UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.; September 30, 2018 – The Penn State Nittany field hockey team (8-3, 3-1 B1G), ranked No. 7 in the latest NFHCA Coaches Poll, dominated visiting James Madison (3-6) in a non-conference contest. Penn State scored early and often in an 8-2 win at the Penn State Field Hockey Complex on Sunday afternoon.
Penn State took the game's first shot on a fast break with Cassie Kline (Millersville, Pa.) leading the way. A quick Dukes block stopped the early effort, but Penn State continued to control the action. Senior Aurelia Meijer (Hattam, Netherlands) deftly worked the ball deep into the James Madison circle and took a hot shot that sailed past JMU keeper Caitlin Nelson at the 32:49 mark to give Penn State an early 1-0 lead. Penn State continued to press the Dukes, keeping the pressure on their defense as the clock moved to the 25:00 mark. James Madison was able to keep the Lions from doubling their lead for a bit but Penn State was relentless.
The Nittany Lions picked up their first corner at the 23:00 mark and had two good shots saved by Nelson. Penn State took another corner a minute later, had another shot blocked, and led 1-0 despite controlling the action for the first 15:00 of play. James Madison pushed the ball down to the Penn State side of the field, picking up its first penalty corner at the 18:30 mark. Megan Guzzardi took JMU's first shot but it sailed wide of Lion keeper Jenny Rizzo (Hershey, Pa.). Moira Putsch (Media, Pa.) moved a consequent fast break into the Duke circle and forced a corner with 15:30 on the clock. Anna Simon (Hanau, Germany) had the initial shot blocked and Katie Dembrowski (Palmyra, Pa.) scored off the rebound at the 15:24 mark. Penn State quickly scored again, with Lisa Winters (Hershey, Pa.) passing the ball off to sophomore Alexis Horst (Port Trevorton, Pa.) who found the back of the cage just over a minute later to put Penn State up 3-0.
The Dukes worked the ball down to the Lion side of the field, looking to cut into what was now a three-goal Penn State lead. But the Penn State defense, led by Simon, Cori Conley (Oak Park, Ill.) and sophomore Madison Huston (Gloucester Point, Va.) kept them from mounting a serious threat and Penn State regained possession. Another Lion corner at the 9:50 mark forced Nelson into another save that kept Penn State from extending its edge. The Lions Emily Klinger (Selinsgrove, Pa.), Gini Bramley (Elizabethtown, Pa.) and the rest of the Lion forwards kept possession as the clock moved to 5:00. James Madison had a player advantage at the 5:10 mark and picked up a penalty corner with 3:30 on the clock. Penn State blocked the shot and the player advantage ended. Penn State worked the ball downfield and forced a corner with 1:20 on the clock. Simon had her initial shot blocked and junior Bree Bednarski (Wyoming, Pa.) knocked the rebound through for the goal with just :57 left and the Nittany Lions carried that lead into the halftime break.
Penn State outshot James Madison 14-2 and had a 5-2 penalty corner advantage. Rizzo had no saves for Penn State with neither of JMU's shots being on goal. Nelson had seven saves for James Madison as the Lions had a very accurate first half with 11 of their 14 shots on goal.
The second half began with James Madison putting junior Kyler Zampiello in the cage. The Lions tested her early on a corner just two minutes into the half but a foul ended the effort. The Dukes responded by moving the ball downfield but Penn State's defense was up to the task. The Nittany Lions worked the clock down below 30:00 with a solid possession. James Madison briefly regained possession but Penn State's Mary Nell Smith (Dauphin, Pa.) took the ball and fed Putsch who took a blistering shot. Zampiello made an outstanding save, but Penn State kept pressuring the cage. Abby Myers (Hartland, Wis.) scored from 15 feet out with 27:48 to play to put the Lions up 5-0. Penn State made a goalie change, with senior Colleen Conway (Franklin Lakes, N.J.) entering the game for Rizzo.
Penn State added a quick sixth goal on its next possession, with Meijer scoring her second goal off a Bramley assist. James Madison reinserted Nelson in the net and the clock hit 24:00. Penn State continued to control the ball in the JMU circle, missing on a corner at the 22:00 mark but retaining possession. The Nittany Lions nearly scored on another corner, taking four point blank shots. But Nelson was able to notch saves on each and Penn State maintained its six-goal lead as the clock moved below 20:00. Penn State added another goal with 18:08 to play when Cassie Kline (Millersville, Pa.) took a Meghan Reese (Coopersburg, Pa.) assist and put Penn State up 7-0. James Madison ended the Lion bid for a shutout with Marina Rupinski scoring off an Emily Schutt assist with 15:35 to play, cutting the Lion lead to 7-1.
Penn State controlled the ball for the next five minutes and picked up a corner at the 10:50 mark. James Madison called for a review of the call but the call stood, giving Penn State its 10th penalty corner of the game. Penn State had its shot off the corner blocked and James Madison pushed the ball down to the Penn State side of the field. The Dukes were unable to break through the Lion defense again and Penn State was able to work the clock down below the 8:00 mark. As the clock moved below the 5:00 mark, Penn State's offense continued to press the Dukes and it paid off as Klingler scored off a Dembrowski assist at the 4:50 mark to put Penn State up 8-1. James Madison ended the game with a penalty corner attempt and connected with no time on the clock as Rachael Yeager scored, making the final 8-2 for Penn State.
"I was looking for us to play with composure and to keep things simple today and that's what we did," said head coach Char Morett-Curtiss. "Our defense was outstanding today. We wanted to attack and defend as a team and it was important that we succeeded in that. We found the up field space and exploited it well."
Penn State outshot James Madison 29-5 overall and had 11 corners to only three for the Dukes. Rizzo had no saves in a first half that saw James Madison with no shots on goal. Conway had no saves in the second half as well. Nelson had 12 saves for JMU while Zampiello had one for a team total of 13.
The Nittany Lions are now 8-3, 3-1 in the Big Ten, while James Madison 3-6. Penn State will host Maryland next Sunday, Oct. 7, in a critical Big Ten contest at 12 p.m. The game will air live on the Big Ten Network.
Fans are encouraged to follow the Nittany Lion field hockey team online at www.GoPSUsports.com (click teams, click field hockey), on twitter @pennstateFH and on facebook at www.facebook.com/pennstatefieldhockey.
GAME BREAKDOWN
SCORING: 1 2 FINAL
#7 Penn State (8-3, 3-1 B1G) 4 4 8
James Madison (3-6) 0 2 2
STATS: PSU JMU
Shots 29 5
Corners 11 3
SCORING SUMMARY (goal/assist) -- TIME
1st: PSU – Aurelia Meijer (unassisted), 32:49
1st: PSU – Katie Dembrowski (unassisted), 15:24
1st: PSU – Alexis Horst (Lisa Winters), 14:19
1st: PSU – Bree Bednarski (unassisted), 0:57
2nd: PSU – Abby Myers (unassisted), 27:48
2nd: PSU – Meijer (Gini Bramley), 25:19
2nd: PSU – Cassie Kline (Meghan Reese), 18:08
2nd: JMU – Marina Rupinski (Emily Schutt), 15:35
2nd: PSU – Emily Klingler (Dembrowski), 4:50
2nd: JMU – Rachel Yeager (Corey Mayer), 0:00
GOALKEEPERS: MIN GA S
PSU: Jenny Rizzo 35:00 0 0
Colleen Conway 35:00 2 0
JMU: Caitlin Nelson 59:29 6 12
Kyler Zampiello 10:31 2 1
