Two things have become apparent so far this season for the No. 6 Penn State women's soccer team -- they have an abundance of talent and their play is very inconsistent.
The Nittany Lions (3-1-1) tied Boston College, 2-2 on Friday and yesterday they pulled out a 2-1 victory over No. 23 Harvard.
Senior Christie Welsh slipped behind the defense on a free kick and sophomore Amanda Lentz found her as the goal in the 86th minute gave the Lions the victory over Harvard.
"I actually know one of their backs personally and I know her tendencies and she forgets about things going on behind her," Welsh said. "I went behind them and Amanda and I made eye contact. She found me one on one with the goalie and from the 18 [yard line] I put it past her, near post from the right side."
That goal capped a weekend where the Lions allowed two goals in the first eight minutes to Boston College and were scored on by Harvard with just 30 seconds remaining in the first half. Penn State women's soccer coach Paula Wilkins described the play as sloppy.
The Lions were coming off of a 1-0 victory over UCLA, but left any momentum they had on the West Coast and for the second straight weekend played an inconsistent brand of soccer.
"I am very disappointed at the way we started against BC," Wilkins said. "I'm disappointed the way we played coming off of the UCLA game. We took a step back against BC, inconsistency has been our downfall."
Junior Heidi Drummond scored three goals on the weekend including both tallies in the Boston College game. Welsh assisted on the first goal and freshman Carmelina Moscato registered her first career point with an assist on the second. The Lions out-shot Boston College 21-12, but the Eagles' goalkeeper freshman Kate Taylor made 12 saves to preserve the tie.
"We are very proud of the team's performance," Boston College assistant coach Chris Hamblin said in a press release. "We had a game-plan, and the girls stuck to it and played their roles."
Against Harvard after allowing a late first half goal the Lions came out in the second half and salvaged the weekend. Drummond's third goal of the weekend and Welsh's late game-winner gave the Lions the victory.
"We got a little down," Welsh said. "We were angry and frustrated you just can't give up a goal with 30 seconds left in the half. It fueled us."
The Lions are in the midst of a brutal six-game road trip that has taken them to California and Massachusetts and culminates next weekend with visits to Illinois and Virginia for games against Northwestern and James Madison.
The Lions returned home early Monday morning after the West Coast trip and left on Thursday for Massachusetts. Wilkins knows that the travel has had its effects on the team, but hopes that down the road it will benefit the Lions.
"It definitely has taken its toll on us," Welsh said. " It is going to be tough, but we got to get used to it, we have Northwestern and James Madison next week."
