UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.; October 1, 2021 – The Penn State Nittany Lion field hockey team (7-2, 2-1 B1G), ranked No. 8 in the NFHCA Coaches Poll, used a strong second half to down visiting Indiana (6-5, 0-3 B1G) in a Friday night Big Ten showdown. Penn State broke open a halftime tie to roll to a 4-1 win in the clash at the Penn State Field Hockey Complex.
The Nittany Lions controlled the ball in the first period, working action into the Indiana circle for the majority of the opening 15:00. But Penn State, which outshot IU 3-0 in the opening stanza, could not find the back of the cage. The Nittany Lions forced the first of three first period corners just under 5:00 into the game. Anna Simon (Hanau, Germany) had a strong shot saved by Indiana keeper Arabella Loveridge. Penn State continued to control the action and midway through the period had a Mackenzie Allessie (Mount Joy, Pa.) shot hit the post at the 7:26 mark, missing out on a chance to take an early lead. Three minutes later, Sophia Gladieux' s (Boyertown, Pa.) shot off a Lion corner was blocked, and the game moved to the second period tied 0-0.
Penn State dominated the second period statistically, but it was Indiana that drew first blood in the game. Penn State had another corner defended two minutes into the second period. The Hoosiers then moved the ball downfield, seriously threatening the Penn State cage for the first time and earned their first penalty corner at the 12:20 mark. Indiana connected on the corner, with Kennedy Reardon scoring off assists from Yip van Wonderen and Sydney Keld. The score energized IU and the Hoosiers were able to keep Penn State off the scoreboard deep into the second stanza. But Gladieux would not be denied offensively. With 2:54 left in the half, Gladieux worked the ball in to the right of the Hoosier cage and got off a blazing backhand that sailed to the back of the cage to tie the game at 1-1. Penn State had two late corners, setting up chances to take the lead into halftime, but Loveridge was able to make the saves and the game moved to intermission tied 1-1.
Penn State outshot Indiana 8-2 in the first half and posted a 6-1 edge in penalty corners. Loveridge had two saves for Indiana while Penn State keeper Brie Barraco (Allentown, Pa.) had one for the Nittany Lions.
The Nittany Lions came out of halftime with great energy and controlled the ball on offense for the entirety of the third period. Penn State outshot IU 6-0 alone in the third stanza and had four penalty corners. But Indiana's defense bent but did not break as Loveridge notched a couple more saves and the Nittany Lions were unable to score. Despite Penn State controlling the period, the game moved to the fourth quarter tied 1-1.
Penn State blew up the fourth quarter. The Nittany Lions continued to press Indiana and with six minutes off the clock, Simon gave Penn State a 2-1 lead, a lead it would not relinquish. Simon scored unassisted off a rebound from a Gladieux shot that Loveridge knocked back into play. The goal came at the 9:03 mark. Five minutes later, Allessie led a textbook fast break downfield, working the ball past two Indiana defenders and finding Gladieux right in front of the IU cage with a nifty pass to her left. Gladieux scored her second goal of the game with the Allessie assist at the 4:38 left to play. Allessie iced the game just a minute later, scoring off a penalty corner with an assist from Bree Bednarksi (Wyoming, Pa.) with just 3:25 left to play. The offensive burst in the fourth period allowed the Nittany Lions to roll to a 4-1 win.
"Indiana did a great job defensively early on and we just needed to be patient and continue to work our offense," said head coach Char Morett-Curtiss. "I give these kids a lot of credit, we did a good job of changing angles in the second half, and we continued to press to the circle, which eventually paid off for us. We played well and composed throughout the game and there is a lot we can take from this win into Sunday's game with Northwestern."
Penn State outshot Indiana 22-3 over the course of the game and had a 14-2 edge in penalty corners. Loveridge ended the game with eight saves, including four in Penn State's furious fourth quarter. Barraco had one for the Nittany Lions.
Penn State is now 7-2 overall, 2-1 in the Big Ten. Indiana is now 6-5, 0-3 B1G). The Nittany Lions host Northwestern on Sunday, Oct. 3, at 12 p.m., at the Penn State Field Hockey Complex.
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 0 3 4
Indiana 0 1 0 0 1
STATS: PSU IND
Shots 22 3
Corners 14 2
SCORING SUMMARY (goal/assist) – TIME
2nd: IND – Kennedy Reardon (Yip van Wonderen, Sydney Keld); 12:09
2nd: PSU – Sophia Gladieux (unassisted); 2:56
4th: PSU – Anna Simon (unassisted); 10:03
4th: PSU – Gladieux (Mackenzie Allessie); 9:38
4th: PSU – Allessie (Bree Bednarski); 3:25
GOALKEEPERS: MIN GA S
PSU: Brie Barraco 60:00 1 1
IND: Arabella Loveridge 60:00 4 8