University Park, Pa. — The Penn State field hockey team will face an exciting slate this fall as the Nittany Lions will battle seven squads that advanced to last year’s NCAA Tournament, including three at their cozy confines in Happy Valley, to highlight the 2011 schedule, which was announced by head coach Charlene Morett.
Penn State will have seven regular season games at the Penn State Field Hockey Complex this year before serving as the host of the 2011 Big Ten Tournament as well.
Looking to continue last season’s success, the Nittany Lions will open up the year with a pair of road games against two top-notch programs. As usual, the squad will open against Old Dominion with a bout against the reigning Colonial Athletic Association champions on Aug. 26. Two days later, the team will head over to Charlottesville for a battle with Virginia, who advanced to the Final Four last season.
Returning to the Keystone State, the Nittany Lions will remain on the road for one more game as the squad battles Lock Haven on September 2. Later that weekend, Penn State will kick off its home slate with a match-up against UConn on Sept. 4 at noon.
Heading back out on the road, Penn State will square off with perennial power Princeton in New Jersey on Sept. 8 before returning home for a contest with Quinnipiac on Sept. 11. The next weekend, the Nittany Lions will travel south for back-to-back bouts with Duke on Sept. 17 in Durham and Virginia Commonwealth on Sept. 18. The latter contest will be hosted by James Madison in Harrisonburg, Va.
Preparing for conference action, Penn State will return home for three of its next four contests, starting with a match-up against Temple on Sept. 22. Following a quick trip to the Midwest for the Big Ten opener against Iowa on Sept. 25, Penn State will return home for a pair of battles. The Lions will face Northwestern on Oct. 1 before hosting the Villanova Wildcats during a non-conference match-up on Oct. 4.
Continuing Big Ten action, Penn State will head to Bloomington for a showdown with Indiana on Oct. 7. Following a brief trek to Lafayette on Oct. 11, the Lions will travel to Michigan for a battle with the defending Big Ten champs on Oct. 16.
Penn State will return to its cozy confines on Oct. 22 for a contest with Ohio State before wrapping up its road slate with a short trip to Bucknell on Oct. 25. Five days later, the Nittany Lions will conclude the regular season with a game against Michigan State in Happy Valley on Oct. 30.
The following week, Penn State will serve as the host of the 2011 Big Ten Field Hockey Championship beginning on Thursday, November 3. The playoffs will continue through Sunday with the title bout coming on Nov. 6.
Last year, the Nittany Lions posted a 14-6 record and earned a berth in the NCAA Tournament. All-Americans Kelsey Amy and Ayla Halus will headline a deep and talented corps of returning standouts
