Oct. 8, 2009
Women's Soccer Weekly Game Notes (10/8) 
The Weekend
Northwestern finishes off its three-game conference road trip this weekend as the 'Cats pay a visit to Penn State and #25 Ohio State.
Catching the 'Cats
Sunday's game will be broadcast live on the Big Ten Network at 11 a.m. CT, Northwestern's first television appearance of the season. Fans can follow the Penn State match with GameTracker, available on NUSports.com, and get in-game updates on Twitter during the Ohio State game by following @NU_SportsLIVE.
Last Time Out
Northwestern spotted Michigan a pair of goals before rallying to earn a 2-2, double overtime draw last Sunday at the U-M Soccer Complex. After the Wolverines took a 2-0 lead in the 49th minute, NU got on the board 27 seconds later when Caroline Dagley found Sam Greene for the junior's first goal of the season. Dagley picked up a second assist in the 55th minute with a header pass to Jessica Palo in the box. The 'Cats had their best offensive day of the year, recording a season-best 17 shots and putting eight on goal.
Scouting the Nittany Lions
Penn State is led in scoring by junior Danielle Toney, who has scored five goals and put 56% of her shots on frame this season. Senior goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher has earned Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week honors three times this season and boasts a 1.07 goals against average. The Nittany Lions are 72-4-3 all-time at home against Big Ten opponents.
Scouting the Buckeyes
Off to the second-best start in school history, the Buckeyes enter the weekend off their first loss since Aug. 30. Ohio State's defense held its opponents scoreless for 423 consecutive minutes earlier this season, an effort anchored by goalkeeper Lauren Robertson and her conference-best 0.53 GAA. Paige Maxwell leads OSU with five goals scored.
Series Information
Penn State owns a 15-2-0 advantage in the all-time series with Northwestern, including a 1-0 win at University Park last season. NU's last win in the series came in Evanston in 1998, and the 'Cats have never beaten the Nittany Lions on the road. The Ohio State series is more evenly matched, with the Buckeyes holding a 8-6-1 advantage after a 1-0 win in Columbus last season. NU last beat OSU in 2007, and posted a 4-3, double overtime victory in 2006, the 'Cats last win in Columbus.
Lights, Camera, Action!
Sunday will mark the fifth appearance on the Big Ten Network for Northwestern women's soccer, and the team's first televised game this season. The 'Cats have played well on national TV, owning a 2-1-1 record over the past two seasons. Away from the friendly confines of Lakeside Field, however, NU is 0-1-1 when playing in the national spotlight.
One Daunting Schedule
This year the Wildcats face a schedule that is shaping up to be one of the most difficult in school history. Nine of Northwestern's 2009 opponents have been ranked or receiving votes at least once this year in the NSCAA/adidas poll - including seven in this week's poll. Additionally, eight of this year's opponents participated in last year's NCAA Tournament. Friday the 'Cats face the first of four Big Ten schools that participated in last year's postseason when they travel to Penn State (Illinois, Michigan State and Minnesota are still to come on the schedule).