Wake Forest Athletics
Gameday Central: Field Hockey To Take on Indiana, Penn State
8/31/2017 12:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
By Wake Forest Athletic Communications (@WakeHockey)
| Gameday Central | Wake Forest vs. Indiana, at No. 7 Penn State | |
| Game 1 | Wake Forest vs. Indiana - Friday, Sept. 1, 3:00 p.m. |
| Coverage | |
| Game 2 | Wake Forest at No. 7 Penn State - Sunday, Sept. 3, 12:00 p.m. |
| Coverage | Live Stream | |
| Match 3 | Wake Forest at Colorado - Saturday, Sept. 2, 3:00 p.m. |
| Location | University Park, Pa. (Penn State Field Hockey Complex) Facility Info |
| Information | Game Notes | @WakeHockey  |
The Matchup and Series History:
- After facing off against No. 17 Iowa and No. 11 Michigan in the ACC/Big Ten Challnege last weekend, Wake Forest will take on two more Big Ten teams, Indiana and Penn State, this weekend in University Park, Pa.
- Last season, the Deacs also started the season with four straight games against the Big Ten, going 3-1.
- The Demon Deacons have never lost to Indiana, going 8-0 in all time meetings between the two schools. The Deacs won, 2-1, last season in a neutral site game played in Columbus, Ohio
- Wake Forest owns a 3-1 all time advantage against the Nittany Lions. The teams haven't played since 2007, Penn State's only win in the series. They were supposed to meet up last season in Winston-Salem, N.C., but the game was canceled due to rain.
Wake Forest Storylines:
- The Deacs were ranked no. 15 by the NFHCA in their annual preseason poll.
- Sophomore forward Nicola Pluta was named to the Preseason All-ACC Team
- Although the Deacs were picked to finish 6th in the conference by the league's coaches, all seven teams in the ACC will begin the season ranked in the top 15 in the nation.
- Junior Jule Grashoff is off to a hot start to 2017, scoring three goals in the team's first two games.
Scouting the Opponents:
- The Hoosiers are coming off a 2016 season that saw them post an 8-12 record and 3-5 mark in Big 10 play.
- Indiana has started the 2017 season 0-2, but both losses came to top 10 opponents (No. 9 Louisville, 4-1, and No. 3 Delaware, 7-0)
- For the Hoosiers, senior dender Elle Hempt, senior forward Maddie Latino, and sophomore midfielder Ciara Girouard were named to the preseason All-Big 10 team.
- The Nittany Lions enjoyed a spectacular 2016 season that saw them produce a 17-3 record, including 6-2 in the Big Ten, good for a second place finish in the league.
- The team fell, 2-1, to Princeton in the NCAA First Round.
- The No. 7 ranked Nittany Lions are off to a 2-0 start to 2017 after a pair of road wins to start the year. First, Penn State defeated No. 23 Old Dominion, 3-2. Then, they took down No. 10 Virginia, 4-2, in Charlottesville.
- Penn State's Gini Bramley was named Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week on Aug. 28. On Aug. 30, she was named NFHCA Offensive Player of the Week. The junior midfielder tallied three goals over the team's first two games.
Looking Ahead:
- Wake Forest finally returns to Kentner Stadium for its 2017 home opener next Friday, Sept. 8, as they host No. 1 ranked North Carolina.
