UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State Nittany Lion field hockey team (12-2, 5-1 B1G), ranked No. 4 in the NFHCA Coaches Poll, rolled to a 4-0 win at Bucknell (4-9) in a non-conference field hockey game. The Nittany Lions exploded for three goals in the third period to break open what was a close 1-0 game at halftime to coast to victory on the road.
The Bison were able to fire off the first shot of the game, with a Lily Neilson shot sailing high just three minutes into the contest. The Nittany Lions returned fire a few minutes later when Jemma Punch had the team's first shot blocked at the 8:00 mark. Penn State picked up its first corner of the game, but the ensuing shot was wide. The Nittany Lions reeled off three more penalty corners as the clock moved below the 4:00 mark but shots were blocked, and the first period ended in a 0-0 tie.
The Nittany Lions took a player advantage at the start of the second period when Bucknell got called for a green card. But the Bison were able to kill the advantage and got off the second period's first shot just under 5:00 into the stanza. The two teams battled evenly over the next five minutes with each defense stymieing the offenses as the clock moved down to the 5:00 mark. With 5:23 left on the clock, Penn State forced a penalty corner, but Anna Simon's shot off the set was blocked by the Bison defense. Mackenzie Allessie anchored another corner, and another Simon shot was blocked by Bucknell. Penn State kept the offensive pressure on the Bison, however, and it paid off late in the half. The Lions picked up a corner at the 1:27 mark and Jemma Punch scored off an assist from Sophia Gladieux with 1:23 on the clock to give Penn State a 1-0 lead heading into the halftime break.
Penn State outshot Bucknell 11-2 in the first half and had seven penalty corners while the Bison did not have any. Neither Penn State goalie Brie Barraco and Bison keeper Clara McCormick had saves.
The Nittany Lions came out hot in the third period led by Gladieux, who got off a shot just :14 into the third period. McCormick made a quick save on the shot, but Punch was there for the rebound, scoring her second goal of the game just :16 into the third period to put Penn State up 2-0. Penn State continued to flex on offense and scored again at the 9:00 mark. Gladieux had a first shot swatted away by McCormick, but the Lion junior was right there for her own rebound and scored unassisted to give Penn State a 3-0 lead. Meghan Reese scored Penn State's third goal of the period, and fourth of the game, with just 2:24 left in the third to put Penn State on top 4-0. A once close game was now a 4-0 Penn State lead after three periods.
Lauren Delgado entered the game at goalie to start the fourth period for the Nittany Lions. The Bison threatened early in the fourth but had a shot go wide of Delgado and the Lion cage. Penn State then resumed peppering the Bucknell goal. Julia Lamb had a shot saved by McCormick off a corner 5:00 into the fourth and Caroline Myers had another off a corner that just missed two minutes later. Delgado made a great save on a penalty stroke; Sofia Acosta made a stellar defensive save on a Kira Leclercq shot with 3:52 left in the game and Delgado made another save to keep the Penn State shutout intact as the clock moved below the 3:00 mark. The Nittany Lion defense held fast for the final minutes and Penn State walked away with a 4-0 shutout win.
"Bucknell played very well in the first half, and we had plenty of chances but didn't to a great job of putting the ball on the goal," said head coach Char Morett-Curtiss. "But we did a great job in the second half, stepping up our intensity and playing with a high pace. I think those things led to more opportunities in the circle for us and we were able to break the game open in the third. The defense played very well."
Penn State outshot Bucknell 27-7 and had a large 15-2 advantage in penalty corners. McCormick had seven saves for Bucknell while Barraco had none in the first three periods and Delgado had four in the fourth.
Penn State is now 12-2, 5-1 in the Big Ten, while Bucknell falls to 4-9. The Nittany Lions continue a weekend road trip at Kent State on Sunday, Oct. 16, at 12 p.m.
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 3 0 4
Bucknell 0 0 0 0 0
STATS: PSU BU
Shots 27 7
Corners 15 2
SCORING SUMMARY (goal/assist) – TIME
2nd: PSU – Jemma Punch (Sophia Gladieux); 1:23
3rd: PSU – Jemma Punch (unassisted); 14:44
3rd: PSU – Sophia Gladieux (unassisted); 9:00
3rd: PSU – Meghan Reese (unassisted); 2:24
GOALKEEPERS: MIN GA S
PSU: Brie Barraco 45:00 0 0
Lauren Delgado 15:00 0 4
BU: Clara McCormick 60:00 4 7