Coach Russ Rose’s #7 women’s volleyball team swept through the Stanford Invitational, downing San Francisco, 30-21, 30-20, 30-24, on Thursday, #12 Stanford, 31-29, 23-30, 30-25, 26-30, 15-12, on Friday, and Eastern Washington, 30-22, 30-26, 30-14, on Saturday. The Nittany Lions improved to 6-0 on the young season.
Seniors Syndie Nadeau and Ashley Pedersen blasted 11 kills each to pace the Lions past the Dons, while junior libero Kaleena Walters led the defensive effort with a match-high 12 digs.
Freshman Kate Price pounded 28 kills, and Pedersen notched 21, including the 1,000th of her career, in the marathon victory over the host Cardinal. Junior setter Sam Tortorello dished out 58 assists, while adding 18 digs, three blocks and a career-high seven kills. Walters scooped up 26 digs. Pedersen, Price, and Walters continued their outstanding play in the finale against Eastern Washington, as Pedersen and Price pounded 13 and 11 kills, respectively, and Walters added 17 digs.
Price earned tournament MVP honors, and Walters and Pedersen joined her on the All-Tournament team.
The #14 men’s soccer team remained undefeated during the 2004 campaign, downing Georgetown, 3-2, in double overtime, and battling #2 St. John’s to a 0-0 tie at the Maryland/Adidas Classic in College Park. Coach Barry Gorman’s Lions are 1-0-3 this season.
Trailing 1-0 to the Hoyas in the 24th minute, Senior Chad Severs’ slide kick off a Richard Costanzo pass knotted the match. Early in the second stanza, sophomore Simon Omekanda took a pass from junior Mike Lindemann in the corner of the penalty area and blasted the shot home for a 2-1 lead. Georgetown climbed back with a 67th minute score, and the teams remained even through regulation time. Less than two minutes into the second overtime period, Severs and Omekanda teamed on a give and go play, and Severs booted the game-winner from five yards out.
Freshman goalie Conrad Taylor made five saves in the Lions’ draw with St. John’s, last year’s national runners-up. The tie marked State’s fourth consecutive overtime match.
State’s field hockey team snapped a three-game losing skid, topping host James Madison, 2-0, on Friday, but fell to North Carolina, 2-1, at Bigler Field, on Sunday. The Lions are 1-4 for the season.
Sophomore Annelise Legel converted a first half penalty corner against JMU, blasting home the feed from Natalie Berrena. Freshman Shauna Banta posted the insurance tally in the second frame, knocking in a rebound from an Amanda Eckert shot.
Down 1-0 to North Carolina in the first frame, Freshman Kiersten Wood netted her first career goal off a rebound opportunity. The undefeated Tar Heels responded with a goal late in the first half to secure the win. Three of the Lions’ four losses have been by one goal.
Four Lady Lions finished in the top six to lead the women’s cross country team to the Spiked Shoe Invitational championship on Saturday at the Penn State golf courses. Senior Molly Landreth crossed the finish line first in 21:26.50 to capture her second consecutive Spiked Shoe title. Seniors Kayla Matrunick and Chelsea Lenge finished second and fourth, respectively, while freshman Nikki Bohnsack took sixth. Senior Chris Foster finished 14th to lead the men’s cross country team to a fifth place finish in the men’s race. Princeton took home the team title.
