UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State Nittany Lion field hockey team (0-1, 0-0 B1G), ranked No. 5 in the National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) Coaches Poll, dropped a hard-fought game at No. 6 Virginia (1-0) in the season opener for both teams. The Nittany Lions fell 2-1 on the road in Charlottesville, Va. The game was the first for new head coach Lisa Bervinchak Love.
Both ranked teams battled each other evenly for the opening minutes, with neither team managing a shot on goal. Virginia survived an early green card to keep the game scoreless as the first period hit the midway point. Penn State keeper Brie Barraco made a save on the first shot of the game, turning back Virginia's Dani Mendez-Trendler at the 6:18 mark. Barraco made a second save with 2:15 left in the opening period to keep the Cavaliers off the scoreboard. Virginia's Emily Field hit the post shortly after Barraco's save and the game moved to the second period tied 0-0.
The Penn State defense forced a high shot from the Cavaliers early in the second period. Penn State's Drew Taylor took Penn State's first shot of the game, forcing Virginia goalie Tyler Kennedy into a save with 9:25 left in the period. She followed with a second quick shot that was blocked and the game continued 0-0. Penn State forced the first penalty corner of the game at 9:01 and Sophia Gladieux's shot off the set play sailed just wide. Barraco served up a save on a Cavalier shot with 5:00 left to play. A minute later, Penn State freshman Natalie Freeman gave Penn State a 1-0 lead, scoring unassisted at the 4:50 mark. That score held for the remainder of the period and Penn State carried a 1-0 lead into intermission.
Virginia outshot Penn State 6-5 in the first half. Penn State had one corner. Barraco had three saves for Penn State and Kennedy had two for Virginia.
Penn State opened the second half by forcing a quick penalty corner. Gladieux's shot was turned away off a defensive save from Virginia. The Cavaliers then moved the ball downfield, picked up their first penalty corner, and forced Barraco into another save just over a minute into the third period. The Cavaliers tied the game up shortly after Barraco's save with Laura Jenssen knotting the score at 1-1 with 13:31 on the clock. Penn State pressed the Virginia cage midway through the period with Morgan McMenamin ripping off three shots, forcing Kennedy into two saves with the third being blocked. A fourth Lion shot went wide and the game moved to the 7:00 mark still tied at 0-0. Penn State worked to take the lead late in the third, forcing three penalty corners in the last two minutes. But Virginia's Kennedy made the saves necessary to send the game into the fourth period tied 1-1.
Virginia took a 2-1 lead just over 3:00 into the fourth period. After Barraco made a pair of saves, Minnie Pollock found the back of the cage with 12:32 left in the game to put the Cavaliers up by one. Penn State answered with a penalty corner a couple minutes later, with Mackenzie Allessie feeding Gladieux for the shot. But Virginia's Noa Boterman made a defensive save on the shot and Penn State trailed by one with 8:32 left in the game. Virginia forced a corner minutes later, the Penn State defense held and the game continued with the Cavaliers up 2-1. Barraco made a save late to keep Penn State close. Virginia's defense then kept Penn State from threatening the cage as the game ended and the Nittany Lions fell 2-1.
"This was a typical Penn State-Virginia field hockey game, tough, hard fought and close to the end," said Bervinchak Love after her debut game as head coach. "Unfortunately, this year we came up on the short end of it but we battled tough throughout the game. Virginia is very good and played very well. They did a great job attacking the 25 and we, at times, were disconnected on offense. There were highlights for us, though. Drew Taylor played very well at forward and I was very happy with how hard we battled throughout the game. We will learn a lot from this game, regardless, and have to turn our attention to a very good American team on Sunday.
Virginia outshot Penn State 18-14. Barraco and Kennedy each netted eight saves. Penn State had six corners to Virginia's three.
Penn State will visit Washington, D.C., on Sunday, Aug. 27, to face American University at 1 p.m. The Nittany Lions continue a four-game road trip to open the season with two games on the West Coast next weekend as well (at California and Stanford).
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 0 1
Virginia 0 0 1 1 2
STATS: PSU UVA
Shots 14 18
Corners 6 3
SCORING SUMMARY (goal/assist) – TIME
2nd: PSU – Natalie Freeman (unassisted); 4:50
3rd: UVA – Laura Janssen (Minnie Pollock); 13:31
4th: UVA – Minnie Pollock (Laura Janssen); 12:32
GOALKEEPERS: MIN GA S
PSU: Brie Barraco 60:00 2 8
UVA: Tyler Kennedy 60:00 1 8