12 I FRIDAY, OCT. 15, 2010
Lions use long layoff to prep for weekend
By Zach Fleagle
COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER
After an upset win against then-
No. 7 Michigan State last Friday,
the competition doesn't get any
easier for the
Nittany Lions
and they're look-
Mg forward to it.
A nine-day lay
off, the longest
since early September, gave Penn
State field hockey team an oppor
tunity to rest up and enjoy its
upset win. But that's not how the
team has worked.
In a casual Thursday practice,
the team stretched and did some
light jogging and stretching mixed
with jokes and laughs before they
went to watch film on their oppo
nent, No. 6 Ohio State.
The center of many of those
jokes was sophomore Kristen
Schaefer, who took a stick to the
forehead during their last game,
leaving her with a cut between her
eyes. Primarily known as 'Shady,'
she picked up the new nickname
Avatar,' thanks to the swelling.
She said the swelling is gone now
Hovington expects to play after cautious approach
Amanda August/Collegian
Bri Hovington goes for a header in a game against Michigan State.
Two teams of Penn State faculty and students from the Schreyer Honors College
and Presidential Leadership Academy will defend each position
8:00 p.m. Monday, October 18
HUB Auditorium
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and the cut is healing just fine.
Also dealing with a lingering
ankle injury, Schaefer said she is
ready to play and will do so at full
strength.
She said last week's upset was
not a surprise to the team and the
players are now focused on the
Buckeyes.
"If anything we feel more confi
dent now because this is where we
should have been, and can be,"
Schaefer said.
FIELD
HOCKEY
"Now we're just really happy to
be up there."
Schaefer, who plays the primary
passing role on penalty corners,
said she caught a little of the film
before the workout and was confi
dent the Lions would execute on
Sunday in Columbus.
The sophomore said coach
Char Morett has put in a few new
wrinkles in their penalty corner
formations, and she expects to
have success.
Senior Jenny Purvis said the
light day was much needed after a
long week
The team's last loss came on
Sept. 26 to Michigan, 2-0, but the
Lions have gone on a three-game
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MOUNT NITTANY
LIFE FORWARD
/^~~
SPORTS
win streak since. Purvis said the
loss helped them re-establish
their identity
"I think they really showed us
where our weaknesses were and
what we need to improve," Purvis
said.
"We found a lack of connection
with the ball and I think that really
helped us because obviously we've
scored a bunch of goals."
With two of the top three scor
ers in the Big Ten on the field
Sunday in Penn State's Kelsey
Amy (13) and Ohio State's Aisling
Coyle (15), the team is ready for
the competition and Amy is up for
the challenge.
Amy reiterated Purvis' com
ments, saying the rough week has
set the tone for Sunday.
"These next couple games are
going to be tough games and
being in shape is one of the most
important things," Amy said.
"Char's been kicking our butts
this week, but it's definitely going
to pay off in the end."
Amy said the upset showed the
team's confidence in itself and
prepared the players for future
games.
By Alex Angert
COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER
After pulling her groin in last
Friday's game against
Northwestern, Bri Hovington
expects to be ready to go for this
weekend's games against
Minnesota and Wisconsin.
The freshman defender felt the
pull after going in to kick the ball
against the Wildcats, but she
stayed in the game to help her
team complete the 2-1 comeback
Starting again two days later in
lowa despite the minor injury,
Hovington came out of the game
34 minutes into the match and
remained on the sideline. Having
two more big conference games
on Friday and Sunday, the coaches
have been cautious with her work
load at practice this week to make
sure she is ready to go for the
weekend set.
"We're coming into a big week
end so to be able to sit out against
lowa and rest my leg, that helped
a lot," Hovington said. "Especially
winning 3-0, I think that sitting out
helped. I've been taking it easy at
practice this week so I should be
fully ready for Friday"
Pt NNSTATE
ratic Deliberation
-e. U.Ed. SHC 11-36
Her mindset is effort equals and I doubt too many teams can
wins. say that. "We just go in feeling con-
"It's really exciting. We've fident in ourselves and I feel like
worked really hard," Amy said. we can beat anybody"
"Just [Wednesday] we were doing
sprints in the middle of the season To e-mail reporter: zsfsoo3@psu.edu
Asit Mishra/Collegian
Kelsey Amy (left), Jess Longstreth and Daneen Zug celebrate a goal.
Hovington started the season as
a reserve while recovering from
an injury but slowly worked her
way into the lineup. After coming
off the bench a couple of times,
she found a place on the backline
for good. Ever since coming in 34
minutes into the game against
Connecticut on Sept. 5, Hovington
had played every minute for the
Lions before coming out against
lowa 728 consecutive minutes.
For a freshman adjusting to the
college game, the wear and tear of
playing a full 90-minute game
twice a week for a month can
mount.
That's why the Penn State train
ers and coaches aren't taking any
risks with the defender, who has
racked up the miles recently.
"It's definitely something I've
never experienced before,"
Hovington said.
"I'm taking it head on and lis
tening to the coaches. After prac
tices I'm getting in the ice baths
and contrasting on our days off.
It's just the little, simple things
that really help us."
Comfortable with her team's
depth on the backline, coach Erica
Walsh said she was just trying to
THE DAILY COLLEGIAN
protect the freshman by taking
her out of the game.
With Hovington also having an
extensive injury history before
coming to Penn State including
an anterior cruciate ligament
(ACL) tear the coaches have
been extremely cautious about
overworking her while also teach
ing her how to protect her body.
"It's all about education and
making her smart with her choic
es,- Walsh said after practice on
Wednesday. "She wanted to come
out here and do some services and
we told her now is probably not
the time but to do some shorter
stuff. It's a lot of education."
Walsh said Hovington has been
wearing a wrap in dractice and is
doing better. Focusing on quality
instead of quantity in her training,
Hovington's cautious approach
has helped her adjust to the rough
college game and prevent any fur
ther injuries.
"Coach has been talking about
how important this time in the
season is getting into Big Ten
play and finishing off the Big Ten,"
Hovington said.
To e-mail reporter: adal47@psu.edu