UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State Nittany Lion field hockey team (9-2, 4-1 B1G), ranked No. 6 in the NFHCA Coaches Poll, rolled to a 4-0 shut out win at Indiana (8-5, 1-2 B1G) to close out a Big Ten weekend road trip. Junior Sophia Gladieux (Boyertown, Pa.) notched a hat trick to lead Penn State to victory.
Penn State had an early chance to take a load as Jemma Punch (Queensland, Australia) nearly scored but IU goalie Arabella Loveridge made a great save on the play. The action, however, led to a penalty stroke for the Nittany Lions and Mackenzie Allessie (Mount Joy, Pa.) connected on the stroke to give Penn State a 1-0 lead at the 13:01 mark. The Hoosiers responded by forcing the game's first penalty corner at the 10:30 mark. But Meghan Reese (Center Valley, Pa.) made a nice block on a Sydney Keld shot and Penn State held on to the 1-0 lead. After a missed opportunity on a corner, Penn State stole the ball from IU in the midfield. Allessie fed Punch down the left side who moved the ball inside where Sophia Gladieux (Boyertown, Pa.) connected on a short shot to put Penn State up 2-0 with 7:06 on the clock. Penn State carried that two-goal lead into the second stanza.
Allessie had an early shot sail just wide of the Hoosier cage early in the second period as Penn State continued to pressure Indiana. But the Hoosier defense was able to retake the ball and Penn State was hit for a green card just over 6:00 into the second period. The Lions ably withstood the player advantage and continued past the midway point of the second period with a two-goal lead. Drew Taylor (Coatesville, Pa.) moved the ball from the midfield down the left side and worked the ball towards the IU circle with just 5:20 left in the half, passing the ball towards the top of the circle and forcing a penalty corner but PSU could not connect on the play. Indiana was able to push the ball down to the Penn State zone in the final 3:00 and force a penalty corner with 2:04 on the clock. Lion keeper Brie Barraco (Allentown, Pa.) made a kick save on a Keld shot but IU was able to maintain possession and get another corner call. Keld's shot was tipped high over the cage and the Nittany Lions led 2-0 at halftime.
Penn State outshot IU 5-4 in the first half but IU owned a 4-2 edge in corners. Barraco and Loveridge each had two saves in goal.
Indiana began the third period with an early penalty corner Penn State's defense thwarted the Hoosier set. The Nittany Lion offense took control after that, forcing two quick penalty corners. While not scoring on the corners, the Lion offense picked up another goal when Gladieux tipped in an entry feed from Allessie at the 10:18 mark to put Penn State up 3-0. The Nittany Lions dominated the third period, keeping the ball towards the IU side of the field for the bulk of it. But Indian was able to briefly move the ball down to the Lion zone late in the third and Anna Simon (Hanau, Germany), Elena Vos (Grave, The Netherlands) and the Lion defense kept IU from getting off any shots. Penn State led 3-0 after three.
Penn State scored quickly in the fourth, turning a penalty corner into a goal from Gladieux with assists from Allessie and Simon just 2:07 into the period. The teams traded possessions in the midfield as the fourth period moved into its final 7:00. Indiana picked up a corner with 6:10 left in the game and Lion keeper Lauren Delgado (East Earl, Pa.) made a big save to keep the Penn State shutout intact. The Penn State defense held firm as the clock moved below 3:00 and the Lion offense regained possession. Penn State worked the ball down to the IU circle and picked up a penalty corner with :54 left in the game. Nina Faupel made a save on an Aubrey Semler (Orefield, Pa.) shot and the Nittany Lions settled for a convincing 4-0 win.
Penn State outshot Indiana 15-8 and Indiana had a slim 7-6 edge in corners. Barraco (2 saves) and Delgado (1 save) combined for Penn State's fourth shutout of the season while Loveridge had three and Faupel one for Indiana.
Penn State is now 9-2, 4-1 in the Big Ten, while Indiana falls to 8-5, 1-2 B1G. Penn State returns home next weekend, hosting Iowa on Friday, Oct. 7 at 6 p.m. and Lafayette on Sunday, Oct. 9, at 1:30 p.m. Iowa will face James Madison on Sunday at 11 a.m. in a neutral site non-conference game as well. Next weekend's games will also serve as Alumni Weekend for Penn State Field Hockey.
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 2 0 1 1 4
Indiana 0 0 0 0 0
STATS: PSU IU
Shots 15 8
Corners 7 8
SCORING SUMMARY (goal/assist) – TIME
1st: PSU – Mackenzie Allessie (penalty stroke); 13:01
1st: PSU – Sophia Gladieux (Jemma Punch); 7:04
3rd: PSU – Sophia Gladieux (Mackenzie Allessie); 10:18
4th: PSU – Sophia Gladieux (Mackenzie Allessie, Anna Simon); 12:53
GOALKEEPERS: MIN GA S
PSU: Brie Barraco 45:00 0 2
Lauren Delgado 15:00 0 1
IU: Arabella Loveridge 37:05 3 3
Nina Faupel 22:55 1 1