Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1509432
4 6 N O V E M B E R 2 0 2 3 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M W hen she was being recruited out of Ex- celsior, Minn., where she had won all-state recogni- tion four times, it didn't take Kaitlyn MacBean long to realize that Penn State was where she belonged. "From my first steps on cam- pus, I knew that nowhere else in the world would compare to how I felt there," she told GoPSU- Sports.com. "Penn State truly has everything I want in a col- lege. The women's soccer pro- gram is unlike any other in the country. The pure grit, determi- nation and family atmosphere with the phenomenal coach- ing staff and players make Penn State the best college environ- ment possible." MacBean has displayed plenty of grit and determination herself since her arrival. The redshirt junior forward bounced back from an injury that forced her to miss the spring and fall 2021 seasons, scoring 3 goals in her debut campaign last year, one of which helped lift PSU to a 3-2 win over Michigan State in the Big Ten Tournament final. This year, she's been one of the stars of a Nittany Lion team that has surged to the top of the conference standings and is eyeing a deep run in the NCAA Tournament. Through Penn State's first 13 matches, MacBean had scored 4 game-winning goals. The most recent of those tallies was a header off a pass into the box from senior midfielder Cori Dyke to break a tie against Ohio State. The Nittany Lions' 2-1 win at Jeffrey Field on Oct. 8 was their first over the Buckeyes since 2019, and it was the first game of the current season in which they were forced to come from behind. Ohio State had jumped out in front with a goal by Peyton McNamara in the 36th minute, but MacBean scored just before halftime, and her second goal with less than three minutes to play kept the Nittany Lions unbeaten. "I feel like we got punched in the face a few times," coach Erica Dambach told The Daily Collegian after the win. "The resilience of this group really showed today." Heading into the final weeks of the regular season, Penn State was 11-0-2 overall and 5-0-1 in Big Ten play. It's the team's best start in Dambach's 17 seasons as head coach. The Lions will likely be asked to show even more resilience with the toughest part of the season still to come. They're ranked No. 4 in the United Soccer Coaches poll and are getting set to close out their regular season with visits to Purdue and North- western and home dates versus Indiana and Wisconsin. After that, the postseason awaits, with hopes running high for a repeat Big Ten Tournament title and a return to the College Cup for the first time since the 2015 national championship season. MacBean will be a big part of whatever comes next. Following the Ohio State match, she was tied with super senior forward Payton Linnehan for the team lead with 5 goals. "You can see her confidence growing every week that goes by," Dambach told The Collegian. "This team has such a belief that late in the game we can score goals, and she's a huge part of that." ■ OLYMPIC SPORTS Difference Maker Kaitlyn MacBean has been scoring timely goals to help keep the Penn State women's soccer team rolling M AT T H E R B | M A T T. H E R B @ O N 3 . C O M MacBean, a redshirt junior forward, has been one of Penn State's top performers this season, tying for the team lead with 5 goals, including 4 game-winners. PHOTO BY STEVEN WALTER/PENN STATE ATHLETICS