UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State Nittany Lion field hockey team (7-6, 5-2 B1G) lost a hard-fought overtime game to visiting Ohio State (5-8, 2-5 B1G) in the regular season finale for both teams. Head coach Char Morett-Curtiss' squad rallied from a two-goal deficit but dropped a 3-2 game in overtime at the Penn State Field Hockey Complex.
In instances where teams are scheduled to play each other twice during this year's Big Ten season, only the first game between the two squads is considered for the Big Ten regular season standings. Given that, today's game only counts in the overall standings for each team, not the conference ledger.
The Nittany Lions fell victim to two first half penalty strokes, the first just over two minutes into the game. Ohio State was awarded the penalty stroke at the 12:38 mark, with Mackenzie Allessie connecting on the effort to give the Buckeyes an early 1-0 lead. The Nittany Lions were on defense for the majority of the opening period as Ohio State outshot the home team 7-2 in the opening 15 minutes. Nittany Lion goalie Brie Barraco (Allentown, Pa.) collected four saves in the first period to keep Penn State close. The Buckeyes, continuing a trend started in Friday's game, rolled off five penalty corners in the opening period alone but Barraco's play in the cage kept OSU to just one goal.
The second period began much like the first with Ohio State moving the ball into the Penn State circle and just :31 into the stanza picking up yet another penalty stroke. Allessie connected once again with 14:29 on the clock and the Buckeyes led 2-0.The remainder second period was an even affair with the teams trading possessions and opportunities. Penn State got on the board at the 11:45 mark when freshman Sophia Gladieux (Boyertown, Pa.) scored unassisted after a nifty drive through the Buckeye circle, putting the ball past Ohio State goalie Abby Danson to cut the OSU lead to 2-1. Penn State battled Ohio State evenly for the rest of the period, picking up two penalty corners in the process, but Ohio State led by one at halftime.
Ohio State outshot Penn State 12-6 in the first half thanks to the opening period's margin. The Buckeyes had an 8-2 edge in corners while Barraco had seven saves to three for Danson.
Penn State came out in the third period and dominated ball possession and tempo, rolling up seven shots to only one for the Buckeyes. Penn State also posted a 4-0 edge in penalty corners and the Nittany Lions kept the ball in the Buckeye circle for much of the period. But Ohio State goalie Danson kept Penn State from tying the game, collecting four saves in the third period to allow the visitors to maintain their one goal lead heading to the fourth period.
The four period was a back-and-forth affair as Penn State looked for an opportunity to tie the game. With just under four minutes left in the contest, Penn State forced its only corner of the period and this time, the Lions connected. Bree Bednarski (Wyoming, Pa.) knocked in a hard, wide shot from Gladieux, allowing the ball to carrom past Danson to knot the game at 2-2 with just 3:14 left in the contest. The remaining minutes of regulation were scoreless and the game moved to overtime. The Buckeyes, however, stifled Penn State's comeback efforts just 1:13 into the extra stanza when Sarah Charley knocked a high shot into the back of the cage to give OSU the 3-2 victory.
Ohio State owned a 17-14 edge in shots and a 9-7 edge in penalty corners over the course of the game. Barraco had eight saves for the Nittany Lions while Danson had six for Ohio State. Each team had a defensive save as well.
"I was happy with how we fought back after a tough start," said Morett-Curtiss. "We came out in the second half and played much better, but we have to take advantage of our opportunities. We're excited for the post-season and ready to head to the Big Ten tournament, where we will meet Ohio State once again on Wednesday."
Penn State closes out the regular season with a 7-6 mark, 5-2 in the Big Ten. Ohio State ends its regulars season 5-8, 2-5 in the conference standings. The Nittany Lions now prepare for the Big Ten Tournament beginning this week at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa. Penn State will be the No. 2 seed in the tournament and will take on, for the third straight game, Ohio State, the No. 7 seed. Game time in Iowa city is set for 5 p.m. on Wednesday, April 21.
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 3 4 OT FINAL
PENN STATE 0 1 0 1 0 2
OHIO STATE 1 1 0 0 1 3
STATS: PSU OSU
Shots 14 17
Corners 7 9
SCORING SUMMARY (goal/assist) – TIME
1st: TEAM – Name (assist); 0:00
1st: OSU – Mackenzie Allessie (penalty stroke); 12:38
2nd: OSU – Allessie (penalty stroke); 14:29
2nd: PSU – Sophia Gladieux (unassisted); 11:45
4th: PSU – Bree Bednarski (Gladieux, Elena Vos); 3:14
OT: OSU – Sarah Charley (unassisted); 8:47
GOALKEEPERS: MIN GA S
PSU: Brie Barraco 61:13 3 8
OSU: Abby Danson 61:13 2 6
