Coach Barry Gorman is "hopeful" one of his key offensive performers will be on the field for the opening game of Ohio State's Wolstein Classic tonight.
Star senior forward Jason Yeisley suffered what he and Gorman both termed a charley horse in the second half of Tuesday's 5-0 defeat of St. Francis (Pa.) after a midair collision with the Red Flash goalie.
If Yeisley is unable to go for the 5 p.m. match with Cal State Fullerton, Gorman said junior Treavor Gelsinger, who led the team with six goals a year ago, will get the nod in Yeisley's place. The rest of the lineup from the season opener should be unchanged, Gorman added.
Penn State last played Cal State Fullerton in 2007, claiming a 2-0 neutral-site victory in Los Angeles. The Titans, picked to finish sixth in the Big West, will be playing their first match of the season after finishing 5-14-1 in 2008.
The Nittany Lions will have Saturday off before taking on Gonzaga at noon Sunday. The Bulldogs made it to the West Coast Conference finals in 2008 and were picked to finish third in the conference during the preseason.
Midfielder Frank Costigliola expressed confidence the Nittany Lions can keep the momentum rolling from the St. Francis game into the weekend.
"We've really just got to concentrate on ourselves and our style of play, and imposing it on the other team instead of them imposing [their style of play] on us," he said.
So far, the Lions' style of play has featured a defense reluctant to yield chances on goal. The Red Flash had just five shots in Tuesday night's shutout, and Penn State's two exhibition opponents combined for just 17 shots and a goal.
Like Penn State, Gonzaga is coming off an impressive season opener. While the Nittany Lions were dismantling the Red Flash, the Bulldogs took down Trinity Western University by a 5-1 margin.
Ben Funkhouser registered a goal and an assist in the victory for Gonzaga, and last year's West Coast Conference Defender of the Year Nick Barclay, added one of the team's two penalty kick goals.
Penn State defender Andres Casias admitted the team doesn't have a complete picture of its weekend opponents given the season's youth.
"We don't really know much about the teams, just that they're West Coast teams," he said. "They're always pretty good, they always move the ball."
Still, the team's confidence is high, Casias said.
"We're looking forward to coming out of this weekend with a couple wins," he said.
