Penn State

Women’s soccer: Dambach earns 300th win at Penn State

UNIVERSITY PARK -- Penn State women's soccer head coach Erica Dambach further cemented her status as one of the greatest coaches in Penn State and NCAA women's soccer history with her 300th win as the leader of the Nittany Lions on Thursday night at Jeffrey Field.

The Blue & White blanked Bucknell with a 5-0 victory in the 2026 home opener. Penn State scored five goals for the first time since 2024 with five different Nittany Lions scoring during the match.

Penn State led Bucknell in corner kicks, 9-2, while outshooting the Bison by a wide, 19-8 margin. Penn State's goalkeeper, redshirt senior Mackenzie Gress, made three saves in the victory, contributing to the first clean sheet of the season before she was relieved by freshman Lily Selvy, who made her collegiate debut.

Freshman forward Ellie Kocher made her long-awaited debut in the Blue & White, totaling three shots with some impressive runs along the way. Marthe Hens joined Selvy and Kocher in making her first career appearance.

The scoring began when freshman forward Paige Pasinski, making her first collegiate start, scored the first goal of her career and the first tally of the night for the Nittany Lions. The Nittany Lions saw another goal with 44 seconds left in the first half by redshirt sophomore defender Lilly Burger with a header off a corner kick.

Penn State put up an offensive outburst in the second half, scoring three more goals within the first 25 minutes of action. Junior forward Aubrey Kulpa scored her team-leading second goal of the season as senior defender Kaelyn Wolfe and sophomore defender Hannah Jordan scored their first goals of the season.

FIRST HALF

The beginning minutes of the half were an impressive defensive showing for the Nittany Lions. Senior defender Brooklyn Antonucci saved a near goal from the Bison in front of the net to keep the match scoreless. Gress made her first save of the night on a sliding stop in front of the goal box, followed by a block from redshirt senior defender Kayleigh Herr, who quickly moved behind Gress to stop a second shot attempt by the Bison.

At the 19:51 mark, Pasinski found the ball on a pass from Kulpa to give Penn State its first goal of the night off a shot into the far corner of the net. The goal scored by Pasinski was her first collegiate goal in her first career start.

With 44 seconds left in the first half, Burger connected on a corner kick by senior forward Paige Kalal to score Penn State's second goal of the match. The header was Burger's second collegiate goal and gave the Blue & White the momentum into the break.

SECOND HALF

The Nittany Lions didn't waste any time on another scoring opportunity as PSU drew an early penalty kick opportunity. Jordan scored the third goal of the match off a rebound from her own penalty kick just over a minute into the frame. The goal was Jordan's first of the season and third of her career.

Penn State kept the momentum going in the middle of the second half when Kulpa scored the fourth goal of the match and her second of the season. The goal by Kulpa earned her sixth point of the season to lead the team. Freshman forward Anna Babcock earned the first assist of her career on a beautiful pass to a cutting Kulpa.

Wolfe found the back of the net for Penn State's fifth goal of the contest in the 69th minute of the match off an assist from redshirt freshman forward Nicole Crane, who registered her first career point with the helper. Wolfe was the fifth different Nittany Lion to score during the match, registering her second career goal in the process.

SCORING SUMMARY

20' – PSU 1, BUCK 0: Paige Pasinski (1). Assisted by Aubrey Kulpa (2) and Bella Ayscue (1)

45' – PSU 2, BUCK 0: Lilly Burger (1). Assisted by Paige Kalal (2)

47' – PSU 3, BUCK 0: Hannah Jordan (1)

62' – PSU 4, BUCK 0: Aubrey Kulpa (2). Assisted by Anna Babcock (1)

69' – PSU 5, BUCK 0: Kaelyn Wolfe (1). Assisted by Nicole Crane (1)

UP NEXT

Penn State continues a three-match homestand with a Sunday matinee against Brown. The Nittany Lions and Bears are scheduled for a 1 p.m. (ET) start at Jeffrey Field with a live broadcast on B1G+. The Blue & White will celebrate Senior Day, Alumni Day and host the annual March to the Match ahead of the contest.