UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State Nittany Lion field hockey team (9-3, 3-2 B1G), ranked No. 4 in the NFHCA Coaches Poll, pulled away from visiting Bucknell (6-5) for a non-conference win on Saturday. Head coach Char Morett-Curtiss' squad got three goals from sophomore Sophia Gladieux (Boyertown, Pa.) to roll to a 4-1 win at the Penn State Field Hockey Complex.
The teams traded early possessions and Bucknell goalie Clara McCormick made a good save on a hard Anna Simon (Hanau, Germany) shot off a corner 3:00 in. Bucknell responded and moved the ball into the Penn State circle. The effort led to Bucknell's first corner with just over 8:00 on the clock. Kayla Kisthardt took the corner, sent the ball to Mackenzie Kile, who set up Mary Kate Stefanowicz for the goal at the 8:01 mark. Penn State nearly tied the game at the 2:00 mark but McCormick stopped an Emma Spisak (Boiling Springs, Pa.) shot and Sophia Gladieux (Boyertown, Pa.) had a backhand sail wide. The Lions trailed 1-0 after one.
Simon had a blistering backhand saved by the BU goalie and the Bison were hit with a green card less than 2:00 into the second quarter. But Penn State did not threaten during the advantage and the clock moved towards 10:00. Gladieux had a shot knocked away on a subsequent Penn State corner. The two teams traded possessions over the next 5:00 and Bucknell continued to hold on to its one goal lead deep into the second period. Mackenzie Allessie (Mount Joy, Pa.) forced a corner with 2:53 on the clock after a nice drive to the left side of the Bucknell circle. Simon drilled a shot at the Bison goalie, who made a save. But Allessie was there for the rebound and knocked the ball past McCormick for the goal, tying the game at 1-1 with 2:46 left in the half. The 1-1 score held to halftime.
Penn State outshot Bucknell 13-3 in the first half and had a 3-1 lead in penalty corners. McCormick had six saves for Bucknell while Penn State keeper Brie Barraco (Allentown, Pa.) had one save for the Nittany Lions.
Penn State struck quickly to open up the third period. The Lions had possession, worked the ball to the right of the Bucknell circle. Gladieux received the ball at the top of the BU circle, then drove to her left and clicked off a hard backhand past McCormick to give the Nittany Lions a 2-1 lead at the 14:31 mark. Gladieux took a great pass from Jemma Punch (McDowall, Australia) in front of the Bison cage and forced a corner at the 7:51 mark but Penn State's corner offense could not connect. But seconds later, Gladieux would connect, taking a pass from Spisak and scoring on another backhand at the 6:01 mark to put Penn State on top 3-1. The two-goal lead for Penn State would carry into the fourth period.
The Nittany Lions forced a series of quick corners to open the fourth quarter, but McCormick made a flurry of saves to keep Penn State from finding the back of the cage. Gladieux, however, was undaunted and scored her third straight goal off a nice drive in the Bucknell circle, getting the goal at the 12:07 mark to put the Lions up 4-1. Bucknell forced a penalty corner at the 9:23 mark but Barraco made a save on the play to keep the Bison from scoring. The teams battled back and forth over the next two minutes. Lion Brianna O'Donnell (Lansdale, Pa.) had a nice backhand shot saved by McCormick at the 1:30 mark in Penn State's final offensive press. The Nittany Lions wound down the clock and rolled to the 4-1 win.
"I was pleased with how the team came back after a tough loss last night," said Morett-Curtiss. "It took us a bit to get going but credit Bucknell with that. Their goalie played extremely well and as a team they were poised and ready to go. We started to get our shots on goal in the second half and were able to break the game open, so it was good to see our offensive clicking in the second half."
The Nittany Lions outshot Bucknell 25-4 over the course of the entire game and owned a 6-2 lead in penalty corners. Barraco had two saves for Penn State while McCormick collected 13 for Bucknell.
Penn State is now 9-3 overall, 3-2 the Big Ten. Bucknell falls to 6-5.
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 2 1 4
Bucknell 1 0 0 0 1
STATS: PSU BU
Shots 25 4
Corners 6 2
SCORING SUMMARY (goal/assist) – TIME
1st: BU – Mary Kate Stefanowicz (Kayla Kisthardt, Mackenzie Kile)
2nd: PSU – Mackenzie Allessie (unassisted); 2:46
3rd: PSU – Sophia Gladieux (unassisted); 14:31
3rd: PSU – Gladieux (Emma Spisak); 6:01
4th: PSU – Gladieux (unassisted); 12:07
GOALKEEPERS: MIN GA S
PSU: Brie Barraco 60:00 1 2
BU: Clara McCormick 60:00 4 13