The Daily Collegian With a closer look, 17-point spread is fair Collegian File Photo Terrelle Pryor warms up before his game vs. Penn State in 2008. Lady leers dominate at Consol Energy Center By Christine Newby f OP THE COLLEGIAN Lady leers assistant captain Dana Heller, a Pittsburgh Penguin fanatic, was in class Thursday morning and couldn’t stop think ing about traveling So the Consol Energy Center LADY the Penguins' ICERS home arena for hei' team's game against California University of Pennsylvania last night. Penn State dominated the Vulcans in a .1-1 win, improving its overall record to 5-4. We walked past the Penguins locker room ibefore the game].’' said Heller, a junior forward and a Collegian photo staff member. There w as a giant mural of Pens players from the past." Penguins center Tvler Kennedy and defenseman Dervk Engelland were part of the pregame festivi mc- before Kennedy dropped the ceremonial first puck to Heller. Heller began the scoring for the l.adv leers six minutes into the BSMY 11.11.2010 10 AM - 12:30 3 PH - PENN STATE VS. FirstlOOPe FRIDAY 11.12JM4 SUNBAY By Andrew J. Cassavell THE joyride is over. Like it or not, it’s time the Penn State foot ball team got a reality check. Saturday, in a trip to Columbus, that will almost certainly come, all courtesy of quarterback Te^Ue^° r MY OPINION and the Ohio State Buckeyes. Two wins and two monumental records falling in the Nittany Lions’ last two games have fans sitting on cloud nine. Throw in the fact that both games were classics one a shootout for the ages against rival Michigan and one a historic comeback for a milestone win and the sentiment around this team features no negative vibes. Except, of course, the fact that Penn State enters Saturday's game as 17-point underdogs. The first period on an even-strength goal, with sophomore defenseman Julie Horn and sophomore for ward Kirsten Evans recording assists on the play. With 15:35 remaining in the sec ond period, fresh man forward Carly Szyszko tal lied a power-play goal from Evans, | cers making the score 2-0. “Evans took the J initial shot, and there was a rush Vulcans to the net,” coach Mo Stroemel said. “The puck went to the right of the goalie and Carly backhanded it into the net.” California’s Tiffany Juha put the Vulcans back into the game with 14:11 to go in the second. At Tuesday night’s practice, Stroemel said Juha is a very good player, and one the Lady leers had to watch out for. Evans notched her third point of the game by scoring with 5:40 remaining in the second period to put the Lady leers ahead, 3-1. players seem giddy about every thing going on with the program the revamped offensive line, the new-found intensity on defense, the suddenly ruthless ground attack and a quarterback who is having a good time in the huddle. The only hint of animosity during this week’s player inter views came when the spread was brought up. “It’s kind of insulting,” said running back Evan Royster, whose recent turnaround typifies Penn State’s season. “I think we’ve proven that we can put points on the board and we can win games. I think a lot of people will take offense to it and it'll make us work even harder." It should motivate the players being underdogs by that much. But it shouldn't come as any sort of surprise. This isn’t Beaver Stadium. This is Ohio Stadium, where a Joe Patemo-coached quarterback hasn’t thrown a touchdown pass or scored more than one touch down since 1964. Replace white-clad Happy “It was a pretty power play goal," Stroemel said. "It was a give-and-go down low from Heller to Evans." During the second intermis sion, Associate Athletic Director for Ice Arena Operations Joe Battista, who coached the Penn State leers for 19 years, visited the locker room. Battista had some encouraging words to say, according to Stroemel. From then on, Penn State con trolled the scoring. With 4:37 remaining in the third period, Szyszko scored her second goal of the game, putting the Lady Lions up 4-1. Assistant captain Michelle Clarke scored Penn State's final goal just one minute and 14 sec onds later. “Michelle made a little move around the defense to the net, and backhanded the puck behind the goalie,” Stoemel said. Captain Sara Chroman said "it was really fun and incredible ” to play at the Consol. Stroemel said his team played !■ # no SPORTS Mff ADMISSION 1 Valley with the scarlet and gray of The Horseshoe. Replace the calm in the stands during offensive possessions with more than 100,000 not-quite-as kind screaming fans, similar to the environments in Alabama and lowa. How'd the offense fare in those games? A total of six points. But most importantly, replace the porous defenses of Northwestern and Michigan with Ohio State's Big Ten-leading unit featuring Ross Homan, Chimdi Chekwa and Cameron Hevward. Obviously a large spread does n't mean a team can't win. It's sports and anything can happen. But to think a gap of 17 points isn't fair is ridiculous. The Nittany Lions lost by 17 points last year. That game was at home and with a better, more experienced Penn State team. Now. the team has a quarter back making his first road start, playing in a hostile environment also for the first time against the conference s top defense. Oh veah. and the Buckeves “In the beginning |we were nervous I because it was such a big rink and there were a lot of distractions. But as the game went on, we weren't nervous." well overall, and moved the puck efficiently - especially on the power plays. "Cal U wasn't as aggressive on our power play as other teams that we've faced." he said. The game proved to be a very physical game with seven penal ties called against the Lady leers, while the Vulcans were charged with six. "One of I the Vulcans I got tossed out of the game from a hit from behind on Clarke." Stroemel said. "IClarkel sat on the bench tor a few minutes. But she was OK. She came back later and scored a goal." Stroemel said there was a lot of excitement going on before the puck dropped, and Szysko said the Noon and 1 DO MIS Friday, Nov. 12, 2010 I 15 offense also puts up 42 points per game. Penn State captain Ollie Ogbu is eager to prove critics wrong, but even he understands the rea soning behind the gap. "No,” Ogbu replied simply when asked if the thought the number was unfair. "We haven't played well against really good teams this year, so there's no reason for anyone to have any type of confidence in us. But that's a good thing. It’s a chip on our shoulder.” Ogbu has it absolutely right. If anyone outside of the Lasch Building says Penn State is on par with No. 8 Ohio State, they're still riding the emotional high of the last two weeks. And. for them the same peo ple who are pointlessly trying to figure where Penn State falls in the Rose Bowl mix, there's a good chance the fall will be a hard one. Andrew J. Cassavell is a senior majoring in journalism and is a Daily Collegian football writer. His e-mail address is ajcs23B@psu.edu players all had butterflies in antic ipation. But once the game started, it was just another hockey game. Stroemel said. "In the beginning Iwe were nervous I because it was such a big rink and there were a lot of dis tructions.” Szyszko said. "But as the game went on. we weren't nervous." For Heller a Pittsburgh native, it was exciting for her to have fam ily attending the game. Heller's parents were in the stands, as well as her brothers one of whom made the trip from West Virginia. "It makes me relax when people who believe in me are watching." Heller said. Saturday women’s championship IS men’s championship Penn State Golf Courses Carly Szyszko forward
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