SPORTS The Daily Collegian Friday, O Lions begin home Big Ten si By Jake Kaplan all of the things against No. 19 Michigan at 6 Since that time, Penn State has State players . collegian staff writer Rosen likes about Saturday night. lost a mere six sets on its home toughest confi playing in Happy “They play well everywhere, but floor compete. Rec Hall is one of the Big Ten Valley. we really don’t want to play them Michigan State (9-4, 1-1) hasn’t Not surprisi volleyball venues where Mark It’s where the where they’re playing their best,” beaten Penn State at Rec Hall senior defensiv Rosen realty enjoys coaching. Lions thrive. Rosen said. “So that’s something since November 2001, while the See WOMEN’S V' The Michigan women’s volley- No. 4 Penn we’re going to have to contend Wolverines (13-1, 2-0) have never ball coach appreciates the pas- State, winners of with.” had the fortune of knocking off the mm Th, |f sionate and knowledgeable Nittany Lion fanbase. He also respects the fact the Penn State faithful are not overly aggressive toward his team. However, there is one c« to Stanzia test for Lions By Audrey Snyder COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER It wasn’t long ago that quar terback Ricky Stanzi was under center doing just enough to help his lowa Hawkeyes get by. A few touchdown passes here and there, mixed in with more interceptions than his head coach would’ve liked, and Stanzi would turn the game over to his defense. Last year defensive end Adrian Claybom’s blocked punt that he returned for a touch down proved to be a decisive play in the game against Penn State. However, this year Stanzi won’t need to rely so heavily on the rest of the team as he’s final ly come into his own. Just one year after throwing 17 touchdowns and 15 intercep tions, Stanzi is off to the best start of his collegiate career and is the focus of the Nittany Lions’ defense. , “You’re talking about a really, big-time football player,” Joe Patemo said. “Big- league leader and a kid who knows how to play that position and he knows how to use his personnel, See STANZI, Page 14. O Football writer A.J. Cassavell shares his thoughts on this week- end’s game at Iowa: psucollegian.com Collegian file photo Stanzl (12) gets taken down Men’s soccer preps By Andrew Robinson COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER When the nation’s leader in total points meets the reigning national high school player of the year two games removed from a hat trick, there’s only one possible outcome. A good, old-fashioned striker battle. When the Penn State men’s soc cer team takes on Michigan in Ann Arbor Sunday at 1 p.m., two of the Big Ten’s best forwards, Penn State junior Corey Hertzog and . i i. i ii. . „ *ll.l' J TH *LINEBt» SPORTS 0?\ Pittsburgh at Florida 7:10 p.m., FSN TRIVIA Q: Who did die New York Jets select in this year’s draft with the pick they recieved from the Seattle Seahawks in the Leon Washington trade? Thursday’s Answer The Boston Americans won the first World Series. 80 consecutive p ose games at Rec Hall, opens its Big Ten home slate this weekend. The Lions take on Michigan State at 7 tonight before matching up Amanda August/Collegian Junior Megan Shifflett goes for a serve in a match earlier this year. Lady Ruggers face first road test By Brandt Gelman COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER Freshman Kelsey Corbett had to make a tough decision regard ing which school she would attend this fall, and where she would play rugby. West Chester University reached out to her high school coach, offered to fly her to its cam pus, and give her the whole NCAA recruiting experience. She never even gave West Chester a chance. “I knew I was coming to Penn State after I visited here first,” Corbett said. Wolverines fresh man Soony Saad will take the field, each hoping to lead his team to its first confer ence win. “[Saad] had, I think, nine or ten shots against Kentucky the other night and he’s one of the best strikers I’ve ever seen,” Nittany Lions coach Bob Wanning said. “It’s going to be a great battle t" H H? T Collegian Pick ’Em Update As the Collegian enters week four of its Pehn State NFL Pick ’Em contest, it’s the athletes leading the way, having correctly predicted 30 of the first 48 games. Wrestler Brad Pataky, and basketball players Talor Battle and D.J. Jackson have each gone 10-6 in their individual weeks to turn in the contest’s best record through three weeks. Penn State leers forward Paul Daley will look to keep the athletes in the lead with his picks this week. Jim Regan, the Nittany Lion Rind presi dent, and Paul Casella, Collegian assistant sports editor, each sit just one game back in a tie for second. te last time Penn State (11-2, Lions at home in 21 chances. 1-1 Big Ten) lost in the friendly The Lions are excited to play at confines of Rec Hall was Dec. 9, home after a tough loss at Illinois 2005, when Tennessee upset the last Friday night. For that match, Lions in the NCAA Regional 4,141 Illinois fans packed Huff Semifinal. Hall, which many of the Penn The rivalry between West Chester and Penn State has grown so much over the last decade, and Corbett’s recruit ment is only one example. This Saturday, the rivalry will be renewed as the Penn State Lady Ruggers travel to West Chester for their first road match of the fall season at noon. As if this matchup needed any more fuel to the fire, Penn State will make its inaugural debut in the East Penn Rugby Union this season, where West Chester has been a dominant force for years. Although Penn State plays West forUM between him and Corey as to who’s going to get the goals for his team.” The Lions have already dealt with one star Big Ten striker in Indiana’s Will Bruin, who scored the game winning goal with 11 seconds left last Friday. However, unlike the 6-foot-2, 194 pound Bruin, Saad is a 5-foot-10, 165 pound player more in the mold of the lightning-quick, crafty Hertzog, who stands 6-foot, 172 pounds. See MEN’S SOCCER, Page 14. More coverage online Check out psucollegian.com for more articles on Penn State’s athletic teams. Read a story by James Nicol on two Nittany Lion tennis players traveling to partiepate in All-American competitions this weekend. For a story on how senior men’s rugby player Chris Saint is handling a different role from the sideline this season after tear ing his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in the offseason, check out Greg Fernandez’s article. The women’s cross country team dropped from the top-30 of the national rankings on Tuesday and are using it as motivation for the Notre Dame Invitational in South Bend, Ind. that begins this after noon with the men’s team also competing, writes Zack Feldman. Junior key for team By Emily Kaplan COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER Susan Shifflett would often talk to the Nittany Lion coaching staff about the prospect of her daugh ter, Megan, pursuing collegiate volleyball but the discussions never really touched on the possi bility of playing for Penn State. Susan, an outside hitter for the Lions in the early 1980 s, was real istic. At 5-foot-6, Megan was a good high school player exceptional, even but her mother thought Megan would probably find a good fit at a Division-11, D-111 or small D-I program. “Playing at a national power house like Penn State wasn’t real ly a prospect,” Susan said. “So I would talk to the coaches and ask advice about what the best options for Megan would be.” But midway through Megan’s junior year at Langley H.S., for mer assistant coach Salima Rockwell approached the Shiffletts at a tournament. Rockwell asked if Megan would be interested in playing for the Lions. “And right at that very moment, I was ready to take out a second mortgage,” Susan said. “If that’s what it would take to pay for her to go to school there, we’d do it. It’s just an opportunity she couldn’t pass up.” Pour years later, Megan is now a junior for No. 4 Penn State. She’s counted on to come off the bench as a defensive specialist in key sit uations, and also to be a constant source of energy in the practice gym and during matches. Chester almost every year, this year the match will count against each team’s conference standings for the first time. “We are going into this game confident in ourselves,” captain Sadie Anderson said. “If we play at our pace, we should have no problem getting a win.” Head coach Pete Steinberg said he will start the best lineup the Lady Ruggers have used all sea son. Senior Deven Owsiany and junior Kelly Sager wiU return from injury to give the team a wel comed boost. Owsiany said Wednesday night’s practice was Corey Hertzog (right) attempts a shot vs. St. Francis Wednesday night. you go Women’s volleyball vs. MSU When: 7 p.m. tonight Where: Rec Hall And the Lions couldn’t be more pleased she ended up in Happy Valley. “She’s the definition of a team player,” junior co-captain Katie Kabbes said. “She wants whatev er’s best for the team. She’s hard working, she’s fun, and she always brings a smile to our faces. I can’t imagine this team without her.” Kabbes, who roomed with Shifflett freshman year and now shares a house with her, said the Palls Church, Va. native gets along with literally everyone. Kabbes added she can’t think of a single instance when Shifflett didn’t enter the practice gym smiling. It’s that unflappable attitude that the Lions depend on during matches. Shifflett is what head coach Russ Rose describes as a “solid bench player.” She has yet to record her first career start, but will regularly substitute in during matches when the Lions need a strong serve or spark of energy. “Coach trusts her enough that he played her in last year’s nation al championship match,” Kabbes said. “I think that says a lot.” Shifflett’s best attributes are her volleyball acumen and even tempered attitude, Rose said. “She’s not impacted by a crowd and by stressful situations,” Rose said. “She’s played a lot of volley ball, and her mom’s a coach, so she’s aware of certain things.” , Mrs. Shifflett, who coached her daughter through high school and club, would bring young Megan to her team’s practices. Her fondest memory of her See SHIFFLETT, Page 14. the barometer of whether she could play this weekend after sit ting out last weekend’s match against Indiana. “The medics told me that if I could get through Wednesday’s practice without feeling any tin gling sensation in my neck then I could play this weekend,” Owsiany said. While Owsiany is excited just to get back out on the field, the rest of the team is looking forward to its first road trip of the year. Corbett said she is excited to experience all of the weird things See WOMEN’S RUGBY, Page 14. OUR THOUGHTS Furyk getting a raw deal At a time when Jim Riryk is playing the best golf of his season during one of the best year’s in his 17-year PGA career, the Lancaster native is being asked to watch from the side during the U.S.’s Friday morning session vs. the Europeans in the first day of the 2010 Ryder Cup. The No. 5-ranked player in the world has a career-high three victories this year including a thrilling victory in the Tour Championship last week that won him the FedEx Cup and is a strong candidate for PGA Tour Player of the Year. Yet U.S. team captain Corey Pavin chooses not to put Rnyk in the morning lineup? Doesn’t make sense to us. •ct. 1, 2010 I 11 ate said is already the ference venue to singly, Penn State ive specialist Cathy 'OLLEYBALL, Page 14.
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