THIS WEEK

University of Iowa women’s soccer takes on No. 5 Penn State in the Big Ten Tournament Semifinals. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. (CT) on Thursday at Lower.com Field in Columbus, Ohio.

WATCH/FOLLOW LIVE

• The Big Ten Tournament Semifinals will air live on Big Ten Network.
• Links to streaming and live stats can be found at the schedule page on hawkeyesports.com.
• Fans can follow the Iowa soccer program on Twitter (@HawkeyeSoccer) for live in-game updates.

SCOUTING THE NITTANY LIONS

• Penn State is ranked fifth in the United Soccer Coaches Poll and is the Big Ten Tournament fourth-seed.

• The Nittany Lions downed No. 19 Indiana, 3-0, in the first round. Penn State finished 6-1-3 in conference play. A loss to No. 21 Wisconsin in the regular season finale thwarted dreams of a 21st regular season Big Ten Championship in Happy Valley.
• Coach Dambach has led Penn State to 11 Big Ten regular season titles, four Big Ten Tournament titles, 15 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances and, in 2015, the program’s first NCAA Championship.
• Penn State leads the Big Ten defensively, averaging just 0.50 goals against this season.
• Goalkeeper Katherine Asman leads the league in goals against average (0.48) and save percentage (.895). Asman’s save percentage ranks fifth nationally.
• Forward Kaitlyn McBean leads Penn State with 14 points on six goals and two assists; three other Nittany Lions have scored at least 11 points this season.
• Penn State is Iowa’s highest-ranked opponent in 2023; the Hawkeyes are 1-1-1 against ranked competition this season.

SERIES HISTORY – PENN STATE

Iowa is 3-26-1 against Penn State in the all-time series. One of those victories came in the 2020-21 Big Ten Tournament Semifinals, when Iowa knocked off fourth-ranked Penn State, 1-0, for the highest-ranked win in program history. The Hawkeyes went on to win the first conference tournament championship in program history. Iowa and 24th-ranked Penn State tied, 2-2, last season at the Iowa Soccer Complex.