One team will be undefeated. One team will own the longest current winning streak in the nation. One team will possess a wide-open, quick-strike offense and an impenetrable defense.
It just won't be the team everybody expected.
When the No. 9 Penn State women's soccer team plays its regular-season finale against Navy tonight at 7 in Annapolis, Md., it will be one of the very rare occasions that head coach Paula Wilkins has labeled her team as the underdog.
"It is going to be a great atmosphere and we need to be prepared for what they give us," Wilkins said. "Anytime you play a team that is undefeated in the country, you're looked at as the underdog and you need to be prepared to play. They are going to have a great advantage being at home."
Home-field advantage isn't the only reason that Penn State's head coach has for giving the edge to the Midshipmen. Just a quick glance at Navy's mind-boggling season statistics will provide a few more.
Even with two regular-season games remaining, the Midshipmen (18-0-0) have already set program records in almost every offensive category imaginable, including points, goals and assists.
Offensively, the team has thrown at least one or two kitchen sinks at each opponent. Every player, minus the goalkeepers, has tallied either a goal or an assist this season, while 11 different players have registered game-winning goals.
"The one thing that is different from past years is that we are scoring goals from all over the place," Navy head coach Carin Gabarra said. "We're not just relying on one person, a lot of players are stepping up."
Headlining the Midshipmen's arsenal is Meggie Curran. The senior forward, who was recruited by the Penn State coaching staff out of high school, leads her team in scoring with 11 goals and is ranked second in the country with 0.78 assists per game.
That's only the half of it.
On the defensive side of the ball, Navy doesn't allow goals.
With sophomore goalkeeper Lizzie Barnes boasting a .981 save percentage and a goals against average (.069) that would make Bluto Blutarsky proud, the Midshipmen have outscored opponents 65-3. Yes, you read that correctly.
To say that Navy has dominated the competition this season would be a huge understatement.
Still, despite their seemingly flawless play, the Midshipmen are just now receiving national recognition. Consistently beating up on Patriot League foes and the added luxury of playing 13 of their 18 contests a home has not done much for them in the national rankings.
But that could all change with a win against the nine-time defending Big Ten champions.
"It is a big accomplishment anytime you beat a top-10 team. [Penn State] has been a nationally ranked and established program for a long time, and a win would be huge," Gabarra said.
While Navy will be looking to validate its already-amazing season, the Lions (12-3-3, 8-1-1 Big Ten) are hoping to cap another successful title campaign with a W.
"Right now, we just want to close out our regular season on a good note," senior midfielder/defender Sarah Dwyer said. "So, we are hoping to go in there and get the win -- and shutout, as usual."
