No. 14 Penn State (9-3-1, 5-5-1 Big Ten) took care of business against Michigan State (5-10-0, 1-7-1 Big Ten) to notch a 4-0 win on Jeffrey Field.

In their ninth victory of the season, the Nittany Lions were on top from start to finish. On senior day, this game really did belong to the Penn State seniors, who scored each of the four goals against the Spartans.

How It Happened

The first goal of the game belonged to Penn State’s Megan Schafer. She was able to get her shot from nine yards out past Michigan State’s keeper Reilley Ott. Schafer scored just 13:22 into the game. The assist came off the foot of junior Marissa Sheva.

After this early strike from Penn State, the offense did not lift its foot off the gas pedal. The Nittany Lion offense created fits for the Michigan State defense all game. With the ball on the Michigan State side of the field for the majority of the game, Ott was busy. Schafer was especially adept at breaking past Michigan State defenders and putting pressure on the opposing defense.

With 30 minutes remaining to play in the game, after a beautiful cross by senior Brittany Basinger, Schafer finally knocked in another shot into the lower right corner of the net. It was Schafer’s second goal of the match and it allowed the Nittany Lions to continue to distance themselves from a Michigan State comeback.

With Schafer’s two goals setting the pace for the Lions, two goals in the later minutes of the game by Elizabeth Ball and Haleigh Echard put this game away for good in favor of the Lions. Ball scored her first goal of the season on an assist by sophomore Laura Freigang and Echard scored her second goal of the season in the 87th minute of the game.

Unfortunately for the Nittany Lions, senior star forward Frannie Crouse went down with an injury in the 27th minute of the game and did not return.

The 4-0 win for the Nittany Lions marked their largest victory of the season and was also their seventh shutout.

Player Of The Game

Megan Schafer | Senior | Forward

The senior from Neshaminy High School scored two goals on the day–her fifth and sixth goals of the season. Her strong play from the outset allowed the Nittany Lions to establish themselves as the aggressors in this match. As she set the pace in this game, the rest of the Lions followed.

What’s Next?

The Nittany Lions travel to Piscataway, NJ for a match against Rutgers. The Lions will take on the Scarlet Knights on Thursday, October 12 at 7 p.m.