Penn State Women’s Soccer Set To Square Off Against Wisconsin
The Nittany Lions are coming off a two-game road trip, losing to Ohio State 0-3 and beating Maryland 2-0. Penn State is 8-2-1 with a 3-2-1 conference record and ranked seventh in the Big Ten.
The Nittany Lions bounced back against Maryland after getting shut out by Ohio State. Penn State is on the border of not making the Big Ten tournament, each game will be crucial in making it to the tournament from here on out.
The Badgers lost 1-2 at home against No. 6 Northwestern. Wisconsin tied Northwestern late in the game but an offsides penalty on Wisconsin would erase the goal from the board.
The loss against Northwestern ended an eight game win streak for Wisconsin which was the longest winning streak in school history. Wisconsin is now 10-2-2 with a 5-1 conference record and ranked third in the Big Ten.
With only four games left until the Big Ten tournament, both teams look to get hot and make a push for the Big Ten Finals. Let’s take a look at how these teams match up.
The Nittany Lions are one of the top five teams in the Big Ten when it comes to shots and shots on goal. Penn State averages 14.31 shots and 7.46 shots on goal per game compared to
Both teams are top five teams in the Big Ten for assists. Wisconsin has 25 assists on the season, averaging 1.786 a game while Penn State has 22 assists on the season, averaging 1.692 a game.
This game is going to come down to the defensive stands by both teams. Both teams have let up less than one goal a game which has been a huge reason why both teams have winning records.
Penn State's defense is led by Katherine Asman, she has 45 saves and a save percentage of .804. The Nittany Lions have defended crossers very well throughout the season, giving their opponents little room to get a shot off.
The Badgers’ goalie has also been a big part in why they have a winning record this late in the season. Erin Mckinney has 59 saves and a save percentage of .808.
Another major difference that will come into play during the game is the penalties and fouls each side will give up during the game. So far, the Nittany Lions have the least amount of fouls in the Big Ten. Wisconsin has committed the second most fouls in the Big Ten, so the Badgers will need to clean if they want to stick in this one.
Penn State is 5-2-1 when defending its home stadium, however Wisconsin has only two losses on the road so far this season and a 5-1 record against Big Ten teams.
Penn State and Wisconsin will kick it off on Thursday at 6 p.m. at Jeffrey Field.
Micheal Bolger is a second-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, please email mpb6233@psu.edu.
