For the past two seasons, the Penn State women's soccer team has run roughshod over Big Ten opponents. The Nittany Lions have compiled a regular season record of 15-0-1 dating back to the beginning of the 1999 season, and have an overall record of 17-1-1 during that same period.
Tonight, the Lions will face the team responsible for the two blemishes on that record — the Michigan Wolverines. Michigan tied Penn State 0-0 last September at Jeffrey Field (the last game the Lions haven't won at home) and defeated the Lions 4-2 in the finals of last year's Big Ten tournament in Bloomington, Ind. In fact, Penn State hasn't beaten the Wolverines anywhere since 1996.
If any team in the conference can be referred to as a worthy Lion nemesis, it would be Michigan.
"I think one of the worst defeats we've had in our program was the loss to those guys in the Big Ten tournament last year," said Penn State women's soccer coach Pat Farmer.
A win at Michigan tonight (4 p.m., Michigan Soccer Field), coupled with a victory at Northwestern Sunday, would give Penn State at least a share of the Big Ten regular-season title.
"It's great that this game comes against Michigan when we have a chance to cement the championship (this weekend)," he added.
While the Lions head into Ann Arbor on an eight-game winning streak, Michigan (7-5, 5-2) is still reeling from a tough 1-0 loss last Sunday to bitter rival Michigan State.
After the loss to Michigan State, the Wolverines are "definitely under the gun," said Michigan women's soccer coach Debbie Belkin.
If Penn State can defeat the team that has given it so much trouble in recent years, it will have an opportunity Sunday (2 p.m., Lakeside Field) to successfully defend its Big Ten championship.
The Wildcats are having a difficult season. They stand at 2-9-1 overall and 1-5 in the conference heading into tonight's matchup with Ohio State. One of the lone bright spots for Northwestern has been the play of senior goalkeeper Erin Ekeberg, who is third in the Big Ten in saves.
Unlike Northwestern, Michigan has instituted a revolving door policy in goal. Senior Carissa Stewart has started seven games for the Wolverines. Freshman counterpart Suzie Grech has five starts, 34 saves, and a .78 GAA, good for 5th in the conference, but has missed time due to a sprained thumb.
Belkin knows that although the team has had Penn State's number in the past, the Wolverines will have to do more than just show up to derail the No. 6 Lions.
"Any time we've been successful against Penn State we've had to play a good game," she said. "We're focusing on getting good shots and playing good defense."
If they accomplish that tonight, Penn State may be hard pressed to reverse a growing trend of Michigan victories.
