[WOMEN’S COLLEGE CUP: Penn State] Penn State makes its fourth appearance in the NCAA Division I Tournament semifinals Friday when it faces Florida State in SanDiego (TV: ESPN3, 8:30 pm). But Coach Erica Walsh and goalie Erin McNulty know all about the Seminoles. Walsh wasan FSU assistant when it went to the 2005 Women’s College Cup, the last time Penn State advanced to the final four. And McNulty started for the Seminoles on their 2009 College Cup runner-up team.
THREE STARS:
Senior midfielder Christine Nairn scored the winning goal on a penalty kick in the 1-0 winover Penn State in the quarterfinals. The only active collegian who has been capped for the United States, Nairn leads the nation’s top offense with 16 goals and 11 assists.
Junior
Costa Rican international Raquel Rodriguez, who earned Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors, committed toPenn State sight unseen but didn’t know she’d been cleared by the NCAA until 48 hours before her scheduled departure. Walsh
After Nairn’s early goal against Duke, Walsh switched to four in the back with freshman Corey Persson, a convertedforward, being brought on.
NUMBERS GAME:
The Nittany Lions have won 15 straight Big Ten regular-season titles.
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING:
“We’re prepared, we’ve done a ton of video and we’ve learned more about ourselves in this past tournament than we have all season.” –Nairn.
PROBABLE STARTERS:
Goalkeeper
00 Erin McNulty GSCanada
Defenders
14 Kori Chapic SO Novelty, Ohio
17 Whitney Church SO Ashburn, Va.
23 Bri Hovington JR Lothian, Md.
3 Emily Hurd SO Sammamish, Wash.
10 Christine Nairn SR Arnold, Md.
11 Raquel Rodriguez FR Costa Rica
18 Maddy Evans SRGlenside, Pa.
19 Taylor Schram JR Canonsburg, Pa.
Forwards
5 Maya Hayes JR West Orange, N.J.
16Mallory Weber FR Novi, Mich.
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