The Penn State women’s soccer team takes down Princeton on the road

PRINCETON, N.J. - On Thursday night, the Penn State women’s soccer team came into Princeton and physically dominated a 1-0 win over the Tigers in the blue and white’s final tune-up before Big Ten play begins.

The Nittany Lions struck late in the second half, courtesy of a 79th-minute blast from midfielder Olivia Borgen to give Penn State the lead. The goal was Borgen’s first of the year and defender Mieke Schiemann’s first assist in the 2024 campaign.

Penn State (5-1-0) entered on a three-game win streak thanks to home victories against Westchester and West Virginia, followed by a win at No. 19 St. Louis in match one of their road trip.

The Princeton Tigers (2-1) had won their two opening matchups against Miami (Fla.) and Seton Hall but faltered against Penn State in the final game of a trifecta of matches at home to kick off the 2024 season.

Penn State goalkeeper Amanda Poorbaugh and Princeton’s netminder Tyler McCamey both had impressive performances with McCamey forced to make nine saves to keep the score within one while Poorbaugh registered three saves of her own en route to her second shutout of the year.

Here’s how the match went down:

Within the first two minutes of play, Penn State’s star forward Kaitlyn MacBean had registered two shots on goal, looking to net a goal in a ninth consecutive game. Although unsuccessful, the pressure applied by MacBean, after another shot attempt in the 11th minute, set the tone for the first half.

Dylan Jovanovic got herself a shot on goal in an attempt to bring counter-attack pressure but it was to no avail as Poorbaugh made the save. Solid work from the backline of Schiemann, Ginger Fontenot and Kayleigh Herr held together, allowing only that shot on goal through the opening 45 of the match.

In half two, Jovanovic registered another early shot on goal as both teams jostled for contact with three Penn State fouls and a yellow card registered to Princeton’s Brooke Dawahare within the first 10 minutes back in play.

Defender Kaelyn Wolfe would net Penn State’s first shot on goal in the second half at the 66-minute mark and would then pick up a yellow card later in the minute.

McCamey and Poorbaugh traded saves through the low 70s until Borgen struck paydirt in the 79th minute from 20 yards out to finally get the Nittany Lions on the board after nine consecutive saves from McCamey between the sticks.

The Tigers had two more opportunities off corners but couldn’t convert them into any shots on goal, scrambling to even the game in the final 10 minutes.

When it was all said and done, Coach Erica Dambach’s crew picked up their 4th straight win and second straight in enemy territory. Constant pressure from the front line along with the solid play from the defense kept Princeton unstable and allowed for the seal to finally be broken in a game where the Nittany Lions outshot the Tigers 19-10.

Penn State will head south from New Jersey to play one more Big Ten tuneup game against No. 23 Georgetown while Princeton will go on the road for the first time to William & Mary.

Jeremy Rose is a second-year broadcast journalism major. To contact him email jrose0531@gmail.com