The preseason No. 6 team kept up its hot start to the season today with a 4-2 win over Loyola Marymount. Two days earlier, the Nittany Lions kicked off the year with a win over Hofstra. With this win, Penn State is 2-0 and built itself momentum as a prime-time matchup with Duke is right around the corner.

How It Happened

The game’s story was one of two completely different halves. In the first half, Penn State dominated play, spending most of the 45 minutes attacking and piling up scoring chances. In the fifteenth minute, Mallory Weber scored her second goal in as many games to put her team ahead 1-0. Just like in the Hofstra game, the Nittany Lions had lots of corner kick opportunities but failed to convert on them. Loyola escaped the first half only trailing on the scoreboard 1-0, but also trailing in shots 15-0 and corner kicks 7-0.

Once the second half began, all of the buildup from the first half was thrown out the window. Both teams looked completely different and showed surprising offensive outbursts. The teams traded goals for the first 13 minutes of the half — first Penn State’s Frannie Crouse buried a rebound, then Loyola answered less than 20 seconds later to make the score 2-1. Six minutes later, Penn State’s Charlotte Williams sniped the top corner to make the score 3-1, but Loyola scored again less than a minute later to bring the score within one goal.

Finally, in the 63rd minute, Megan Schafer’s first goal of the year put Penn State ahead by a score of 4-2. That would ultimately be the final as Penn State’s offense possessed the ball, killed the clock, and almost added to its goal total for the rest of the game.

Player Of The Game

Mallory Weber’s hot start continued as the senior forward netted another goal. She was subbed out early in the second half, but she was a key part of the Lions’ early pressure.

Tweet Of The Game

Weber with her 30th career goal! Nittany Lions lead 1-0. Weber is tied for ninth all-time at Penn State (Lawson '99). pic.twitter.com/jFE1ouXqLV

— Penn State Women’s Soccer (@PennStateWSOC) August 23, 2015

What’s Next?

This Friday, August 28, Duke will travel to University Park for an 8:00 p.m. matchup with at Jeffrey Field. The Blue Devils just missed out on a top-25 preseason ranking, but won their first two games easily.