutive games. In that season, the Lions won the Big Ten regular season and tournament crowns. That season also saw PSU advance to the NCAA Tournament Final Four.

At Home: The Lady Lions have been tough to beat at home. In the program's 36-year history, it has notched a 216-43-13 record. Penn State has been even better since moving to Bigler Field from Holuba Field in 1996. The Lions have won 39 of 46 games and set the school record with 25 straight-home wins last year. The streak spanned 1997-99.

Anselmo Tabbed Top Penn State Fall Athlete: In a web site fan poll administered by www.GoPSUsports.com, the fans voted senior co-captain Traci Anselmo Penn State's Top Fall Athlete. Anslemo won the poll by a large margin, garnering 41.5% of the votes. She led women's soccer star Christie Welsh (23.8), men's soccer standout Derek Potteiger (14.6), cross country runner Chris McGinness (12.9) and NCAA Championship volleyball team member Mishka Levy (7.2).

Lions Out For The Season: After losing control of the Big Ten race for the regular season conference title to Michigan and snapping an 11-game win streak, the Lions got even more bad news after that game. Junior Kiley Kulina suffered a broken foot during Friday night's game and will be out for the remainder of the regular season and for the Big Ten Champion-ship. She hopes to be back on the field in time for the NCAA Tournament beginning November 11. The prognosis does not look so promising for true freshman Neilye Stoner. She shattered her thumb during the course of the game against the Wolverines and will be out for the rest of the year. Senior co-captain Mandy Robinson has already sat out for several weeks with a stress fracture in her hip. Head coach Charlene Morett hopes that she will be cleared to play again in time for the conference championship.

Galie Named Player of the Week: For the second time this season, senior Maegan Galie was named Big Ten Co-Offensive Player of the Week. She helped to lead the Lions to two-consecutive victories to close out the regular season. She tallied a goal each at Penn and Ohio State and also picked up an assist against the Quakers. Galie was just one of two Lions involved in the scoring in those two games. She leads the team in assists and is second in scoring.

Players of the Week!
Martz/Kulina Named Players of the Week: Sophomore Jill Martz picks up her second-straight Player of the Week honor, while junior Kiley Kulina receives the honor for the first time this season. Martz' defensive efforts in the three games last week allowed Penn State to give up just two shots and two penalty corners for the week. She also notched at least one point in each of the three contests. Kulina earns Offensive Player of the Week after collecting 11 points on four goals and three assists in the games. Against Northwestern and West Chester, she notched two goals and an assist.

Martz Named Player of the Week: The Penn State defense and sophomore defender Jill Martz had a solid week last week. Martz's defensive efforts led to Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week honors. A starter on defense in every game, to limit Temple and Indiana to a combined six shots, while helping PSU goalkeepers post the fifth shutout of the season over the Hoosiers on Saturday. IU was allowed just one shot for the game. Martz's defense in the two contests allowed for transition opportunities which resulted in two assists and her first career goal. The Penn State defense has been solid all season, with Martz playing a key role. The times has the Lion defense not given up a shot or a penalty corner for the entire game.

Galie Named Player of the Week: For the third time this season a Lady Lion has been honored for her play on the field. Senior Maegan Galie notched the game-tying and game-winning goals in the 3-2 overtime win at No. 18 Michigan State. Her efforts in that game earned her Co-Offensive Player of the Week honors. It is the first time she receives the honor this season. She leads the team in assists and is second in scoring.

Anselmo Named Player of the Week: Senior co-captain Traci Anselmo had a breakout weekend at Connecticut and Boston College. During that weekend, she notched 11 points which led to Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week laurels for the first time this season. She led the team to a 5-4 victory against the Huskies with four goals. Against the Eagles, Anselmo recorded a goal and an assist. The 1999 All-American was named Big Ten Player of the Week and National Player of the Week once last season en route to a slew of honors.

Zinkavich Named Player of the Week: Redshirt freshman Annie Zinkavich made her first collegiate appearance in the Lady Lions' season opener against Old Dominion. In 44 minutes of playing time, Zinkavich did not give up an ODU goal and made six saves. The following day against Kent State, she earned her first career start and posted her first career shutout in 70 minutes. Her performances earned her Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week honors for the first week of the season.

Among the Big Ten Leaders (as of 10/31): Seniors Maegan Galie and Traci Anselmo have been the leaders on this year's squad. This year's Lady Lion success has had a great deal to do with the performances of these two athletes. Their individual successes are evident among the Big Ten's best. Anselmo is second in the conference in scoring with 40 points and Galie is just behind in third with 35 points. Anselmo trails Michigan's Kelli Gannon by just three points. Junior Kiley Kulina was having an outstanding season before being sidelined on October 25 because of a foot injury. Despite missing the final three games of the season, she still ranks ninth with 28 points.

Other Lions among the Big Ten's top 25: Timarie Legel is 16th, Meredith Shulzitski and Neilye Stoner are tied for 18th, and Jill Martz is tied for 22nd.

The Nation's Leaders: As of October 31, with the Lady Lions back on the winning track and headed into the Big Ten Tournament, Penn State figures prominently among the national statistics as it has all season. The team's winning percentage of .789 is eighth-best in the country. The Lions' suffocating defense is 10th, giving up just 1.13 goals per game, meanwhile the offense is scoring 3.56 goals per game and ranks seventh. The 1.43 margin of victory is also seventh. Among the individual statistics, senior Traci Anselmo is 15th with 40 points, 18th with 2.11 goals per game and 17th with 15 goals. Junior Kiley Kulina's 0.80 goals per game is 20th. Redshirt freshman Annie Zinkavich has been among th top 10 most of the season. She is sporting a 1.12 goal against average which is ninth-best in the country.

Lions "D"-Up: The Lions' defense has been tough to penetrate this season. The stingy backfield has not allowed a shot attempt in four games and three times it has not given up a penalty corner. Maybe that is why Penn State is ranked 10th in scoring defense, allowing just 1.13 goals per game as of October 31. St. Joseph's was the first foe that the Lions blanked in the shots column in early September. The three other times the Lions silenced its opponents' attack, they also did not allow a corner. Syracuse fell to the Lions 1-0 in overtime, but had no attack to speak of, taking zero shots and forcing zero corners. The same was the case with West Chester and the Big Ten's Northwestern. Three other times, the Lions allowed two or fewer shots.

Lions On Offense: The Lions have poured on the offense in 2000. With an offense ranked seventh in the nation, scoring 3.56 goals per game, Penn State has scored more than three times their opponents, tallying 69 goals on the season compared to 22 opponent goals. PSU has shut out eight opponents and has a 2.43 margin of victory as of Oct. 31, which ranks seventh in the nation.

Century Mark: With two assists in the 4-0 win over St. Joseph's, senior co-captain Traci Anselmo became the 12th Lady Lion to ever register 100 career points. She now is just four points behind Brenda Stauffer ('82) in eighth with 134 points. Her five goals at Connecticut (4) and at Boston College (1) not only put her in the top 10 on Penn State's career goals list, but she catapulted up the charts and is ranked fifth all-time with 56 career goals.

Approaching the Top: Senior Maegan Galie ranks among the best field hockey players in Penn State history. She moved into the top 10 on Penn State's career goals list earlier this season and her goal at Northwestern was enough to edge out head coach Charlene Morett. Galie is alone in fifth with 52 goals, Morett notched 50 career goals in her four years at Penn State. Galie is already in the top 10 in career assists and career points. She passed 1999 Big Ten Player of the Year Tracey Larson and has 46 (6th) after picking up one at Penn. Fourth all-time with 150 career points, Galie is just three points behind 1998 Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year Dawn Lammey. Meanwhile, senior co-captain Traci Anselmo entered the top 10 in goals and points this season as well. She has made a steady climb all season and is now fifth with 56 goals. She passed 1999 Big Ten Player of the Year Tracey Larson on the career points list and is in eighth place with 134.

Lions Represent the U.S.: A number of Lady Lions represented the United States in the spring and summer of 2000. The Big Ten's 1999 Player of the Year and former Lion Tracey Larson secured a spot on the U.S. National squad for the second-straight year. Senior Maegan Galie was named to the Under 21 squad in February and then moved up to the Developmental Team that toured Canada this summer. Senior co-captain Traci Anselmo was again a member of the Senior Reserve Team, while junior Kliey Kulina and sophomore Jill Martz were both members of the Under 21 team.

Tough Slate: The Lady Lions have traditionally taken on one of the toughest schedules in the nation, and the 2000 campaign is no different. Appearing on the schedule are seven of last year's 16 NCAA Tournament teams (ODU, Kent State, Iowa, Michigan, UVA, UNC, UConn). Big Ten foe Michigan was an NCAA finalist. Eleven of the 20 teams ranked in this week's STX/NFHCA National Coaches polls are Penn State opponents, including six of the top 10.

On Deck: The winner of the Big Ten Tournament automatically receives the conference's automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament. Teams and seedings will be announced on November 7. The first and second rounds will be on November 11 and 12 with sites to be announced at a later date.