Spring Break
Kleinhands lifts field hockey past No. 6 Penn State
Chris Brodeur
Issue date: 9/8/08 Section: Sports
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Kleinhans, the Big East Defensive Player of the Year and a second-team All-American selection in 2007, suffered a concussion in last weekend's season opener against Sacred Heart. Nearly a week went by before she was finally cleared to return to practice Friday, on the eve of a clash with the No. 6 Nittany Lions - a fellow national semi-finalist from the season prior.
Penn State (1-2) would have preferred for the veteran to spend one more game recovering on the sidelines. Kleinhans struck for the game's lone score at 21:28 in the first period on a perfectly executed penalty corner attempt from the top of the scoring circle. The 1-0 victory kept the No. 4 Huskies (3-0) perfect on the season and ran their home winning streak at the Sherman Family Complex to nine games dating back to last September.
"We're glad she played today," said head coach Nancy Stevens. "She was out almost a full week, but Jen's a senior, she's an All-American, and we need her out there. She came through for us."
Stevens lauded the Penn State defense - a unit that has yielded just two goals through three games in 2008 - for keeping the game so tight.
"I thought their goalkeeper played well and their defense played well - they have a first- team All-American back on the defensive end [in 2007]," Stevens said. "They're very sound defensively and they just don't give up many goals. There were periods where we dominated and we had great opportunities but credit them for limiting our goals."
On the other side of the field, UConn goalkeeper Andrea Mainiero denied all three shots Penn State put on net, including a point-blank opportunity following a turnover inside the shooting circle with under five minutes remaining in the first.
The Huskies have allowed just one goal in their three victories, and Saturday's effort was reason enough for Stevens to raise her expectations of the team going forward.
"I think it builds confidence and with it comes responsibility," Stevens said. "Now that the team has played this well against a quality opponent, we can't expect anything less. Anything less is unacceptable."
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