Big Ten Network : Penn State Top Stories

Ohio State swallows up Clark, Penn State

Sat, 7 Nov 2009 09:08:00 +0000

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- Terrelle Pryor tiptoed his way around the Penn State defense, then smiled and danced all over the Beaver Stadium turf. Quite the happy homecoming Saturday for the dual-threat phenom from western Pennsylvania. Pryor threw for two touchdowns and ran for another in his first game back in his home state and No. 15 Ohio State reclaimed control of the Big Ten race after beating No. 11 Penn State, 24-7 in a duel of the league's top two defenses. As an added bonus, the Buckeyes (8-2, 5-1) vaulted into a tie for the conference lead with Iowa after Northwestern handed the Hawkeyes its first loss of the season earlier Saturday. After a demoralizing loss at Purdue last month, Ohio State's hopes for a fifth straight league title look much brighter. A showdown with Iowa at the Horseshoe awaits next week. "November is for contenders, we always say that," Ohio State coach Jim Tressel said. "It's hard to get too ecstatic right now because you know the Hawkeyes are coming to town." They'll head home to Columbus with a confident Pryor, the native of Jeannette who came up with several clutch plays against the team he turned down as a highly touted high school prospect. On Saturday, Pryor showed Happy Valley why he was such a prize. He finished 8 for 17 passing for 125 yards, and rushed for 50 yards and a 7-yard TD on five carries. "It was huge. They were making a big deal about it and people were doubting us, 'Buckeyes can't do this or this.' A lot of that stuff motivates us, but we knew we could do it," Pryor said. Ray Small burned Penn State (8-2, 4-2) with two long punt returns, and Ohio State's defense held dangerous Penn State quarterback Daryll Clark in check with constant pressure. The Buckeyes scored the game's final 17 points to silence the crowd of 110,033, the fourth-largest in Beaver Stadium history. "We broke down on a kicking play, had a couple tough penalties, we didn't get any field position," Penn State coach Joe Paterno said. "It was a tough ballgame for us, it really was, against a good football team." Leading by three, Pryor connected with open receiver DeVier Posey in stride down the left sideline for a 62-yard touchdown pass with 1:47 left in the third to extend the lead to 17-7. A pumped Pryor rushed down the field to meet Posey, then skipped back to the sideline in delight. "This was my first time to lead the team and lead the offense and score some touchdowns against another big team," Pryor said. "It felt pretty good to lead the team." After another three-and-out by Penn State offense, Small lit up the Nittany Lions' porous punt coverage unit for a 45-yard return to the Nittany Lions 47 to end the third quarter. Getting good protection, Pryor led the Buckeyes again on a drive with two third-down conversions before rolling right to hit Brandon Saine for a 6-yard TD pass on another third down play to give Ohio State a 17-point cushion. Fittingly, Saine dove into corner of the end zone in front of the sliver of cheering Buckeye fans dressed in scarlet gear that stood out in the sea of blue and white. For the most part, Pryor played mistake-free football, and his offensive line kept the defense away from the most-sacked QB in the Big Ten. "We failed ... Our game plan was to go in and stop him," Penn State defensive tackle Ollie Ogbu said. "We didn't do it on a consistent enough basis, so I would say we failed." Pryor's 7-yard TD run in the first quarter was set up by a 41-yard punt return by Small to the Penn State 9. Special teams, especially the punting unit, has been a season-long problem, though the Nittany Lions have been able to overcome those woes against less-talented teams. Not against Ohio State, though. Ross Homan's diving interception of Clark with 9:20 left -- Penn State's first interception in four games -- sent Nittany Lions fans scurrying for the exits. Clark's touchdown plunge from a yard out on fourth down capped a nice second-quarter drive to tie the game at 7. It was the 21st rushing score of his career, breaking the mark for a Penn State quarterback set by his mentor, Michael Robinson. Otherwise, Penn State struggled all day. The Buckeyes smothered Clark's receivers except for Graham Zug (seven catches, 96 yards), and pressured him up front. Cameron Heyward had two sacks and 11 tackles. Clark finished 12 of 28 for 125 yards and the interception. He ran for 20 yards on 11 carries. Evan Royster managed just 36 yards on 13 carries, and a couple dropped passes didn't help the offense, either. "It's just hard to put points on the board when you don't have a consistent rhythm," Clark said.

Top-ranked Penn State sweeps Iowa

Sat, 7 Nov 2009 21:54:00 +0000

IOWA CITY, Iowa - In front of a record volleyball crowd of 2,802 in Carver-Hawkeye Arena, the No. 1 Penn State women's volleyball team defeated Iowa, 3-0 (25-17, 25-22, 25-13). The Nittany Lions are now in sole possession of third place in the NCAA record books for consecutive wins with 90. Senior Megan Hodge (Durham, N.C.) led the Nittany Lions with 12 kills and junior Blair Brown (Purcellville, Va.) was the only other Penn Stater with double-digit kils with 11. Junior Arielle Wilson (Broadview, Ill.) finished third on the team with nine kills, but had a team-best .533 attack percentage. She also led the squad with five total blocks. Junior Alyssa D'Errico (Byron, N.Y.) registered 15 digs in the match and senior setter Alisha Glass (Leland, Mich.) paced the Penn State offense with 35 assists. The Nittany Lions led the way in all statistical categories finishing the night with 42 kills, 40 assists, six aces, 48 digs and 10.0 total team blocks. Penn State posted a .319 hitting percentage against the Hawkeyes. Iowa totaled 35 kills, 29 assists, 32 digs and just 4.0 total team blocks. Hodge opened the match for Penn State with a kill and a PSU block gave the Nittany Lions an early 2-0 lead. The Hawkeyes answered back with two kills to tie the set, but Hodge tallied another to put the Nittany Lions back in the lead. After Iowa tied Penn State a second time at 3-3, Brown gave PSU the lead for good with a back row kill. The Hawkeyes remained close until a kill from junior Fatima Balza (Merida, Venezuela) and a PSU block followed by an ace put Penn State ahead, 8-4. Despite a Penn State error, a Dorton kill kept the Nittany Lions up by four, 9-5. By midpoint of the set Penn State led by seven, 15-8. The Hawkeyes came within five, 17-12, thanks to a kill by Mallory Husz. However, the Nittany Lions were soon within four points of a first set win after back-to-back kills from Wilson. A Hodge kill and an Iowa error put Penn State two points closer to a win, 23-13. Two kills by Iowa's Becky Walters and one each from Megan Schipper and Tiffany Nilges had the Hawkeyes within six, but Penn State closed out the set with a kill and a block for a 25-17 victory. The Hawkeyes took a 4-1 lead in the second set, but soon after Penn State was within one, 5-4, thanks to a Balza kill. The Nittany Lions did not take the lead until a D'Errico ace gave them a slim 7-6 edge. Penn State increased its lead to three, 11-8, after two Wilson kills and one from Brown. Iowa setter Mara Hilgenberg answered with a kill to bring the Hawkeyes within two, 11-9, but an Iowa error and a PSU ace put the Nittany Lions up by four, 13-9. The Hawkeyes soon found themselves within one, 13-12, courtesy of two PSU errors and another Walters kill. Brown kept Iowa at bay with a kill and Schipper registered an attack error to give the Nittany Lions some room to breathe. The breathing room was short-lived as Iowa tied the set, 16-16, after a Husz kill and a Penn State attack error. The score tied twice more, but Penn State was soon ahead by two, 20-18, with a Hodge kill straight down the line. After a Hawkeye timeout, a PSU kill and an error by Nilges gave Penn State a four-point lead, 23-19. Iowa came within two, 24-22, thanks to a kill by Aimee Huffman. Brown secured the set for Penn State with a kill, 25-22. Wilson opened the third set with a kill before an Iowa error had Penn State leading 2-0 early. A Penn State error put the Hawkeyes on the board, but the Nittany Lions notched two points on a kill and a block for a 4-1 advantage. Penn State increased its lead to five, 7-2, on a monster kill by Hodge, but two Schipper kills and a Nittany Lions error had the Hawkeyes within two, 8-6. A block by Husz and Hilgenberg brought the Hawkeyes within one, 8-7, but Brown put one away to put Penn State back ahead by two, 9-7. Penn State went on to tally seven straight points for a 16-7 advantage and Iowa took a timeout. After the timeout, Emma Kittle and Husz teamed up for a block to make it 16-8. Brown answered with a kill to keep Penn State ahead by nine, 17-8. Penn State's lead grew to double-digits, 18-8, on a triple block, but two PSU errors had Iowa within seven, 18-11. Errors began to plague the Hawkeyes as the set began to come to a close giving Penn State a 23-12 lead. One kill each by Wilson and Hodge gave Penn State a 25-13 third set triumph. The Nittany Lions are back in action Friday, Nov. 13 versus nationally-ranked Illinois. The match is set to begin at 7 p.m. in Rec Hall. Penn State welcomes Northwestern to Rec Hall on Saturday, Nov. 14 for a 7 p.m. matchup. Live stats and live audio will be available for both matches via a link at GoPSUsports.com. For more information on the Penn State women's volleyball team, please visit www.GoPSUsports.com. The Penn State women's volleyball 2009 season is presented by Rockvale Outlets and The Outlets At Hershey.

Nittany Lions cruise in exhibition opener

Sat, 7 Nov 2009 15:17:00 +0000

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Despite a seven-month layoff since winning the 2009 NIT title, Penn State shot out of the gate like it had just left the Madison Square Garden floor on Friday jumping to a 19-0 lead before cruising home with an 82-51 victory over Slippery Rock in the Nittany Lions first and only exhibition game of the season. The up-tempo play delighted an enthusiastic crowd of 7,623 that turned out to see the 2009-10 edition of the Nittany Lions. Naismith and Wooden Award candidate Talor Battle (Albany, N.Y.) led the way posting 10 points, five rebounds and three assists in the first eight minutes as slashed to the basket with ease and got his teammates involved. Battle ended the night with a double-double posting a team-high 16 points, 10 rebounds and six assists in 30 minutes of action despite a stomach virus that caused him to leave the floor late in the first half. "No offense to Slippery Rock, but we wanted to come out and really take them right out of the game from the get go," Battle said. "We joked around that we wanted to be able to rest the last 10 minutes of the game and, fortunately enough, we were able to do that because we took care of business and kind of put the game out of reach right from the get go." Chris Babb (Arlington, Texas) added 12 points and 9 boards and freshman Sasa Borovnjak (Belgrade, Serbia) tossed in 10 points for the Lions who cruised to the win despite shooting just 5-of-24 (20.8%) from three. Penn State shot 43.1 percent (31-72) from the field, dished out 20 assists and had a 60-37 advantage on the boards. Twelve Nittany Lions scored on the night, including four freshmen. "We didn't shoot the ball well tonight at all," DeChellis said. "We couldn't make a three. We have to get better at the line and making some threes and just get better at the free throw line. We are going to make perimeter shots. Chris Babb is a good shooter, Talor [Battle] is a good shooter, Cammeron [Woodyard] is usually a pretty good shooter. Those three guys will make shots for us and that will open some other things up. But, I liked the way we passed the ball and shared the ball." Michael Evans Jr. led led slippery Rock with 20 points. The Rock, which played Big East power Pittsburgh close on Sunday before falling 75-64, was held to just 21.9 percent (16-73) shooting from the floor and 10-of-39 (25.6%) from three. "We wanted to play everybody some quality minutes and we were able to do that so I think that's important," DeChellis said. "Our young guys did okay. I think they knocked the rust off. I think they got the jitters out. Billy Oliver, Sasa [Borovnjak], Tim Frazier, Jermaine Marshall, they haven't played in this yet, so it was important just to get out there." The Nittany Lions took the floor at the Bryce Jordan Center with a starting line-up of Jeff Brooks, David Jackson, Andrew Jones, Babb and Battle. Brooks started the game off for the Lions with a jumper from the right baseline and Jackson got a lay-up, both assists from a cutting Battle. Battle drove in for a lay-up to give Penn State a 6-0 lead at the 18-minute mark. Babb scored an easy fast break layup after a steal at the 16:48 mark to bring the lead to 12-0 going into the first timeout. Brooks took a pass through the lane and scored with a powerful tomahawk slam bringing a roar from the crowd and extending Penn State's lead to 14-0. Battle hit an and-one floater followed by a fast break dunk to give the Lions a 19-0 lead at the 14:44 mark in the first half. Slippery Rock scored their first bucket of the game with a put back lay-up from Cecil Brown at the 13:49 mark. At the 10-minute mark Tim Frazier stepped on the floor for the first time at point guard along side Battle who shifted to the two-guard. Borovnjak made his first appearance with 6:54 in the first half. Babb hit consecutive threes from the left wing to give the Lions a 22-point lead, 33-11, at the 5:24 mark. Adam Highberger hit a three of his own to further extend Penn State's lead, 40-16. Borovnjak scored his first bucket and hit the and-one to give the Lions a 43-18 lead with 1:28 left in the first half as the Lions had four freshmen on the floor. The first half concluded with Penn State holding a 46-23 lead. Battle led all scorers in the half with 12 points and six rebounds. Babb added 10 points and four rebounds. Babb hit a tough floater in the paint, giving the Lions a 48-23 lead to open the second half. Battle hit Jackson for an easy lay-up to extend the lead to 52-26. Evans hit his 17th point of the game for the Rock with a three to cut the deficit to 57-38 at the 11:56 mark. Maurice Douglas added to the 8-0 Rock run with a lay-up cutting the Lions lead to 17, 57-40 with 10 minutes left. However, a 9-0 run by Penn State with baskets from Battle and a three by Cammeron Woodyard gave Penn State a 66-40 lead at the 8:25 mark. The Lions would cruise on from there leading by as many as 35. The Nittany Lions will officially open the season next Friday, Nov. 13 when they take on Ivy League power Penn in a 7:30 p.m. tip in the Bryce Jordan Center. That game will be played the night before the Nittany Lion football team takes on Indiana in Beaver Stadium.

Hoosiers men edge Penn State, 2-1

Fri, 6 Nov 2009 18:09:00 +0000

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The Penn State men's soccer team (10-6-2, 3-2-1 Big Ten) lost the ability to control its own destiny in the race for the Big Ten regular season title and fell short in its bid to directly secure the No. 1 seed in next week's conference tournament with a 2-1 setback to Indiana (9-8-1, 3-3-0 Big Ten) on Friday afternoon in Bloomington. The Nittany Lions' fortunes for a Big Ten regular season championship now rely on the outcome of two games that will be played on Saturday. In order for Penn State to claim its first conference crown since 2005 and the top seed in the Big Ten Championship, the Lions will need Michigan to defeat second-place Ohio State in Columbus and for Michigan State to down or tie third-place Northwestern in Evanston. Regardless of those results, Penn State can do no worse than the No. 3 seed for the Big Ten Championship. Junior midfielder Matheus Braga (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) accounted for Penn State's lone score, netting his seventh goal of the season. Sophomore forward Corey Hertzog (Reading, Pa.) recorded his team-high sixth assist of the year on the play. Penn State was outshot for just the fifth time this season, 16-11. Braga and senior forward Jason Yeisley (Allentown, Pa.) led the Lions with three shots each. After an evenly played outset to the first half, Penn State drew first blood in the 20th minute. Possessing the ball 10 yards out near the middle of the field, Corey Hertzog flicked a pass to Matheus Braga, who was on a run from behind. Braga received and then rifled a shot from eight yards out that found the lower right of the net. Indiana answered back in the 39th minute. After Penn State goalkeeper Warren Gross (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.) deflected wide a shot by IU forward Will Bruin, the Hoosiers would even the game on the ensuing corner kick. Bruin sent his kick far post and found the foot of Lee Hagedorn who punched it in past a diving Gross. The Hoosiers put the game away just 40 seconds into the second half. Off a long combination of passes from two IU players, the ball found Danny Kelly at the top of box. Gross had come off his line aggressively to intercept the ball but missed and Kelly got around his mark and chipped a shot into net from eight yards out. Penn State had a chance to get back in it when Indiana defender Tommy Meyer was issued a red card in the 66th minute, forcing the Hoosiers to play down a man for the final 34-plus minutes. However, the Nittany Lions couldn't capitalize on the advantage and net an equalizer. Next week, the Nittany Lions will begin pursuit of their fourth conference crown when they return to Bloomington, Ind. for the 2009 Big Ten Men's Soccer Championship. To be hosted by Indiana University, the battle for the 2009 title is set to begin on Thurs., Nov. 12 with three first round match-ups. Semifinal games will take place on Fri., Nov. 13 with the championship contest set for Sun., Nov. 15. All games will be played at Jerry Yeagley Field at Bill Armstrong Stadium on the IU campus. Game times and match-ups will be determined once seeding is established upon the conclusion of regular season competition. The semifinals and finals will air live on the Big Ten Network. Penn State possesses a 22-12-4 record in Big Ten Championship play, one of just two conference teams to possess a winning mark in the postseason tournament.

Nittany Lions cruise in exhibition win

Fri, 6 Nov 2009 21:21:00 +0000

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.; Nov. 6, 2009 – Despite a seven-month layoff since winning the 2009 NIT title, Penn State shot out of the gate like it had just left the Madison Square Garden floor on Friday jumping to a 19-0 lead before cruising home with an 82-51 victory over Slippery Rock in the Nittany Lions first and only exhibition game of the season. The up-tempo play delighted an enthusiastic crowd of 7,623 that turned out to see the 2009-10 edition of the Nittany Lions. Naismith and Wooden Award candidate Talor Battle (Albany, N.Y.) led the way posting 10 points, five rebounds and three assists in the first eight minutes as slashed to the basket with ease and got his teammates involved. Battle ended the night with a double-double posting a team-high 16 points, 10 rebounds and six assists in 30 minutes of action despite a stomach virus that caused him to leave the floor late in the first half. Chris Babb (Arlington, Texas) added 12 points and 9 boards and freshman Sasa Borovnjak (Belgrade, Serbia) tossed in 10 points for the Lions who cruised to the win despite shooting just 5-of-24 (20.8%) from three. Penn State shot 43.1 percent (31-72) from the field, dished out 20 assists and had a 60-37 advantage on the boards. Twelve Nittany Lions scored on the night, including four freshmen. Michael Evans Jr. led led slippery Rock with 20 points. The Rock, which played Big East power Pittsburgh close on Sunday before falling 75-64, was held to just 21.9 percent (16-73) shooting from the floor and 10-of-39 (25.6%) from three. The Nittany Lions took the floor at the Bryce Jordan Center with a starting line-up of Jeff Brooks, David Jackson, Andrew Jones, Babb and Battle. Brooks started the game off for the Lions with a jumper from the right baseline and Jackson got a lay-up, both assists from a cutting Battle. Battle drove in for a lay-up to give Penn State a 6-0 lead at the 18-minute mark. Babb scored an easy fast break layup after a steal at the 16:48 mark to bring the lead to 12-0 going into the first timeout. Brooks took a pass through the lane and scored with a powerful tomahawk slam bringing a roar from the crowd and extending Penn State's lead to 14-0. Battle hit an and-one floater followed by a fast break dunk to give the Lions a 19-0 lead at the 14:44 mark in the first half. Slippery Rock scored their first bucket of the game with a put back lay-up from Cecil Brown at the 13:49 mark. At the 10-minute mark Tim Frazier stepped on the floor for the first time at point guard along side Battle who shifted to the two-guard. Borovnjak made his first appearance with 6:54 in the first half. Babb hit consecutive threes from the left wing to give the Lions a 22-point lead, 33-11, at the 5:24 mark. Adam Highberger hit a three of his own to further extend Penn State's lead, 40-16. Borovnjak scored his first bucket and hit the and-one to give the Lions a 43-18 lead with 1:28 left in the first half as the Lions had four freshmen on the floor. The first half concluded with Penn State holding a 46-23 lead. Battle led all scorers in the half with 12 points and six rebounds. Babb added 10 points and four rebounds. Babb hit a tough floater in the paint, giving the Lions a 48-23 lead to open the second half. Battle hit Jackson for an easy lay-up to extend the lead to 52-26. Evans hit his 17th point of the game for the Rock with a three to cut the deficit to 57-38 at the 11:56 mark. Maurice Douglas added to the 8-0 Rock run with a lay-up cutting the Lions lead to 17, 57-40 with 10 minutes left. However, a 9-0 run by Penn State with baskets from Battle and a three by Cammeron Woodyard gave Penn State a 66-40 lead at the 8:25 mark. The Lions would cruise on from there leading by as many as 35.

Nittany Lions sweep the Badgers, 3-0

Fri, 6 Nov 2009 21:17:00 +0000

MADISON, Wis. - The No. 1 Penn State women's volleyball team (25-0, 13-0) swept Wisconsin 3-0 (25-15, 25-13, 25-21) Friday night to extend its winning streak to 89 straight matches. The Nittany Lions are now tied with the Stanford women's tennis team for third place on the NCAA's Division consecutive wins list. Senior Megan Hodge (Durham, N.C.) led Penn State with 13 kills, while freshman Darcy Dorton (Muncie, Ind.) and junior Blair Brown (Purcellville, Va.) tallied eight kills apiece. Junior Alyssa D'Errico (Byron, N.Y.) registered a match-high 12 digs and senior setter Alisha Glass (Leland, Mich.) dished out 31 assists. Junior Arielle Wilson (Broadview, Ill.) had a team-high eight blocks and recorded both of Penn State's aces. Penn State attacked at a .287 attack percentage and held the Badgers (11-11, 6-7) to .000. The Nittany Lions finished the night with 40 kills, 39 assists, two aces, 41 digs and 12.0 total team blocks. Wisconsin posted just 28 kills, 26 assists, 25 digs and 6.0 team blocks. Penn State wasted no time in the first set taking a 5-0 lead. The Nittany Lions were a wall at the net with Wilson teaming up with first Dorton and then Glass to put PSU up 2-0. Kills from Wilson and Dorton and an attack error by Wisconsin brought the score to 5-0 and Wisconsin called a timeout. Brittney Dolgner finally put the Badgers on the board with a kill, but the Nittany Lions maintained a strong lead, 8-3, thanks to a Wisconsin error and another Wilson kill. Wisconsin worked to within four on two occasions, but a Dorton kill and a Wilson/Glass block had Penn State leading by six, 13-7. By midpoint of the frame, Penn State had a seven-point advantage, 16-9. Two straight kills by Hodge increased Penn State's lead to 18-10. The Nittany Lions led 20-13 when Wisconsin took a second timeout. Wisconsin would manage only two more points before PSU closed out the set, 25-15. The Nittany Lions took a 3-1 lead in the first set, but a kill from Elle Ohlander and a Wisconsin ace had the score tied, 3-3. Hodge gave Penn State the lead, 4-3, and Wisconsin would only manage one more point while the Nittany Lions surged ahead to an 11-4 lead. Dolgner finally scored a point for the Badgers, but errors began to plague Wisconsin and Penn State found itself leading 16-7. After a Wisconsin timeout, the Badgers recorded two straight points. However, a Wilson kill, a Wisconsin error and PSU block put the Nittany Lions ahead by double-digits, 19-9. Wisconsin's Caity DuPont cut off the Penn State run with a kill, but Hodge fired back to keep Penn State ahead by 10, 20-10. Two Wisconsin errors and a Brown kill had the Nittany Lions within two points of taking set two, 23-11. A Penn State error gave Wisconsin its final point of the second set. A Hodge kill and another Badger error secured the second set for PSU, 25-13. Penn State led 4-0 early in the third set, but kills by Janelle Gabrielsen and Alexis Mitchell, a PSU error and a Wisconsin ace had the score tied, 4-4. Junior Fatima Balza (Merida, Venezuela) put Penn State back in the lead, but Wisconsin did not let up and had tied the Nittany Lions again at 7-7. Dorton notched a kill for an 8-7 lead, but Mitchell and Allison Wack blocked a Wilson attack to make it 8-8. The score tied twice more before a Badger error gave Penn State the lead for good. Kills from Brown and Hodge and a Wilson ace gave Penn State some much-needed breathing room, 15-11, and Wisconsin took a timeout. After the break, Wisconsin came within two, 16-14, after a PSU error and a Mitchell kill, but Penn State was back ahead by four, 19-15 thanks to kills by Hodge and Brown and Balza block. Two Wisconsin errors, kills form Dorton and Hodge and Penn State block gave Penn State a 25-21 third set win. The Nittany Lions are back in action Saturday at Iowa. The Nittany Lions meet the Hawkeyes at 7 p.m. Live stats will be available via a link at GoPSUsports.com. For more information on the Penn State women's volleyball team, please visit www.GoPSUsports.com. The Penn State women's volleyball 2009 season is presented by Rockvale Outlets and The Outlets At Hershey.

Hoosiers hold off Nittany Lions, 3-1

Fri, 6 Nov 2009 17:23:00 +0000

EAST LANSING, Mich. - Despite tying the score midway through the first half, the Penn State field hockey team couldn't fight all the way back, allowing two second half goals in a 3-1 defeat to Indiana in Friday's Big Ten Semifinals. With the win, the Hoosiers advance to face Michigan State in the Big Ten Championship Game. The Lions end their season at 7-13 highlighted by two wins over Ohio State, including one on Thursday which marked only the second time a No. 7 seed has ever won a game in the Big Ten Tournament. "I'm proud of the way we played," said head coach Charlene Morett. "We fought for 70 minutes and showed great competitive spirit. Give credit to Indiana, who played great around the goal. Our goalie, Ali Meves played great today as well." Freshman Kelsey Amy accounted for the Lions' lone score to finish with three for the tournament which is tied for 10th all-time in one Big Ten Tournament. Meves was strong in making three incredible saves to keep Penn State close. Indiana took the quick lead less than five minutes into the game when it converted its second corner attempt. After Katie Griswold's insert, Kelsey Kiper made a nifty pass to Morgan Fleetwood, whose shot beat Meves inside the right post at 4:48. The Hoosiers continued their relentless pressure, but couldn't beat the junior goalkeeper for a second time. After a number of golden opportunities, including a one-on-one chance by redshirt freshman Hannah Allison, the Nittany Lions made it 1-1 when Amy scored yet another goal off a penalty corner. This time, sophomore Jessica Longstreth made the insert to redshirt freshman Kristen Schaefer. Amy's blast was deflected by an Indiana defender high and past goalkeeper Alex Mann to make it 1-1 at 21:46. Penn State nearly fell into another hole with under eight minutes remaining in the first, but Meves came up with a pair of incredible saves in succession to keep the score knotteed at one. She first came out strong on Griswold, who was sprung in all alone. After making the stop on the end line, she somehow got back in position to make a stick save of a Kiper attempt. After over 13 minutes of scoreless second half play, Indiana retook the 2-1 lead at 48:47 when Brooke Borneman converted an odd man rush. Redshirt senior Jen Miller made a huge defensive save on the first shot, but couldn't stop the rebound as Borneman fifth goal of the season gave the Hoosiers the lead for good. Corey Brautigam scored an inusrance goal off a penalty corner attempt at 52:00 for the 3-1 final. Final shots were 11-4 in favor of Indiana while Meves and Mann each had three saves. Indiana held the 6-4 edge in penalty corners. The Nittany Lions end their season at 7-13, including three wins against ranked foes and two versus Ohio State. They also made history in becoming only the second No. 7 seed in Big Ten history to win a tournament game. Follow Penn State field hockey on Twitter: www.twitter.com/PennStateFH.

Front lines could decide PSU-Ohio State

Bernard Fernadez — Fri, 6 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Almost everyone agrees that Saturday afternoon's nationally televised Big Ten showdown between No. 11 Penn State (8-1, 4-1) and Ohio State (7-2, 4-1) in Beaver Stadium will be another low-scoring war of attrition, settled in the trenches by straining giants. The Nittany Lions and Buckeyes are ranked first and second in the conference in virtually every team defensive category, which suggests another round of smash-mouth football. "Whoever's offensive line does the best job of controlling the defense is going to win," Penn State senior left tackle Dennis Landolt said. The opposing view, of course, is that whoever's defensive line does the best job of controlling the offense is going to win. The objective is the same, but the path to that common goal is often altered by perspective. It is axiomatic that offensive linemen and defensive linemen are, well, different. The prevailing image of o-linemen is that of orderly types who knot their ties just so, hang their clothes neatly and are very good at following directions. The best blocking fronts are all about cohesion. D-linemen are rumpled, wild-eyed reactionaries. Oh, sure, there are general scripts they are asked to memorize, but rewrites of the game plan can occur on every snap. "A mental component? I'm not sure," Penn State senior defensive tackle Jared Odrick said when asked what ultimately determines whether a lineman more suited to offense or defense. "As a defensive lineman, you always want to play fast, reckless. If a play goes in the opposite direction or if something happens that you weren't expecting, you have to be able to react and adjust. "On offense, you know the play that's been called. You know the snap count. You see where the defense is lined up. You have to react on offense, but not nearly as much as you do on defense." The 6-5, 306-pound Odrick is a bundle of combustible energy. Penn State defensive coordinator Tom Bradley and d-line coach Larry Johnson both call him the best three-technique player in the country. Odrick has played defense since he arrived in Happy Valley in 2006, but part of the reason for Penn State's tradition of success is that the veteran coaching staff is astute at making position changes that bring out the best in every player. Levi Brown was an All-America left tackle at Penn State and the Arizona Cardinals' first-round draft choice in 2007, but the 6-5, 328-pounder acknowledged being disappointed when he was told, after redshirting as a freshman in 2002, that he was switching to offense. "Levi wanted to be a defensive tackle, so I can see where he was upset," Odrick said. "But I'm pretty sure he's not upset now." Copyright 2009 Tribune Review Publishing CompanyAll Rights Reserved

Yes, this one's still big; Though Buckeyes, Lions trail surprising Iowa, there's lots at stake

Fri, 6 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Spotlight Game NO. 15 Ohio State at NO. 11 Penn State, 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Ch. 7 The trouble with starting out high is that it's difficult to stay there. At first glance, Ohio State's upset loss at Purdue and Penn State's loss to Iowa (which now holds all the cards in the Big Ten) have taken the edge away from what figured to be the league's Big Game this season. In a sense, though, that raises the ante in this elimination game. And it makes this game more intriguing. Who's going to rise up and erase past flaws to survive and advance? Who's going to face potshots for an underachieving season? Penn State (8-1, 4-1 Big Ten) needs to show what kind of team it has after looking flustered in its 21-10 loss to Iowa, the only notable opponent on the Nittany Lions' undistinguished schedule. ''The people that might question their validity or whatever are just looking for things to talk about,'' Buckeyes coach Jim Tressel said, ''because I think Penn State is for real.'' The trouble is, in their biggest measuring stick, the Nittany Lions, who have let teams like Illinois and Northwestern hang around, looked shaky on the offensive line, at quarterback and on special teams against Iowa. And they know they're running out of chances. ''It's a very big game for us,'' Penn State safety Drew Astorino said. ''We were looking to go undefeated, and Iowa beat us. We still have a good season going, so we're definitely looking for a big win this week.'' For Ohio State (7-2, 4-1), all eyes once again will be on Terrelle Pryor, who must avoid a repeat of the turnover mistakes he made at Purdue and throw the ball well against a quality defense in his first college game back home in Pennsylvania. With a victory, the Buckeyes can take another step toward their fifth straight Big Ten title. They also can go into what now looks like the most decisive conference game of the season, against Iowa in Columbus next week, on a positive note. ''We know how important all these games are,'' Ohio State receiver Dane Sanzenbacher said. ''It's come to a point in our season where we have to win out, and we have to play well in November to be a great team.'' The Buckeyes have recent history on their side. They are 23-4 in the last eight Novembers under Tressel, and their 2007 upset loss to Illinois is their only November loss the last four years. ''Coach Tressel puts it as, 'Septembers are for pretenders and Novembers are for contenders,''' linebacker Ross Homan said. ''To be great, you have to be great in November.'' The stat that looms larger at the moment are the two fumbles and two interceptions by Pryor in the Buckeyes' last road game, a shocking 26-18 loss to the struggling Boilermakers. Another question surrounding Ohio State's ballyhooed sophomore quarterback, who's a modest ninth in Big Ten passing, is a multitude of nagging injuries. ''He has ice bags everywhere,'' said Tressel, quickly adding that Pryor will play healthy. ''I would expect him not to be debilitated. Adrenaline is an amazing thing, even when you're feeling sore.'' Another intriguing stat: In its last three wins, Penn State has not had a turnover -- but in the Iowa loss it had four, including three picks by quarterback Daryll Clark and a blocked punt. It should be a challenging day for both offenses. Penn State and Ohio State are fifth and sixth in the nation, respectively, in total defense and run defense, and they are 12th and 14th, respectively, in pass defense. In other words, this showdown probably isn't going to be a shootout. And while there's no question that the loser will not be able to make up the ground it has lost, Joe Paterno cast that aside. ''The consequences of the winning and the losing of it are obvious to everybody, but you can't go at it that way,'' Paterno said. ''I think we just have to say, 'Hey, let's play it. Go out there and have a little fun. Let's not beat ourselves. What happens afterward, happens.''' The line: Penn State by 3?. Gould's pick: Penn State, 16-10. Copyright 2009 Chicago Sun-Times, Inc.All Rights Reserved

Ohio State heads into Happy Valley

Fri, 6 Nov 2009 14:39:00 +0000

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) Welcome home, Terrelle Pryor. No. 15 Ohio State and its talented dual-threat quarterback visit No. 11 Penn State in a high-stakes Big Ten game. For Pryor, it will be his first game at Beaver Stadium since the western Pennsylvania native spurned Penn State last year to end one of the most publicized recruiting races in recent memory. Nittany Lions fans haven't forgotten, and Pryor knows it. "It's going to be a crazy atmosphere, but that's what we come here for,'' said Pryor, a sophomore. "We're going (in) as a team, so if I get spit on, they spit on the whole team and stuff like that.'' As if the annual grudge match between the Buckeyes (7-2, 4-1 Big Ten) and Nittany Lions (8-1, 4-1) needed any subplots. Both teams could use a signature win to solidify their credentials for a BCS bowl berth. The game also will break their tie for second place in the conference, putting the victor in better position for at least a share of the Big Ten crown should unbeaten Iowa falter down the stretch. "We definitely feel like we have something to prove. There's a whole bunch of talk that we haven't played anybody yet,'' Penn State receiver Derek Moye said. The Nittany Lions have won five straight by lopsided margins, though they lost their toughest game this season when they fell to the Hawkeyes in late September. A loss could put the Buckeyes in more late-season trouble. Their goal to win at least a share of their fifth consecutive Big Ten title is already in jeopardy, and they host Iowa next week. But there's not a Buckeye that's looking beyond the Nittany Lions, a team that leads the Big Ten in total offense (429 yards per game) and total defense (84 yards). "It starts up front, very physical, very strong, aggressive style, not unlike ours,'' Ohio State coach Jim Tressel said. That sounds a lot like something his Penn State counterpart, Hall of Famer Joe Paterno, would say. Games between the Nittany Lions and Buckeyes usually hinge on field position and big defensive plays, whether in Happy Valley or the Horseshoe. Tressel, like Paterno, often likes to play things close to his sweater vest. Their styles pay off given that the two big-name coaches have 616 victories between them - Paterno the leader among major college coaches with 391, Tressel with 225. In fact, Saturday's game will be the first time two FBS coaches with a combined 600 or more wins will have met in the regular season, according to Penn State's sports information department. The other time it happened was in the 2006 Orange Bowl, when Penn State and Paterno beat Florida State and Bobby Bowden, who is five behind Paterno on the career victory chart. But Paterno doesn't like to talk about his career stats, or to compare himself to Tressel or any of his other colleagues, for that matter. "No, I'm not going to compare myself, heck,'' Paterno said when a reporter broached the topic this week. "I'll compare your writing with somebody else's writing if you want me to do that, or something like that, but that's not - no.'' He's had more immediate concerns on his mind, like containing Pryor. If there's any defense that's up to the challenge, it's a Penn State unit that is the stingiest in the nation in allowing just 9.3 points per game. The Nittany Lions' defense leads the league in sacks, while the athletic linebacking trio of Navorro Bowman, Josh Hull and Sean Lee is one of the best in the country. Mobile Northwestern quarterback Mike Kafka lit up the Penn State defense early last week before getting hurt, though the Nittany Lions have done a good job this season in containing other running quarterbacks such as Illinois' Juice Williams and Michigan's Tate Forcier. While Ohio State's defense (11.7 points and 260 yards per game) can go toe-to-toe with the Nittany Lions, the offense has struggled at times, with much of the blame pinned on an inconsistent Pryor. Pryor started out slow ``but the last two games he's been very, very overpowering, really. He's running well, he's throwing the ball well deep,'' Paterno said. Pryor would love to do the same against the Nittany Lions at Beaver Stadium, especially after his fourth-quarter fumble last year set up Penn State's go-ahead score in a 13-6 loss in Columbus. Penn State fans are ready to pounce on Pryor's every move. Many blue-and-white backers still recall that during recruiting, Pryor called the Penn State campus in rural central Pennsylvania too ``countryside'' for his taste. "I came here to Ohio State to play in this type of game. I have my teammates with me, all 70 guys,'' Pryor said. "We'll feed off of that, whether it's our fans or their fans. It's going to be exciting, electric.''

Penn State eliminates Ohio State

Thu, 5 Nov 2009 16:31:00 +0000

EAST LANSING, Mich. - Riding two first half goals from freshman Kelsey Amy and strong goalkeeping from junior Ali Meves, the seventh-seeded Penn State field hockey team jumped out to a 2-0 lead and held off a late Ohio State surge for a thrilling 2-1 upset victory in the Big Ten Opening Round on Thursday afternoon. The win marked only the second time in conference history that a seventh seed has defeated the No. 2 seed. The Nittany Lions advance to Friday's Big Ten Semifinals to face the third-seeded Indiana Hoosiers. That game will begin at approximately 2 p.m. and will air live on the Big Ten Network. "I was really pleased with the way we played both halves," said head coach Charlene Morett. "We had a very exciting first half and played with a lot of poise. We got into a little bit of a panic mode in the second half, but I was really proud of the way they stayed strong inside our defensive 25. Ali Meves did a nice job in goal too. It was a great game for us." Not only did Penn State became only the second No. 7 seed in Big Ten history to win a game in the tournament, but with a win on Friday, it would become the first-ever squad to advance to the championship game. The Lions came out strong and took it to the Buckeyes early on. After a number of failed opportunities, they converted at 29:49 off a penalty corner when Amy rocketed a shot past Ohio State goalkeeper Lindsay Quintiliani for a 1-0 advantage. Senior Amy Bonenberger and sophomore Jessica Longstreth were credited with the assists on the play. Penn State made it 2-0 off another corner attempt, but this coming at 35:00 of the first half. With time winding down, Longstreth made a steal at mid-field to create an attacking opportunity. The penalty corner was awarded before the time had expired, so Penn State was still allowed to take the attempt. The play paid off when another Amy shot found the back of the cage to make it 2-0 heading into halftime. Ohio State came out strong in the second and converted a Penn State turnover into a goal to cut the lead in half. Berta Queralt was on the receiving end of the feed and came in all alone on Meves. She made a move around the junior goalkeeper and easily found the open goal to make it 2-1 at 49:01. The Buckeyes kept attacking with shots and penalty corners, but could not solve Meves for a second time. In total, six of their eight corners came in the second half including five in the span of 6:32. Final shots were 13-4 in favor of Ohio State while the Buckeyes had the edge in corners, 8-7. Meves finished with five big saves while Quintiliani was credited with one. Penn State now looks ahead to its Big Ten Semifinal matchup against third-seeded Indiana. The game will start at 2 p.m. and will air live on the Big Ten Network. Check back to GoPSUsports.com and the Penn State field hockey twitter page for continued news and notes as the Nittany Lions search for their first Big Ten Tournament Title since 1998.

Odrick at center of Penn State-Ohio State

Bernard Fernadez — Thu, 5 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000

THEY ARE ALL big and powerful. You don't cut it as a lineman in a major college program unless you meet certain requirements in terms of size and strength. But XXXL physical dimensions are about the only tie that binds offensive linemen to their rowdier defensive counterparts. A mental divide separates those who play on one side of the ball or the other, a divide created by a player's natural proclivities or a coach's assessment of his nature. Almost everyone agrees that Saturday afternoon's nationally televised Big Ten showdown between No. 11 Penn State (8-1, 4-1) and No. 15 Ohio State (7-2, 4-1) in Beaver Stadium will be another low-scoring war of attrition, settled in the trenches by straining giants. The Nittany Lions and Buckeyes are ranked first and second in the conference in virtually every team defensive category, which suggests another round of smash-mouth football. First group to hammer a crack in the other side's Wall of Jericho triumphs. "It's almost always a situation that comes down to whoever's offensive line does the best job of controlling the defense is going to win," judged Penn State senior left tackle Dennis Landolt, of South Jersey's Holy Cross High. That's one way of looking at it. The opposing view, of course, is that whoever's defensive line does the best job of controlling the offense is going to win. The objective is the same, but the path to that common goal is often altered by perspective. It is axiomatic that offensive linemen and defensive linemen are, well, different. The prevailing image of o-linemen is that of orderly types who knot their ties just so, hang their clothes neatly and are very good at following directions. The best blocking fronts are all about cohesion. D-linemen are rumpled, wild-eyed reactionaries. Oh, sure, there are general scripts they are asked to memorize, but rewrites of the game plan can occur on every snap. "A mental component? I'm not sure," Penn State senior defensive tackle Jared Odrick said when asked what ultimately determines whether a lineman is more suited to offense or defense. "As a defensive lineman, you always have to have the mind-set that you want to play fast, you want to play reckless. It's all about reaction and being able to go full speed. If a play goes in the opposite direction or if something happens that you weren't expecting, you have to be able to react and adjust. "On offense, you know the play that's been called. You know the snap count. You see where the defense is lined up. You have to react on offense, but not nearly as much as you do on defense." The 6-5, 306-pound Odrick is a bundle of combustible energy. Penn State defensive coordinator Tom Bradley and d-line coach Larry Johnson both call him the best three-technique player in the country, but that defines the scope of his duties too narrowly. Odrick is the subject of more game-planning by opposing coaches than any other Penn State defensive player; he has to fight through double-teams on almost every play, as guys in different-colored jerseys come at him from myriad directions. The price Odrick pays for all that attention is that he frequently gives up his body so that a teammate can fill a hole and make the stop. But every now and then, his power and quickness enable him to defeat the combo blocks, resulting in a sack or a tackle for loss. And those occasions are the most satisfying of all . . . fun, even. Odrick has played defense since he arrived in Happy Valley in 2006, but part of the reason for Penn State's tradition of success is that the veteran coaching staff is so astute at making position changes that bring out the best in every player. Levi Brown was an All-America left tackle at Penn State and the Arizona Cardinals' first-round draft choice in 2007, but the 6-5, 328-pounder acknowledged being disappointed when he was told, after redshirting as a freshman in 2002, that he was switching to offense. "I loved playing defense," Brown said before his senior season with the Nits. "On defense, you just go get whoever has the ball. You can take off the wrong way, but as long as you get in on the play, everything's OK. "Offense is different. There are more rules for offensive linemen. You can't hold. On defense, you can pull, you can hold, throw guys on the ground if you want. On offense, you have to be more controlled. You have to keep things more on the inside." Reminded of Brown's initial reluctance to switch, Odrick said he understood. "Levi wanted to be a defensive tackle, so I can see where he was upset," Odrick said. "But I'm pretty sure he's not upset now." * Copyright 2009 Philadelphia Newspapers, LLCAll Rights Reserved

Pryor, Clark took different paths to QB jobs

GENARO C. ARMAS — Wed, 4 Nov 2009 16:27:00 +0000

STATE COLLEGE, Pa.(AP) Lost in the hoopla over Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor's trip home to Pennsylvania this weekend is the story of how Penn State found its own signal-caller in the Buckeyes' backyard. Cool in the pocket and confident in the locker room, Youngstown, Ohio-native Daryll Clark has turned into a star with the No. 11 Nittany Lions (8-1, 4-1 Big Ten). Pryor's visit Saturday to Beaver Stadium will be his first since signing with No. 15 Ohio State (7-2, 4-1) more than 18 months ago to end a heated recruiting race. Still, things have turned out just fine in Happy Valley. "I've tried to say time and time again ... I think Daryll Clark has been an outstanding performer for us,'' Penn State coach Joe Paterno said this week before adding his signature phrase reserved for his favorite Nittany Lions. "Daryll Clark is one heck of a football player.'' Penn State is 19-3 since Clark took over as the starter in 2008. Clark's 37 career touchdown passes are four shy of tying the school record, and his 20 rushing touchdowns ties him with mentor Michael Robinson for most TDs on the ground by a Nittany Lions QB. And to think, just two years ago, hardcore Penn State fans were giddy about pursuing Pryor, the quarterback phenom out of Jeannette, Pa. What was not to love about Pryor? A 6-foot-6 phenom from a western Pennsylvania region known as the Cradle of Quarterbacks for producing the likes of Dan Marino, Joe Montana and Joe Namath, Pryor was the only player in state high school history to rush for more than 4,000 yards and throw for more than 4,000 in a career. In contrast, Clark was a mid-level recruit upon graduating from Ursuline High in Youngstown in 2004. "Clark was a completely under-the-radar kind of guy,'' said Mark Brennan, the editor of FightonState.com, which covers Penn State recruiting. ``People knew about him, but he was not the kind of five-star, all-everything prospect that Pryor was.'' After spending a year in prep school to brush up on grades, Clark joined the Nittany Lions in 2006, the first of two seasons backing up Anthony Morelli - himself a highly touted QB from western Pennsylvania. The Pryor recruiting sweepstakes followed the next year. Clark helped out trying to lure a prospect who could potentially leapfrog him on the depth chart. "That was kind of a difficult time for him. ... He felt a little uncomfortable,'' Clark's father, Daryll Clark, Sr., said in a phone interview. "But he handled it well. He played his part.'' The ending is well-known now in Big Ten circles. Pryor couldn't make a choice by the February 2008 date that opened the formal signing period, and took about another month before deciding on Ohio State over Penn State, Michigan and Oregon. But that still didn't clear the way for Clark in Happy Valley. Also on the Penn State roster at the time was highly touted sophomore Pat Devlin, who had set the Pennsylvania career prep passing record with 8,162 yards at Downingtown East. Clark finally secured the starting job after outplaying Devlin in 2008 preseason camp. Clark may not have the explosive running ability that Robinson had, but he is the more polished passer with the ability to scramble out of trouble and bowl over defenders if needed. "Offensively they have the blessing of having a very veteran quarterback who you've seen grow as each year's gone,'' Ohio State coach Jim Tressel said. There have been some knocks on Clark, as expected with the high-profile job of Penn State starting quarterback. Most notably, some critics or columnists will point out that Clark has faltered in some big games. Arguably his two worst performances of his career have come in losses to Iowa in September and last season. He threw two picks in the final three minutes of the Rose Bowl loss last season against Southern California as Penn State tried to rally from a back from a 24-point deficit. Clark was mostly ineffective before being knocked out in the third quarter of last season's win at Ohio State because of a concussion. Devlin ran for the go-ahead touchdown in relief. Recruiting-wise though, Clark's emergence and Devlin's transfer last year seems to have made it easier for Penn State to land dual-threat prospects, said Mike Farrell, an analyst with Rivals.com. Touted freshman Kevin Newsome is now Clark's backup, and Penn State has verbal commitments from two prized recruits in next year's class. Depending on how those prospects pan out, ``losing Pryor might not hurt them at all,'' Farrell said. Instead of tutoring Pryor as a teammate, Clark will be facing him Saturday. Pryor, a sophomore, would like nothing better than to atone for his fourth-quarter fumble last season against the Nittany Lions that set up Devlin's score. A good outing could placate critics who blame Pryor for Ohio State's struggles, as well as silence Penn State fans expected to shower him with taunts. "I'm sure they're going to be giving me a lot of stuff, saying a lot of things, but I won't hear any of it,'' Pryor said last weekend after a 45-0 rout of New Mexico State. Clark, a senior, would like to play well in his last game against his home-state rivals, and get his team back to the BCS. His proud father will be in the stands to root him on. "People in this area, us being from Ohio, a lot of people that know us and our family, they want the Buckeyes to win,'' Clark's father said, 'but they want Daryll to do well.''

Intriguing plots abound for Ohio St-Penn St

GENARO C. ARMAS — Tue, 3 Nov 2009 18:12:00 +0000

STATE COLLEGE, Pa.(AP) JoePa vs. Jim Tressel. Daryll Clark vs. Terrelle Pryor. The best defense in the Big Ten against the league's second-best unit. It looks like Saturday's game between No. 11 Penn State and No. 15 Ohio State should be another star-powered, high-stakes slugfest. The winner remains alive in the Big Ten race, in position to pounce should undefeated Iowa falter in the last three weeks of the season. The loser probably says goodbye to a shot at a BCS bowl - not that Paterno is trying to heap more pressure on his No. 11 Nittany Lions (8-1, 4-1). "Well the consequences of the winning and the losing of it are obvious to everybody, but you can't go at it that way,'' Paterno said Tuesday. "I think we just got to say, 'Hey, let's play it. Go out there and have a little fun. Let's not beat ourselves. ... What happens afterward happens.''' If recent history in this series is any indication, the latest edition of one of the Big Ten's highest-profile rivalries could be another last-minute thriller. Like safety Mark Rubin's fourth-quarter hit on quarterback Pryor last year that caused a fumble in Buckeye territory to set up Penn State's go-ahead touchdown in a 13-6 win. In 2005, defensive end Tamba Hali's forced fumble with 1:21 to play cemented Penn State's 17-10 win in 2005. Michael Jenkins' five-yard TD catch with 1:35 left lifted Ohio State to a 21-20 win two years earlier, overcoming Penn State cornerback Alan Zemaitis' 78-yard interception return. The common theme in each of those games: big defensive plays - just how Nittany Lions linebacker Sean Lee likes it. "For sure, a tough physical game that's going to come down to a few mistakes,'' Penn State's defensive captain said. As if a game against Ohio State (7-2, 4-1) needed any more intrigue, this year's meeting includes two new wrinkles. Saturday's game will be the 300th in the 50-season history of Beaver Stadium. The Nittany Lions are 241-58 at the stadium since it opened in 1960. There's also the return of western Pennsylvania native Pryor to his home state for the first time since the sophomore spurned Paterno two years ago in one of the most closely watched recruiting contests in recent memory. Clark, a native of Youngstown, Ohio, ended up winning the quarterback job in Happy Valley in 2008, and he's been 19-3 ever since in leading Penn State's spread HD offense. Pryor helped the Buckeyes get to the Fiesta Bowl last year, though he's felt pressure from fans this season for the inconsistent Ohio State offense. That criticism might be paltry compared to the unfriendly response Pryor should get Saturday at Beaver Stadium. Paterno has shown only respect for Ohio State's dangerous dual-threat sophomore. "Tremendous ability. He started a little bit slow, but the last few games, he's been very, very overpowering,'' Paterno said. If there's any team that has the talent to stop Pryor, it's Penn State - the Big Ten leader in scoring defense (FBS-leading 9.3 points per game) and total defense (254 yards). Unfortunately for Paterno, he's got the Ohio State defense to worry about, too. The Buckeyes allow 11.7 points and 260 yards per game, second in the conference behind the Nittany Lions. Despite all the big-game hoopla - including an early opening for the students at the Paternoville tent city outside the stadium and a pep rally Friday - Paterno said he's approaching this week in practice like any other. "If there's a little more thrust, enthusiasm, emotion in the way we teach things, or my involvement in it ... I think the kids could tell you better than I could. I try not to though,'' Paterno said. Lee, a senior, doesn't need any new motivational tricks to get ready for Saturday. "We had a lot of pop in practice, everyone was excited,'' Lee said. "I think we'll have a lot of fun in this game.'' Still, this year's meeting doesn't have quite the luster as last year's, when then-unbeaten Penn State handed the Buckeyes their only Big Ten loss of the season. This season, Iowa (9-0, 5-0) controls its own destiny and can clinch a Rose Bowl berth if its wins out. But the Hawkeyes have faced questions about their viability as BCS title contenders, in part because of their tendency to have to rally from behind for victories. The strength of the Big Ten has also been questioned by some national pundits because of Ohio State's recent losses in high-profile games, as well as Penn State's loss to Southern California in last season's Rose Bowl. Asked Tuesday if he was bothered by the conference's national reputation, Paterno offered his oft-repeated suggestion of expanding the conference to extend the league schedule - possibly with a conference title game. "I think it's hurt us some, but it's obvious why,'' Paterno said. "We back out of the national scene'' in mid-November, when Big Ten teams end their regular season.

Admittedly so, Penn State amped up for OSU

Tricia Lafferty — Tue, 3 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000

The Nittany Lions finally admitted it. Saturday's game against No. 12 Ohio State is a really big one, and despite Penn State's one-game-at-a-time approach, the No. 10 Lions have been eying it up for some time now. "It's a very big game," Penn State quarterback Daryll Clark said. "We've been waiting on this one for awhile. Obviously, it's a really big game with O State and Penn State. Everyone is very excited about it." There is sure to be an electric atmosphere at 3:30 p.m. Saturday at Beaver Stadium when the Big Ten powers kick off. Every Penn State-Ohio State matchup of late has been highly anticipated and equally as entertaining. It's a game Penn State players and fans mark on their calendars every year. The Lions were eager to broach the subject following their 34-13 victory at Northwestern this past Saturday. "It's just an amazing atmosphere; I can't really explain it," tight end Andrew Quarless said. "I get goosebumps just being on the field hearing the crowd." The setting of this Penn State-Ohio State matchup will be different than the past two years when the games were played in the evening. With two top-15 teams and two squads jockeying for position in the Big Ten, this matchup had all the makings of a prime-time showdown. But because of a Big Ten rule, which prohibits playing night games in November, this game will kick off in the daylight for just the second time in five years. The start time won't matter once Penn State and Ohio State — who are tied for second place in the Big Ten — take the field Saturday. "It should be an awesome game, one of the best of the year," offensive lineman Dennis Landolt said. The series has certainly revved up over the years. Here's a few reasons why: • The teams have played every year since 1993, when Penn State joined the Big Ten. Over that span, Ohio State has an 11-5 edge. • Penn State and Ohio State split the past four games. The Lions' big wins include a 17-10 victory at Beaver Stadium in 2005 and a 13-6 victory in Columbus last season. • Three of the past four games have kicked off at 7 p.m. or later. There's just something about the night air when these teams get together. • Both teams were ranked in the Associated Press poll in each of the past four meetings. The Buckeyes were No. 1 in 2006 and 2007 and were victorious both times. • Much like in 2005 and last season — when Ohio State and Penn State shared the conference championship — this game has Big Ten title implications. Another added element to Saturday's game is the Terrelle Pryor factor. Pryor — a sophomore quarterback — was heavily recruited by Penn State two years ago, but instead chose the Buckeyes. It's inevitable that the Pryor-Clark comparisons will be made, adding even more intensity to this rivalry. "You answer the questions and talk about how you feel about it, but at the end of the day, it's Ohio State versus Penn State. Period," Clark said. "It's not Daryll Clark versus Terrelle Pryor. We're not going to play that type of chess match. That's not what it's about. He's going against our defense and I'm going against theirs. We'll see what happens that way." That said, this matchup has all the makings of a big game, and the Lions know it. Copyright 2009 Tribune Review Publishing CompanyAll Rights Reserved

All eyes on Clark-Pryor matchup

Mike Gross — Tue, 3 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000

If Joe Paterno thinks his quarterback has been comparatively attention-starved, wait until this week plays out. The deck is cleared for Penn State-Ohio State, Saturday (3:30 p.m.) at Beaver Stadium. That also means Darryl Clark vs. Terrelle Pryor. Pryor, the Buckeyes' sophomore QB, will no doubt be the most talked-about player in the run-up to the game. That makes him a star in ways that go beyond his actual performance on the field. It also makes him a lightning rod. Pryor was arguably the nation's top, and undeniably it's highest-profile, recruit two years ago, after leading Jeannette (Pa.) High to state championships in football and basketball. Penn State (8-1 overall, 4-1 Big Ten), and defensive coordinator Tom Bradley in particular, persued Pryor hard. When same-conference rivals battle over a kid like Pryor, rabid fans of each school take the kid's decision almost as hard as an on-field victory or defeat. The week before Penn State-Ohio State last year, after his team beat Michigan State, Pryor said, "I'm from Ohio now. That's still my hometown, but this is where I am now. I don't need to make Penn State happy." You've got the wounds, he may as well have said, and I have the salt. Since then, Ohio State coach Jim Tressel has made Pryor available to the media only sporadically, and not at all, last year, during Penn State week. This is where Clark comes in. Consider the contrasts. Clark is from Ohio and plays for Penn State; Pryor is from Pennsylvania and plays for Ohio State. Clark was lightly recruited out of high school; Pryor was a teenage celebrity. Clark is as thoughtful, cooperative and professional with the media as any athlete, college or pro; Pryor, uh, don't need to make Penn State happy. The most important contrast is that at least right now, Clark is a much better college QB. He's completed 62 percent of his passes for nearly 1,900 yards, 17 touchdowns and seven interceptions. Pryor has completed 55 percent for a hair over 1,400 yards, 13 TDs and nine picks. Clark's been even better lately. During Penn State's current five-game winning streak, he's thrown for nine touchdowns and run for five, with just one turnover. In the last two games, conference road wins over Michigan and Northwestern, he's gone 38 for 58 (65 percent) for 504 yards and five touchdowns. Of course, Pryor is the better runner, and he's rushed for 61 yards a game. Sacks bring down the yardage figure, but that's arguably deceptive since part of Ohio State's offensive MO is for Pryor to freelance, running around and creating. Clark could probably do some of that, if asked. Even so, he's now Penn State's career leader in rushing touchdowns by a quarterback. It's fair to point out that Clark hasn't won a big game against a top-shelf opponent. His only win against a team ranked in the top 25 was last year's blowout of Michigan State. He came up decidedly small in the losses to Iowa in 2008 and '09. He was unable to stem the USC wave in January's Rose Bowl, but Peyton Manning may not have been able to pull that off. Clark left with a concussion in the second half of last season's 13-6 defeat of Ohio State at Columbus. Backup Pat Devlin led the winning touchdown drive in that game, but did it mostly by handing off. That game was a defensive war that had relatively little to do with quarterbacking. All of which is why, for Clark, Saturday's game figures to impact his Penn State legacy. He likely won't back away from that, when it comes up this week. And it will. Last week Paterno made a point, in his weekly press conference, of saying that some of his players, Clark being exhibit A, weren't getting enough publicity or accolades. "Whether you guys know it or not you guys have a little bit of prejudice and it shows,'' he scolded. When the subject came up after the Northwestern game, Paterno said, "don't get me into that again.'' This week, he may not have much choice. Nit Notes: The Big Ten story continues to be Iowa. The Hawkeyes trailed Indiana 21-7 at halftime Saturday. QB Ricky Stanzi threw four interceptions in the third quarter. And Iowa won the fourth quarter 28-0 and the game 42-24. It's getting spooky. Iowa has the statistical profile of a sub-.500 team. It has trailed in eight of its nine games. The exception is 1-AA Arkansas State, which Iowa barely held on to beat. The Hawkeyes are 9-0, ranked fourth in the country, and ranked second by the computer portion of the BCS, which doesn't take into account margin of victory. Other than once-beaten Penn State and Ohio State, every other Big Ten team has at least three conference losses now. Barring an bizarre upset (although it's unclear if that term has meaning any longer), only Ohio State, which hosts Iowa Nov. 14, can get the league title and BCS automatic berth away from the Hawkeyes. To so do, Ohio State would have to beat both Penn State and Iowa in back-to-back weeks. Copyright 2009 Lancaster Newspapers, Inc.

Ohio St.-Penn St. Preview

Rusty Miller — Mon, 2 Nov 2009 11:04:00 +0000

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) No sooner had Ohio State and Penn State wrapped up their latest victories than both were looking ahead to their critical tangle at Beaver Stadium on Saturday. "The crowd is going to be against us, especially against me,'' Buckeyes quarterback Terrelle Pryor said of a showdown with Big Ten title implications. "But it really doesn't matter. I got my family with me, all 75 (teammates) that travel, and we're going to be ready to rock. I can't wait.'' That emotion is at the other end of the spectrum from what the No. 15 Buckeyes faced last Saturday. They barely raised their pulse rate in eclipsing overmatched New Mexico State 45-0, holding the Aggies - statistically the worst offense in the Bowl Subdivision - to 62 yards. On offense, the Buckeyes piled up 559 yards and had seven players amass more individual yards than the Aggies did as a team over 45 plays. Still, coach Jim Tressel was well aware that about the only thing New Mexico State and No. 11 Penn State have in common is their last name. "Are we consistent enough right now to be the contending champions for the Big Ten? Not yet,'' said Tressel, whose team has won at least a piece of the last four conference titles. "That's why we're going to practice like crazy and get ready for the Nittany Lions.'' Those Nittany Lions rattled off three touchdowns in less than 4 minutes to turn a squeaker into a rout in a 34-13 victory at Northwestern. As quarterback Daryll Clark was leaving the field, he encountered 82-year-old Penn State sage Joe Paterno. "He called to me and told me that this was a good win,'' Clark said. "We've got our big one next week. We all laughed about it.'' Neither team can afford many laughs this week. Both are 4-1 in the Big Ten and a game back of unbeaten Iowa, which defeated Penn State earlier in the year and still must play Ohio State. A loss doesn't eliminate either team from the league race, but it sure would make things difficult. A year ago, the teams met under somewhat similar circumstances at Ohio Stadium, with both perfect in league play. The Buckeyes led 6-3 in the fourth quarter when Pryor fumbled on a third-down play. The Nittany Lions, with Pat Devlin taking over for an injured Clark, drove 38 yards and scored on a 1-yard touchdown run. Ohio State had two more possessions, but had to punt after the first. Devlin then guided the Lions to a field goal for a 13-6 lead. Pryor's deep throw with 27 seconds left was picked off by Lydell Sargeant to seal the game. Both quarterbacks - Clark from Youngstown, Ohio, and Pryor from Jeannette, Pa. - would like nothing better than to engineer wins that would break hearts back home. "I think Daryll is the leader of the offensive football team,'' Paterno said after his 391st career victory Saturday. "He is a guy that makes us go.'' Pryor, who chose Ohio State over Penn State and Michigan, is expecting a less-than-warm welcome from the fans in Happy Valley. He knows he won't be a favorite son. "I'll probably get booed as soon as I go out to warm up,'' he said. He has no concerns that the Buckeyes will be up to the challenge. "Just the way we carry ourselves, we feel confident. I'd preach that to any team I'd be on,'' Pryor said. "You have to be confident, because if you go into a game thinking you're going to lose, that's not how you win. So we go in thinking that we can beat everybody. "We know it's going to be a very tough job to do at Penn State, but the way we think, you have to think you're going to win. So we have to be positive-thinking, just like Penn State will be positive-thinking.'' Buckeyes defensive tackle Doug Worthington might have been speaking for both teams. "We still have a chance of doing something great in the Big Ten,'' he said. The atmosphere should be something else. "Penn State is definitely a big game,'' safety Kurt Coleman said. "I love their crowd and the challenge of playing against Daryll Clark. From the beginning it's an electric atmosphere.'' A loss would almost certainly knock a team out of the BCS picture. "This is as big as they come,'' Pryor said. "I've been at Penn State a lot. It's a crazy stadium, but it's going to be fun. I was there the one day and the whole stadium was just shaking. It's crazy like that, but I always want to play in tough stadiums against tough opponents. That's where you measure yourself.''

Penn State wins first Big Ten Championship

Sun, 1 Nov 2009 17:46:00 +0000

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.: – Propelled by an individual victory from senior Bridget Franek (Hiram, Ohio) the No. 18 Nittany Lion women's cross country team captured the program's first-ever Big Ten Cross Country Championship, Sunday at the Blue/White Golf Course. "Today was amazing," said Director and Head Coach of Track and Field/Cross Country Beth Alford-Sullivan. "You couldn't have scripted it any better. We came into this thinking that we had a shot at a championship but so did Minnesota and so did Illinois. We just knew that we had to execute at 100-percent." In a two-woman battle with NCAA 5,000-meter champion Angela Bizzari of Illinois for much of the race, Franek took full advantage of the challenging hills on the latter half of her home course, pulling away from her Illini foe and speeding down the home stretch to win her first career conference cross country title. Franek's winning time of 20:03 over the 6,000-meter race is the second-fastest time ever run on the Blue/White Golf Course. FINAL RESULTS 1. Penn State, 71 2. Illinois, 77 3. Minnesota, 80 4. Michigan, 122 5. Michigan State, 137 6. Iowa, 150 7. Indiana, 161 8. Ohio State, 164 9. Purdue, 204 10. Wisconsin, 254 11. Northwestern, 326 "It was awesome," said Franek. "It's truly amazing to be on the team that won, and win the individual race. I think it's a testament to being on our home course and knowing it really well, and feeling comfortable at home. I think that helped a lot." The standout senior, who also finishes with All-Big Ten First Team honors, is the second Nittany Lion to win the Big Ten individual crown along with Kim McGreevy – the 1996 Big Ten Champion and current assistant cross country coach at Michigan State. "Going into the race, I really tried to not focus so much on results but on just taking advantage of the competition and seeing what I could do against it,"" said Franek of her race plan. "I just tried to prepare myself for the race to the best of my ability, and hoped that that was enough to pull off the win." "Bridget was absolutely flawless today," continued Sullivan. "She set the tone for this championship drive, and everyone came out and the fought and it really did come down to a homestretch kick." Running second for the Nittany Lions was freshman Nicole Lord (Media, Pa.), who finished ninth overall in 20:52. Lord's impressive effort, which was the highest finish among rookies in the entire field, was good for second team All-Big Ten accolades. Classmate Brooklyne Ridder (Cincinnati, Ohio) was the next Lion finisher and the third freshman in the field, scoring a 16th-place effort in 21:16. "This group of freshmen and sophomores have been the spark that its taken for this team to really unite," said Sullivan of her contingent of underclassmen. "They really have a selfless confidence, and they're just a group of kids that love what they're doing, and they're committed to what they're doing." Closing hard down the homestretch as the Lions' fourth and fifth was sophomore duo Caitlin Lane (Greenwich, N.Y.) and Kara Millhouse (Boiling Springs, Pa.), who would wind up 22nd and 23rd, respectively. Lane would stop the clock at 21:24, while Millhouse finished right on her heels in 21:27. Freshman Natalie Bower (Pleasant Unity, Pa.) and senior Claire Berryman (Morgantown, W.Va.) rounded out the Nittany Lion top seven, turning in 39th and 41st-place finishes, running 21:48, and 21:50, respectively. The Nittany Lions totaled 71 points, edging out Illinois and Minnesota in the tightly contested top three. Illinois would take runner up honors with 77 points, while Minnesota would place third with 80. Michigan scored 122 for fourth, with Michigan State rounding out the top five with 137. Next up for the Nittany Lions is the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional Championships on Nov. 14, at the University of Maryland-Eastern Shore, in Princess Anne, Md. The top two teams at the race will automatically advance to the NCAA Championships on Nov. 23, along with the top four individuals.

Strong finish propels Penn St. past Northwestern

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 15:46:00 +0000

EVANSTON, Ill. -- Penn State's defense clamped down after Northwestern lost starting quarterback Mike Kafka. In the fourth quarter, the Nittany Lions' offense kicked in. Evan Royster bolted 69 yards for a TD to cap a three-score spurt in the final period and No. 12 Penn State pulled away to a 34-13 victory Saturday night. "You got to understand that a kid like that quarterback [Kafka] is out of there, it's a big loss," Penn State coach Joe Paterno said. "Kafka's a heck of a football player. We played them more aggressively in the second half and did a better job with the pass rush, regardless of whether Kafka was in there or some other kid." Daryll Clark threw a 53-yard TD pass to Derek Moye before Royster broke loose for the third of three Penn State touchdowns during a span 3 minutes, 40 seconds of the fourth quarter that turned a tight game into a rout. "I was just praying Daryll was going to hand the ball off, because it was one of those ones where he could throw it out or hand it off," said Royster, who ran for 118 yards on 15 carries. "I knew it was going to open up. After that I just had to run as fast as I could." Penn State (8-1 4-1 in the Big Ten) trailed 10-3 in the second quarter when Kafka was forced out with a left leg injury. And the Nittany Lions were still behind 13-10 at the half. But they shut out the Wildcats and backup QB Dan Persa in the final two quarters and gave Paterno his 391st win. "I think that affected them. I think the kid came in and did a good job. Kafka was really playing well in the first half. He had us on our heels," Penn State linebacker Sean Lee said. Behind the strong running of Royster, Penn State moved in for the go-ahead touchdown early in the final quarter on a 2-yard run by Brandon Beachum that made it 20-13. When the Nittany Lions got the ball back, Clark rolled right and found Moye behind Northwestern's secondary for the 53-yard TD pass, making it 27-13 with 10:16 to go. After Penn State forced another punt, Royster broke through the Northwestern defense on first down and sprinted to the end zone. Northwestern (5-4, 2-3) finished with 371 yards total offense after having 246 in the first half. Kafka injured his leg midway through the second quarter. He'd been sacked and then completed a pass before he was replaced by Persa. When he left, he'd completed 14 of 18 passes for 128 yards and carried eight times for 42 more. "When Mike was in there I don't think they stopped us. I think we stopped ourselves a couple of times," Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald said. Persa, whose mother and sister attended Penn State, completed 14 of 23 passes and rushed for 42 yards on 14 carries, but couldn't get the Wildcats to the end zone. He was sacked four times. "No excuses. I made some mistakes. ... I didn't get it done," Persa said. There was no word on what type of injury Kafka had or how long he would be out. He was on the sideline during the second half and even pedaled an exercise bike, but did not return. He entered the game leading the Big Ten in passing yards and total offense per game. "If he was healthy, I'd put him back in there," said Fitzgerald. Clark was 22 of 31 for 274 yards. "We noticed there were a couple of voids in their defense. ...We knew there would be a big play for us," Clark said. Clark led the Nittany Lions on a 93-yard drive in the second quarter, going 5 for 5 for 64 yards and also carrying for 12 yards. After a pass interference call on Northwestern, Clark hit Curtis Drake for 13 yards and then scored from the 2 -- his 20th career rushing TD, tying Michael Robinson's school record -- to make it 10-10. Persa then got the Wildcats in position for a go-ahead score but Jared Odrick blocked Stefan Demos' 37-yard field goal attempt. Demos got another shot and hit a 45-yarder with three seconds left in the half to give Northwestern the 13-10 lead. Collin Wagner kicked a 23-yard field goal to tie it in the third quarter. After the team's traded first-quarter field goals, Kafka and the Wildcats grabbed the lead in the second quarter. Kafka completed four straight passes in a hurry-up offense, had a 13-yard keeper on a key third down, and carried the final 7 yards to complete an 80-yard TD drive that put Northwestern up 10-3. It was just the second first-half TD allowed by Penn State's rugged defense all season.

Penn State dismantles Purdue on Senior Day

Sun, 1 Nov 2009 14:17:00 +0000

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.—There was plenty of emotion at Sunday's match against Purdue and Penn State's seniors shined, downing Purdue by a 4-0 score at Jeffrey Field on Senior Day. Danielle Toney (Northville, Mich.) tallied two markers, but it was Melissa Hayes (Cave Creek, Ariz.) and Tara Davies (Cape May Court House, N.J.) who stole the show with their first goals of 2009 to put away the Boilermakers. After a sluggish opening 11 minutes, where Purdue (10-5-3, 3-3-2 Big Ten) controlled the ball and had some scoring chances, but Penn State (11-5-2, 7-1-1 Big Ten) broke out a counter attack to take a 1-0 lead 12:05 into the match. Toney and Christine Nairn (Bowie, Md.) connected on a give-and-go sequence about 30 yards, setting Toney up for a breakaway shot she put into the lower right portion of the net. Sixteen minutes later, Penn State would continue its pressure when Nairn tapped a pass to Jess Rosenbluth (Gladwyne, Pa.) who one-touched a pass to a wide open Hayes in the goal mouth for a 2-0 lead at 28:18. The two teams would go into the half time by the same score as PSU out-shot Purdue 12-5. The second half would prove to be much like the first, as the Boilers once again took control of the early play, but showed nothing for it. In the 62nd minute, Davies made a streaking play down the left wing and was 15 yards from net on the end line where she chipped a gorgeous ball into the far post for her first collegiate goal. The former forward in high school provided fans with a fantastic celebrating, somersaulting and flipping after the third Nittany Lion goal. Ten minutes later, the Nittany Lions attacked again when a Nikki Watts (Hungerford, England) and Nairn set up Toney on another breakaway and the junior forward slotted home the fourth and final goal of the game in the 72nd minute. Toney now leads the Big Ten in scoring with 12 goals on the year. Alyssa Naeher (Seymour, Conn.) stood tall once again in net, making two saves in 81 minutes in her final regular season game at Jeffrey Field. She was one of seven seniors honored prior to the match joined by Davies, Hayes, Watts, Alli Rago (Fairfield, Conn.), Maura Ryan (Doylestown, Pa.), and Katie Schoepfer (Waterford, Conn.). Penn State held advantages in shots (18-15), shots on goal (9-2), corner kicks (1-0), offsides (6-2) and fouls (12-3) for the game. Purdue recorded five saves to PSU's two in the game. Nairn's three assists are the most by a Penn State since Hayes notched three against Bucknell in 2007. Additionally, the 4-0 win is the worst loss Purdue has suffered all season and gives Penn State a league-leading 27 goals in conference play. The Nittany Lions now run their unbeaten streak to eight straight games including six straight wins at home. They are tied atop the Big Ten standings going into the final week of play with Ohio State, who won against Indiana on Sunday. Penn State concludes the regular season with an away match at Michigan on Sunday at noon. A win secures at least a share of the Big Ten title for Penn State for the 12th consecutive year.