Nestled between a colossal Beaver Stadium and an imposing Bryce Jordan Center lies a field far less intimidating to the eye but much more menacing to Penn State adversaries.

Jeffrey Field, the home of both the men's and women's Nittany Lion soccer teams, resembles the stadium of a small high school football team. It has been the site of 99 women's soccer matches since the inception of the varsity squad in 1994, and it's safe to say that the pitch means more to its players than either Beaver Stadium or the BJC.

In just their tenth season in the NCAA, the Lions have compiled a home record of 89-7-1. They own a 27-game home winning streak and haven't lost a regular season home match since 1999 when then-No. 4 Florida edged out a 1-0 victory in overtime.

"That's pretty damn good," Michigan women's soccer coach Debbie Rademacher said after learning of the Lions' home record. "I mean, to have a record like that makes it obvious that they're dominating on their home turf."

But playing at home means the most when the Lions are facing conference foes. They have lost only one Big Ten contest in their history at Jeffrey Field, and that was to Minnesota in 1995.

"It's obviously a great streak, but they're tough to beat whether its at home or away," Minnesota women's soccer coach Barbara Wickstrand said. She admitted that she didn't even know that her team was the only conference opponent to win at Jeffrey Field.

Still, even Penn State women's soccer coach Paula Wilkins is unfamiliar with something about her team. She doesn't know what it's like to lose at home, because in her third consecutive year at the helm, she remains undefeated at Jeffrey Field.

"I think there is a sense of pride when you play at home," Wilkins said.

She said that she never tries to put the focus of a match on where it is being played, but rather the team on the other side of the ball. Wilkins added that it isn't so much Jeffrey Field that helps the team win. Instead, she said, the advantage is more mundane.

"I think it helps the players when we don't have to travel," Wilkins said. "You know the home field, but you also get to eat at the same places and get to sleep in your own bed."

Whatever the case, the Lions have an exceptional reputation to protect every time they step onto Jeffrey Field.