On Friday night, Penn State fans at Jeffrey Field heard something they hadn't heard in almost two years.

Actually, it was something they didn't hear.

As the public address announcer was introducing the No. 7 Nittany Lions (8-2-1, 2-0-0 Big Ten) starting lineup, the last name was one that had never appeared in the starting lineup before.

"In goal . . . Megan Smart," he said.

For only the second time since the start of the 1998 season, it was not Emily Oleksiuk wearing the orange jersey standing at midfield with the rest of the starters.

Smart, a senior who had played just 24 minutes this season prior to Friday's game against Indiana, earned the starting job after Oleksiuk suffered a concussion and broken cheekbone in Tuesday's 4-0 win against Cornell.

She never missed a beat, picking up right where she and Oleksiuk left off, shutting out the Hoosiers in a 3-0 Lions victory. The defense made it an easy night for her as she faced just two shots and only had to make one save.

"Honestly, I was nervous, but not nervous to the point of being overly nervous," Smart said. "Nervous enough to put me on edge, to make sure I was prepared for this game.

"It's my one chance. I needed to make my impression. I needed to step up and play the way I knew I could. That's what I tried to do."

Penn State women's soccer coach Pat Farmer was pleased with the performance of his keeper.

"I though it was terrific," Farmer said. "She looked confident tonight, she sent the ball down with her feet finding targets on the field. I think it was great. I think it's great for her, great for us. I think the only time when she looked a little nervous was the first ball she distributed with her feet she hit 100 miles an hour. I thought, 'Alright she's a little excited here.'"

The game happened to be on parents weekend, and Smart's parents were in the stands for their daughter's first start at Penn State.

Also part of the 913 spectators were some of Smart's friends who took up a rather large section of stands right below the press box.

"My friends are the greatest thing I could have asked for in the world," Smart said. "They've been behind me regardless if I started or if I didn't start, they've always been here. And they know, even more, how big this was for me.

"For them to be here just shows how big it really was."

Her teammates also knew how big it was for Smart. And they helped make it a special night.

"I think we rallied around her big time," Lions sophomore Christie Welsh said of Smart. "I think we all know . . . how much hard work she's put in and how much dedication she has to the team. She has so much heart in every game. She's in it 100 percent even if she's not out on the field. A lot of us knew before the game, part of this game was for her. We knew that she could do it."

Smart put up a 2-0 record this weekend, allowing just one goal in 180 minutes of action.

The Lions will continue to count on Smart as they move into the heart of their Big Ten schedule. Hopefully for the Lions, she'll continue to play 'Smartly.'