Penn State Men’s Soccer Seeks to Start Win Streak Against Indiana
Penn State men’s soccer has had a very up and down season heading into their last few games.
Every time they get a big win or two, the Nittany Lions follow it up with a disappointing loss or draw.
But they still have a record of 5-3-3 and are 2-0-2 in conference play. This puts them at second in the Big Ten behind Maryland.
Penn State takes on Indiana at 6:30 p.m. on Friday night and a win in Bloomington can go a long way.
The Nittany Lions looked great last Friday in their 4-1 win over Michigan State. The team didn’t allow a shot in the first half and all four of their goals came in the first 45 minutes.
Liam Butts led the offensive charge with two goals that both came via the header. Butts now has five goal contributions in his last four games.
Butts’ recent resurgence takes the load off Peter Mangione and gives this attack more versatility.
The Nittany Lion attack really focused on crossing the ball into the box and finding the target man to score against Michigan State. This really paid off for them and might be what this offense needs for a hot streak leading up to postseason play.
There was a big change in Penn State’s starting eleven last week and that was Owen Elliot starting in net in place of Kris Shakes.
Shakes has kept Penn State in a lot of games this season and Indiana may be able to capitalize on an inexperienced keeper in Elliot if Shakes is unable to play.
Indiana is coming into this game on a five-game unbeaten streak and are 2-0-3 over this span. This streak started off with a 1-1 draw against Michigan State, the team Penn State just beat.
Penn State’s backline is going to have to keep a close eye on Indiana forward Ryan Wittenbrink, who is fourth in the Big Ten in points with 14. The Hoosiers also have a great playmaker from the back in Nyk Sessock, who has five assists on the season.
Indiana’s defense and goalkeeping has been a big bright spot for this team as the Hoosiers have not let in more than two goals in a game since the end of August. Penn State’s attack might struggle against this potent defense, as the Nittany Lions have been very inconsistent all season.
The last time these two teams met was in the Big Ten Championship game last season. Penn State shutout Indiana and won the conference with a 3-0 victory.
Indiana will have a sour taste in its mouth from that defeat and will be looking for revenge. Between this and the Hoosiers being a more consistent team, the Nittany Lions are going to have a daunting task on Friday.
But they have proven that attacking from the wings works for them and if they can stick to this type of attack, they could be coming home with a win.
Jayson O’Connell is a fourth-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email jbo5216@psu.edu.
