By Andrew Linnehan

WEST LAFAYETTE, IN - The Penn State Lady Lions’ soccer team secured yet another Big Ten regular season title on Sunday, running a clinic on an obviously less talented Purdue squad. PSU, now 13-6 overall and 8-1 in the Big Ten after its 2-0 win, will hoist its 11^th-consecutive regular season trophy after its final regular season match at home against Ohio State on October 31.

Junior F Katie Schoepfer and the Lions have won 11 straight conference titles

“We got a lot more consistent and are now playing the best soccer all season,” said Head Coach Erica Walsh. “This is right where you want to be going into championship tournaments.”

Penn State struck in the 12^th minute when junior F Nikki Watts streaked up the left sideline and then cut the ball inside before delivering a rocket that whistled past Purdue junior GK Jenny Bradfisch.

The score remained 1-0 until the second half, when, in the 52^nd minute, sophomore F Danielle Toney chased down a loose ball that drew Bradfisch from the net. Toney was able to knock the ball through to junior standout Katie Schoepfer, who cleaned up from just inside the six-yard box.

The Lady Nits refused to lay back and protect its considerable 2-0 lead, as they fired eleven of their fifteen shots in the second half. Purdue was able to match Penn State in shots on goal with fifteen, but PSU’s heralded junior GK Alyssa Naeher was up to the task as she saved all six shots that landed on target.

Penn State’s streak of eleven consecutive Big Ten titles is second in conference history, succumbing only to Michigan’s women’s swimming and diving team. The Lady Wolverines and Head Coach Jim Richardson posted a record twelve consecutive titles from 1986-1998.