Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1532761
7 0 M A R C H 2 0 2 5 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M and aren't represented in the top 16, so Penn State will have to keep win- ning and hope for some help to make the field. For Fink, making the NCAA Tour- nament is the primary goal, one that's more important than any individual re- cord. "Penn State is an unbelievable pro- gram, and I'm so grateful that I'm here," he said. "Tying Limo [for the PSU goal- scoring record] is an honor, and I'm super excited. But I'm trying to win a national championship here, and that's what matters to me." ■ WOMEN'S ICE HOCKEY: The seventh-ranked Nittany Lions wrapped up their regular season with a 2-1 overtime victory over the visiting Roch- ester Institute of Technology on Feb. 15. Junior defender Leah Stecker scored the winning goal with 2:48 remaining in the extra period. The win completed a two-game sweep of the Tigers and improved Penn State's record to 28-5-1 overall and 19-1-0 in the Atlantic Hockey America conference. The 28 wins are the most in program history. RIT will return to Pegula Ice Arena for the AHA Tournament. Top-seeded Penn State was set to host a best-of-three semifinal series beginning Feb. 28. WOMEN'S BASKETBALL: The Lady Lions fell to 10-17 overall and 1-15 in Big Ten play with their 78-68 loss to Michigan on Feb. 22 in Ann Arbor. Redshirt sophomore center Gracie Merkle had 18 points and 10 rebounds for her fourth consecutive double-double, but it wasn't enough to prevent Penn State from dropping its eighth game in a row. Through 27 games, Merkle was leading the team in both scoring (15.6 points per game) and rebounding (8.7 per game). Her rebounding average ranked sixth in the Big Ten. BASEBALL: Penn State outscored Longwood 36-8 in a three-game sweep Feb. 22-23 at Lexington, Va. The Nittany Lions concluded the series with a 15-7 victory in which junior center fielder Paxton Kling had 3 hits, including a first- inning home run. The Lions' sweep was its first since 2018 in a road series against a nonconfer- ence opponent. Their 36 runs were the most in a three-game series since they scored 39 versus Michigan State in 2021. Penn State was 5-1 heading into a visit to Richmond on Feb. 28. SOFTBALL: Penn State went 2-2 at the LSU Invitational Feb. 21-23, split- ting two games with Nicholls (10-2 win in six innings, 6-4 loss), while topping Southern Miss (4-1) and dropping its game against the host Tigers (10-1 in five innings). A scheduled rematch with Southern Miss on the tournament's last day was cancelled due to inclement weather. Heading into its trip to the Hokie Invite in Salem, Va., Feb. 28-March 1, Penn State was 5-9 on the season. Injuries have hindered the team in the early going. Pitcher Bridget Nemeth, last season's Big Ten Freshman of the Year, has not returned to the mound since leaving the Lions' game against Texas Tech on Feb. 7 after facing only four batters. MEN'S LACROSSE: Penn State improved to 3-1 with a 13-7 win over Navy on Feb. 22. Senior midfielder Luke Walstrum had 2 goals and 3 assists to help the ninth-ranked Nittany Lions prevail at Panzer Stadium. Through four games, senior midfielder Matt Traynor was tied for the Big Ten lead with 22 points on 16 goals and 6 assists. Penn State's only loss in that span was to No. 8 Princeton, an 11-10 overtime deci- sion Feb. 15 at Holuba Hall. WOMEN'S LACROSSE: Penn State was 2-2 on the season after a 12-10 loss at Pitt on Feb. 18. PSU outscored the Panthers 7-1 in the second half, but its late surge wasn't enough to overcome an 11-1 second-period deficit. Junior attacker Erika Ho paced the Nittany Lions with 3 goals and an assist. Through four games, Ho was leading PSU with 10 goals, while sopho- more attacker Kelly MacKinney had a team-best 15 points on 2 goals and 13 assists. MEN'S VOLLEYBALL: The 18th-ranked Nittany Lions stormed back from a sweep the previous night, earning a 3-1 road victory over the New Jersey Institute of Technology on Feb. 22. Redshirt senior outside hitter Will Kuhns hit .357 and fin- ished with a career-high 21 kills to help the Lions earn a split in the series. Heading into a home match against Merrimack on Feb. 28, the Nittany Lions were 4-8 overall and 2-2 in EIVA play. MEN'S GYMASTICS: No. 7-ranked Penn State was 3-1 on the season and 1-1 in Big Ten competition after defeating No. 4 Michigan, 319.000-313.900, at Rec Hall on Feb. 1 and falling at No. 3 Ohio State, 325.000-323.850, on Feb. 9. Despite the loss in Columbus, Penn State's team score was its highest of the season by more than four points. Senior Josh Karnes led the way, winning event titles on the pommel horse (13.800), parallel bars (14.350) and high bar (13.900). WOMEN'S GYMNASTICS: The Nittany Lions defeated Ohio State, 196.525- 196.300, Feb. 22 at Rec Hall, improving to 9-3 overall and 4-2 in the Big Ten. Freshman Dani Latronica was Penn State's lone event winner, posting a 9.9 to take first place in the uneven bars. Fifth-year senior Maddie Johnston was named the meet's outstanding performer after tying her career-high score on the vault (9.9) and posting scores of 9.8 on the uneven bars and 9.875 on the balance beam. MEN'S SWIMMING AND DIVING: Penn State wrapped up its regular season Feb. 1 with a 193-90 victory over visiting West Virginia. Junior Cooper Morley finished first in the 100- and 200-yard backstroke events with times of 45.79 and 1:48.76. Morley was also part of the 400 freestyle relay team that won in 2:54.18. WOMEN'S SWIMMING AND DIVING: Penn State placed 12th in the Big Ten Championships Feb. 19-22 at Ohio State. Senior Margaret Markvardt posted a career-best time of 51.96 in the preliminaries of the 100-yard butterfly and went on to finish eighth in 52.55. — Matt Herb W I N T E R / S P R I N G S P O R T S N O T E B O O K Through four games, midfielder Matt Traynor of the PSU men's lacrosse team was tied for the Big Ten lead with 22 points. PHOTO BY CALEB CRAIG/PENN STATE ATHLETICS