It's been a running joke -- and Tara Davies had to put her money where her mouth was.
Since freshman year, Melissa Hayes said Davies has promised her teammates she would celebrate a goal with a backflip performance.
On cue, with her whole family in attendance at the women's soccer team's Senior Day, Davies kept her promise. Following her first career goal in No. 25 Penn State's 4-0 victory, an insurance goal to give the Lions a three-goal advantage, Davies flipped twice in the goalie box after her chip shot lofted over the Purdue goalie into the top of the net.
"I couldn't let everybody down, I had to do it," the senior defender said. "I never thought I'd actually score a goal, so I never thought I'd actually have to do it. But it was really fun and so memorable."
The decisive victory over the No. 22-ranked Boilermakers keeps the Nittany Lions (11-5-2, 7-1-1 Big Ten) unbeaten since Sept. 27 and in line for a share of the Big Ten title with a win in their next match against Michigan. Ohio State would assure a share with the Lions with a win vs. Michigan State in its last game.
Senior goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher earned her seventh shutout of the season in what could be her final game at Jeffrey Field. The Seymour, Conn., native wasn't tested all day, with the Boilermakers sailing most of their opportunities to the right of the net.
The senior captain said she was more impressed with the offensive production of her team, which seems to be scoring at will. The Lions have tallied 15 goals in their last four matches.
"Right now, you just come to expect that. With six goals last week and four goals here, we know we can do it at home, we've proven that," Naeher said. "It just brings us confidence now. If we have to go on the road, hopefully [we'll] bring that mentality of scoring anywhere we go now."
Junior forward Dani Toney notched two goals, improving her team-leading total to 12. The Lions now own a 22-2-2 record all-time when the speedy forward records a goal in a game.
Senior wing Alli Rago split two defenders to set up the first Toney goal, and senior Nikki Watts came off the bench and assisted on Toney's second.
Toney slotted both her goals to the right of the Boilermaker goalkeeper, each of them set up on give-and-go's by freshman midfielder Christine Nairn, who assisted on three of the four Lion goals.
"[Today] I saw somebody who has gained some confidence and composure and a better idea of how to finish breakaways," Lions coach Erica Walsh said of Toney. "The kid can score as many goals as she wants to."
Walsh also alluded to the fun her players are having as a key to the Lions' success. Senior defender Maura Ryan had a chance to tally an assist of her own and smiled as her rare crossing ball from the backline to senior forward Katie Schoepfer didn't result in a goal.
During halftime, Davies and Schoepfer and a group of their teammates danced to a Jimmy Buffett song as it glared over the speakers. After the win, the entire team huddled together in a giant circle as they all joked and listened to Walsh's postgame speech.
"There's just little pieces that we've been working at all season, and earlier we were challenged to get a good complete game," Hayes said. "Now our pieces are starting to click together. It's the perfect time to get rolling at this time of the year."
