LADY ICERS
vs. Michigan
1 a.m., tomorrow at Michigan
The Penn State Lady Icers don't seem to understand the concept of resting on one's laurels.
Facing the American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) playoffs as the East's No. 1 seed, the Lady Icers originally planned to have this weekend off in order to rest and shore up their health. That changed Wednesday.
Instead of staying put, Penn State will bus its way into Wolverine territory to face the ACHA Central No. 2 seed University of Michigan in a weekend doubleheader. The action starts tomorrow at 1 a.m. at Yost Arena, with the rubber match set for Sunday at midnight.
"We take whatever ice time we can get," Lady Icers coach Jeremy Sharpe said of the late starting times.
According to the team, the weekend will not be an exercise in futility. Even though the outcomes cannot affect ACHA rankings as they come after the last ranking period, the games will serve as an important gauge for the Lady Icers as they head towards the postseason.
"They'll be a good determinant for us for the nationals," forward Kate Specchio said. "We want to challenge ourselves a little bit before heading there."
Penn State was originally scheduled to play this weekend in the Erie Tournament that featured several regional teams.
However, due to scheduling conflicts, the tournament was moved to last weekend while Penn State was hosting the University at Buffalo, which Penn State had to play out of ACHA obligations.
This originally left the team with a free weekend until Penn State and Michigan made arrangements Wednesday afternoon.
"We'd rather get in ACHA action anyways," Specchio said.
In preparation for a possible title run, Sharpe pointed towards several facets of the team's play that need improvement.
"This week, we've just gone over the basics again -- passing, shooting and working on the power play and penalty kill," he said. "We're stepping up our intensity to another level for the playoffs."
Teamwork, especially on defense, will be key for the Lady Icers as they head toward the postseason. Last week against Buffalo, Penn State was able to limit shots on goal through stingy defense, which contributed greatly to its weekend sweep. With similar defensive play this weekend and in the games ahead, the team improves its chances for success.
In good news for the Lady Icers, forward Alex McVicker is cleared to play this weekend after missing last Saturday's game with a possible concussion. McVicker is second only to fellow Lady Icer Katie King on the latest ACHA scoring list.
"I'm looking forward to having a good time out there," McVicker said.
The rest of the Lady Icers hope to say the same about this weekend while also preparing for the playoff battles ahead.
DIV I ICERS
vs. No. 5 Delaware
9 p.m., tonight, 3:30 p.m. tomorrow
It will be a homecoming of sorts tonight when former Icers Josh Brandwene and John 0'Conner return to the Greenberg Ice Pavilion.
But this time they'll be coaching the opposing team, the Delaware Blue Hens.
The No. 2 Icers (23-2-I) will play host to the No. 5 Blue Hens (17-8) tonight at 9 and then again tomorrow at 3:30 p.m.
"These are two big games," Icers assistant coach Mike McNeill said. "We have to win these games."
Returning tonight to help the Icers is senior captain Josh Mandel.
Mandel has missed the last two weeks because on an injury, after fracturing his foot during the World University Games in Italy.
He skated for the first time since fracturing the foot on Tuesday and said that it feels great.
With the Icers clinging to the No. 2 ranking in the ACHA, trailing only Illinois, they know that a loss this weekend can hurt them when the seedings for the National Tournament come out in a week and a half.
-- by Tony Calvello
ICE LIONS
at Indiana U. of Pa.
8:30 p.m., today
vs. Temple University
10:30 p.m., tomorrow at Greenberg Ice Pavilion
The Northeast Division No. 2 Div. II Penn State Ice Lions will play an unusual home-and-away series against two different teams this weekend. Tonight, the team travels west to the take on Southeast Division No. 3 IUP
Then tomorrow, the team will return home for a game to face Temple.
The Ice Lions demolished Templeduring the teams' first meeting, 14-0. Ice Lions coach Mo Stroemel doesn't discount their ability, though.
"They are better than they played last time," Stroemel said.
Since the final American Collegiate Hockey Association rankings came out and the Ice Lions have already received a bid to compete in the ACHA National Tournament, the outcomes of these games will not affect the tournament seedings.
-- by Adam Kuczynski
BOXING
at Annapolis, Md. vs. Army and Navy
The Penn State boxing team will be tested tomorrow as it travels to Annapolis, Md., to contend with powerhouses Army and Navy.
"This will be the team's first real test," Penn State boxing coach Bill Wrable said. "The team really needs to step it up." Army and Navy are traditional powerhouses every year because every recruit has to participate in a sport at some point, which makes their boxing teams so strong.
Navy's Mike Baliko said the Midshipmen are 30 deep in some weight classes, with only the top contenders competing.
"Every year there are new contenders that are unknown, but have been practicing for two or three years," Baliko said.
Penn State's three top contenders, Miles Rivas, Pat Sullivan and Luke Runyan, are looking to set the tone for the young fighters.
"This will let us know how we will compete at the end of the season in regionals," Runyan said.
-- by Tim Ward
MEN'S GYMNASTICS
2003 Men's Winter Cup Challenge
Today and tomorrow at Las Vegas, Nev.
For Penn State men's gymnast Kevin Donohue, it is simple: 89 gymnasts, two spots available on the U.S. National gymnastics. team and only one goal -- to be one of the two.
After finishing 11th overall in last year's Winter Cup Challenge, Donohue will be entering the competition this weekend with the same intentions.
"I have no expectations but to qualify for the U.S. National team," Donohue said.
Donohue hopes that his higher level of difficulty and greater confidence with his routines will help him achieve that ultimate goal.
The Penn State senior will be joined by teammates Kevin Tan, Matt Abboud and LuisVargas as they compete against the best gymnasts in the country while the rest of the Lions have the weekend off from competition.
Unfortunately for Vargas, the 2003 Winter Cup Challenge will only be an exhibition event.
Vargas is a member of the Puerto Rico Federation team and cannot receive a spot on the U.S. National team. In addition to the four Lions, former Penn State gymnast and captain Adam Benas will also be contending for one of the two spots on the national team.
-- by Pat Tholey
WOMEN'S GYMNASTICS
vs. Oklahoma
8 tonight at Lloyd Noble Center, Ok.
Oklahoma, where the wind comes sweepin' down the plain. Rodgers and Hammerstein's lyrics set the tone for the No. 17 Penn State women's gymnastics team (5-4) as it travels to Norman to face the No. 15 Sooners (3-6, 0-1 Big 12). After posting its highest team score of the season (195.425) last week, the Lions look to improve their score in their second meeting with the Sooners this season. "I think we can beat them," Penn State women's gymnastics assistant coach William Lorenz said. "In fact, I know we can beat them." Earlier at the Super Six Challenge in Georgia, the Nittany Lions finished fifth (194.375),while the Sooners placed sixth (193.275). "We definitely want to avenge that loss," said Oklahoma women's gymnastics coach Steve Nunno. Lions freshman Erin Clayton will travel with the team for the first time as a back up on the balance beam. Katie McAvoy will also unveil her new tumbling pass on floor, the double Arabian. "We want to focus on each individual doing the best that they can and good things are going to happen as a result of that," Penn State women's gymnastics coach Steve Shephard said.
-- by Brent Miller
M. SWIMMING
at Pittsburgh
5 p.m., today at Trees Pool
Since 1923, Pittsburgh and Penn State have gone head-to-head in the pool, making it one of the oldest rivalries on the Penn State swimming and diving books.
Just like any traditional rivalry, like Michigan vs. Ohio State in football or Duke vs. North Carolina in basketball, this swimming match-up is not lacking intensity.
"When you get two big time universities in the same state, both want to come out and show what they are made of," Penn State swimming and diving coach Bill Dorenkott said.
The 2003 version of Penn State vs. Pittsburgh should not be any different.
The No. 19 Panthers are coming off a dominating 132-111 victory over Virginia Tech, which extended their Big East dual-meet win streak to 20. They last lost on Oct. 31, 1998, to Syracuse.
The No. 17 Nittany Lions are also coming off impressive victories over Rutgers and West Chester.
However, success in dual meets is not necessarily indicative of what the Lions coaching staff is trying to accomplish, said Dorenkott.
"This meet is just a lead-in to bigger and better things."
-- by Chad Reott
WOMEN'S SWIMMING
at Pittsburgh
4 p.m., today
Twelve days away from the Big Ten Championships, the Penn State women's swimming and diving team will face intrastate rival Pittsburgh this afternoon, looking to continue a streak that has seen the Nittany Lions win six straight.
Penn State swimming and diving coach Bill Dorenkott said that today's meet will be a nice lead-in to Big Tens.
"It's an opportunity to swim against a quality team in a fast pool," Dorenkott said.
A winning record will be on the line for Pittsburgh (6-6) in what will be each team's last dual meet of the season. While Senior Day for the Panthers will be another incentive to win, Dorenkott said his team will be ready.
The Lions are coming off last week end's victories over Rutgers, 157-86, and West Chester, 147-86. Freshman Lisa Silvestri continued her strong season with a sweep of both the 1- and 3-meter diving events against the Scarlet Knights and Golden Rams, while senior Katie Hostetler took the 50-yard freestyle in both meets.
-- by Joel Rineer
MEN'S INDOOR TRACK
vs. UConn, Princeton
Noon tomorrow at the Multi Sports Facility
This time, the Penn State indoor track team's focus is on winning the meet and not focusing on specific events like it did last week.
Apart from Penn State, the University of Connecticut and Princeton University will also be participating at the meet.
Last year in the same meet at Penn State, the Huskies edged the Nittany Lions in the last race, the 4-by-800-meter relay, to propel themselves into a 134-134 tie with the Lions.
Princeton finished third with 93 points.
The Lions expect that things will turn out differently for this year.
"Overall, UConn won't be as tough, but we expect Princeton to be tougher," Penn State track and field coach Harry Groves said.
The Huskies will be coming into the meet off last Friday's convincing win against the University of Rhode Island, when they outdistanced the Rams by 58 points.
The Lions have already had a taste of the sort of competition they expect from Princeton, after competing against the Tigers last week at the Penn State National Open, a non-scored meet.
At the Lions' last meet, because of the intense competition, there was some trash talking between both the teams.
This week, the Lions plan to eliminate that and let their actions speak for themselves.
"All the talk this side of hell doesn't win you anything at all," Groves said.
-- by Nkrumah Makinwa
WOMEN'S INDOOR TRACK
vs. Princeton and UPenn
10 a.m., tomorrow at Princeton
After fighting off the flu, the Penn State women's indoor track team is looking to reclaim its typical strong level of performance.
Initially, two meets were scheduled for this weekend.
However, the Nittany Lions opted out of this year's Millrose Games, in which they were originally slated to attend.
"[The Millrose Games] doesn't have accommodating events and just didn't fit with anybody this year," Penn State women's track and field coach Beth Alford-Sullivan said.
Princeton and Pennsylvania took part in the Penn State National Open last week, posting less-than-impressive times and places; however, there should be several races to watch this weekend.
The Tigers house an all-freshman distance medley relay team that took home eighth place last weekend.
Other than that, the Nittany Lions should have no trouble bringing back a win.
"We are using this meet for fun and to fine-tune some things," Afford-Sullivan said.
"Everybody is competing this weekend so we're hoping to build more of a team atmosphere."
