UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State Nittany Lion field hockey team (5-0, 0-0 B1G), ranked No. 9 in the NFHCA Coaches Poll, used a furious second half of offense to run away from No. 19 Delaware (2-4) for another impressive non-conference win. The Nittany Lions posted the 3-0 victory at the Penn State Field Hockey Complex to improve their record to 5-0 on the year.
The two teams set a fast pace from the opening whistle. The Nittany Lions and Blue Hens worked the middle of the field for the opening 15:00. The Nittany Lions played a bend but don't break defense to keep the visitors from mustering any shots in the opening stanza while recording two of their own. Penn State's best chance to score in the first period came off a penalty corner with just 1:34 on the clock, but Lion shot from atop the circle went wide and the first period ended in a 0-0 tie.
Delaware continued to work into the high pace of the game to start the second period, quickly working the ball into the Penn State circle and picking up the team's first penalty corner of the game. Lizzie Gaebel's shot went wide and Penn State worked the ball right down field. Mackenzie Allessie (Mount Joy, Pa.) had a hard shot knocked away by Gaebel. Penn State goalie Brie Barraco (Allentown, Pa.) picked up a save just a few minutes later, swatting away a shot from Delaware's Kik Oudshorn. The Nittany Lions picked up the game's first goal off a penalty corner with 3:43 left in the half. Allessie took the corner, feeding Elena Vos (Grave, The Netherlands), who set up a hard shot from Anna Simon (Hanau, Germany). Simon's shot found the back of the cage and Penn State took a 1-0 lead, which would hold into intermission.
The Nittany Lions outshot Delaware 4-2 in the first half. Gaebel had two saves while Barraco had one for the Nittany Lions. Penn State held a slim 2-1 edge in penalty corners over the first 30:00.
With the pace of the game continuing at a high level, the Nittany Lions began to pull away from Delaware in the third period. Sophia Gladieux (Boyertown, Pa.) began to take control of the pace, working the middle of the field with senior middie Meghan Reese (Coopersburg, Pa.). With the Lion offense beginning to control time of possession, Gladieux took control of the ball in front of the Blue Hen cage and worked her way into an open shot, which she put past the Delaware goalie for an unassisted goal at the 8:35 mark to put Penn State up 2-0. Barraco kept Penn State out in front with a diving stick save midway through the period. The Lions would collect nine shots in the third period alone and led by two after three periods.
The fourth quarter was much of the same. The Nittany Lion offense continued to control the ball. Jemma Punch (McDowall, Australia) and Emma Spisak (Boiling Springs, Pa.) each got off quick shots in the circle early in the fourth period that Gaebel stopped. But Spisak's led to a penalty stroke with 12:03 ono the clock. Allessie took the stroke and deftly slid the ball into the lower left corner of the goal to put Penn State up 3-0. The Nittany Lion defense would then hold firm for the duration of the game. Barraco picked up a series of saves while Vos, Gery Schnarrs (Camp Hill, Pa.), Kelsey Love (State College, Pa.) and Sophia Mannino (Doylestown, Pa.) anchored the defense as Penn State held on for the shutout.
"We knew this game was going to be a track meet coming in," head coach Char Morett-Curtiss. "At halftime, we said we wanted to continue to push the pace because we believed we could begin to pull away. Our pace gave us more opportunities in the second half, and we were able to take advantage of them. Delaware is an exceptional hockey team. I'm proud of how our defense played late to hold on to a hard-fought win and shutout."
Penn State outshot Delaware 21-11, including 17 second half shots. Barraco had six saves for the Nittany Lions, picking up her first shutout of the season. Gaebel had eights for the Blue Hens. Penn State had a 6-4 edge in penalty corners.
Penn State is now 5-0 overall, 0-0 in the Big Ten. Delaware falls to 2-4. The Nittany Lions open up Big Ten play next Saturday, travelling to College Park, Md., to face No. 7 Maryland in a 1 p.m. game on Sept. 18.
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 FINAL
PENN STATE 0 1 1 1 3
Delaware 0 0 0 0 0
STATS: PSU DEL
Shots 21 11
Corners 6 4
SCORING SUMMARY (goal/assist) – TIME
2nd: PSU – Anna Simon (Elena Vos, Mackenzie Allessie); 3:43
3rd: PSU – Sophia Gladieux (unassisted); 8:35
4th: PSU – Allessie (penalty stroke); 12:03
GOALKEEPERS: MIN GA S
PSU: Brie Barraco 60:00 0 6
DEL: Lizzie Gaebel 60:00 3 8
