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Editors’ Note: Sports Editors Weekly is a dueling column written by Collegian Sports Editors Gianna Dowling and Myles Hannak. It aims to provide timely debate on Penn State sports performance and news each week.
Penn State women’s soccer has had a stellar start to Big Ten play, winning two of its first three conference games, with the lone loss coming against No. 6 Ohio State.
The Nittany Lions now stand at 4-2-2 on the season and remain just short of receiving a ranking in the United Soccer Coaches Poll. So the question that stands is has the blue and white done enough to prove itself as a top-25 team, or is there still work to be done?
Gianna Dowling: More to prove
There’s an old saying that goes, “To be the best you have to beat the best,” which is something that the Nittany Lions haven’t done yet, even though they’ve been presented with the opportunity.
Penn State is 0-2-1 against ranked opponents this season, a mark that typically isn’t representative of a team with a national ranking. In these matchups the blue and white only managed to score more than a single goal once, which was back on Aug. 16 when coach Erica Dambach’s squad tied then-No. 2 Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish have since dropped to No.17 in the national rankings.
The best unranked team that the Nittany Lions have faced is Virginia Tech, who even then, they drew 1-1. The common denominator between all Penn State’s performances against top opponents is its ability, or lack there of, to close out games.
Defender Lily Burger handles the ball during the Penn State women’s soccer game against Virginia Tech on Thursday, Sept. 3, 2026 at Jeffery Field in University Park, Pennsylvania. The Nittany Lions tie the Hokies 1-1.
Both goals allowed against Notre Dame came within the last 25 minutes of the match, including one in the final three. Similarly, against West Virginia, the now-No. 9 team in the country, the blue and white allowed the deal breaker in the tail end of the match.
An inability to close out matches is something that’s been poison for Penn State, and may be the very reason they’ve been kept out of the top-25.
Penn State still has some ranked opponents on its schedule, and if the Nittany Lions can clean some things up then they still have plenty of time to prove themselves as a national contender.
Myles Hannak: How hasn’t it happened already?
The résumé this season so far for the blue and white is already top-tier, befitting a team that deserves a national ranking and for Penn State’s case, it’s already overdue. With a draw against top-ranked squads, Notre Dame and Virginia Tech, and a loss to West Virginia that honestly should’ve gone the other way, it’s clear the play against others already in the national spotlight is at an impressive level.
Then take the teams the Nittany Lions should’ve beaten, Brown and Bucknell, which they did consecutively in 5-0 fashion, and the notion becomes that Penn State is a team at the doorstep of catching eyes with a flashy national ranking. The blue and white began their Big Ten slate with a narrow loss to No. 6 Ohio State and a pair of shutout victories, so if form continues, then it’s only a game or two away from happening.
With deep goal-scoring options, a stable defensive unit and goalkeeper Mackenzie Gress, who stands among the nation’s best, the voters will regret besmirching this unit this early, as there’s no reason to suggest otherwise.
Coach Dambach’s squad looks destined for big things with the options at her disposal, which is rooted in the snubbing of a ranking which gives them all the bulletin board material needed at their disposal.
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