UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State Nittany Lion field hockey team (9-7, 4-4 B1G), ranked No. 15 in the National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) Coaches Poll, grabbed a 3-1 win at Indiana (5-13, 0-8 B1G) in the regular season finale for head coach Lisa Bervinchak Love's team. Sophia Gladieux scored twice in the Big Ten road win.
Penn State came out with quick pressure on offense and forced a penalty corner just over 1:00 into the game. Gladieux had her shot off the set saved by IU goalie Arabella Loveridge and Drew Taylor took a quick rebound shot that forced a penalty stroke for the Nittany Lions. Mackenzie Allessie knocked the free shot into the cage for a Penn State 1-0 lead at 13:45. Indiana was able to move the ball down to Penn State's side at the 11:00 mark but Penn State easily regained possession. Penn State picked up a second corner at 8:21. Loveridge made a save on the first Lion shot, Penn State picked up another corner and Loveridge made another quick save. Penn State continued to pressure the IU cage, but the Hoosier defense held. Jemimah Cookson moved the ball into the Penn State circle for Indiana, but Anouk Knuvers and the Penn State defense regained possession as the clock hit 6:00. A Penn State turnover gave Indiana possession with just under 3:00 left in the opening period. Indiana eventually moved the ball to the Lion cage and picked up its first penalty corner of the game with 1:10 on the clock. Nittany Lion keeper Brie Barraco made a save on the first shot and a second went wide. Indiana sustained the pressure and picked up another corner at :39. Yip van Wonderen's shot found the netting but was too high and Penn State carried a 1-0 lead into the second stanza.
Indiana opened the second period pushing the ball into the Nittany Lion circle. While the Penn State defense continued to hold, Indiana maintained possession for the bulk of the first three minutes of period two. Lion defender Gery Schnarrs tipped away a slick IU pass that moved in front of the Lion cage to briefly break up Indiana's press. Kelsey Love intercepted a Hoosier pass with 9:30 on the clock, Indiana regained the ball and had a shot sail wide of the Lion cage at 8:50. Penn State withstood continued Indiana pressure as the clock hit 7:30 and then an Indiana turnover relieved the pressure at 6:00. The Hoosiers once again moved the ball into the Lion zone and had a shot sail wide with 4:00 on the clock. Schnarrs intercepted a pass in the Penn State circle at 2:00 and began a fast break that led to a quick Gladieux shot at 1:40. But Loveridge made the save and Indiana moved back downfield. Barraco made a kick save at :50 and Penn State quickly pushed the ball in the final minute. Gladieux finished off a fast break, dribbling through the Indiana defense and sailing a backhand past the IU keeper with just :19 left in the half to send the Nittany Lions to the break with a 2-0 lead.
Indiana outshot Penn State 7-6 in the first half. Barraco had two saves for the Nittany Lions and Loveridge had three for the Hoosiers. Penn State had a 3-2 edge in corners as well.
The teams traded possessions in the early stages of the third period until Indiana was able to push the ball into the Penn State circle. The Hoosiers were able to cut the Penn State lead in half quickly in the third quarter with a van Wonderen solo goal from the top of the Penn State circle at 13:08. Trailing 2-1, Indiana continued to pressure the Penn State defense after its initial goal. Penn State was able to hold off IU and break the press at 11:00. As the clock moved to the 8:30 mark, Penn State looked to win the ball in the midfield, but Indiana stole the ball and Barraco made a kick save on a fast break shot with just over 8:00 on the clock. Penn State was able to work the ball downfield and Allessie forced a corner at 6:50. Loveridge made a save on the ensuing shot and the game continued with Penn State up 2-1. Penn State began to pressure Indiana a bit more and another corner was awarded with 4:20 left in the period. Loveridge made another save on the play to keep the score at 2-1 in Penn State's favor. Indiana quickly pushed the ball downfield and forced Barraco into another kick save at 3:45. Penn State returned with a fast break of its own, but a shot sailed wide seconds later. Penn State used another corner to score again, with Gladieux scoring with 2:49 on the clock with an assist from Anouk Knuvers.
After a brief Penn State press to start the fourth quarter, Indiana moved the ball downfield and had an early shot blocked at the 12:30 mark. Penn State regained possession and pressed downfield but the Hoosier defense held. Penn State gave up a green card at the 11:25 mark but easily killed the penalty to even up the sides. With 9:00 left and a two-goal lead, Penn State worked to keep the ball on the Hoosier side. Indiana managed to work the ball into the Penn State circle with 8:30 on the clock but Barraco and the Nittany Lion defense held through the midway point of the final quarter. The final minutes of the regular season's final period were an even battle with Penn State stifling any Hoosier attempt to pressure the Lion cage. Penn State forced a late penalty corner at 2:33 but Loveridge notched another save. Penn State picked up another corner seconds later and a final one with :03 on the clock but the Hoosier defense held on the play and the Nittany Lions settled on a 3-1 win.
"We battled through the first half and led at the break, but we talked at halftime about better possession passing and decisions," said Bervinchak Love. "We definitely picked up our play in the second half and worked the ball to goal much better. This is a good win for us, and we head into the Big Ten Tournament with good momentum. We'll keep working now and get ready for Thursday."
The Nittany Lions outshot Indiana 14-11 over the course of the game and had a 9-2 penalty corner advantage. Barraco had four saves for the Nittany Lions and Loveridge had seven for the Hoosiers.
Penn State is now 9-7 overall, 4-4 B1G. Indiana falls to 5-13, 0-8 B1G. The Nittany Lions will now head to Ann Arbor, Mich., for the 2023 Big Ten Tournament host by Michigan. Matchups for the opening round will be determined at the conclusion of the regular season for all teams on Friday night. The tournament begins on Thursday, Nov. 4, with three first-round games.
Fans are encouraged to follow the Nittany Lion field hockey team online at www.GoPSUsports.com (click teams, click field hockey), on X @pennstateFH and on facebook at www.facebook.com/pennstatefieldhockey.
GAME BREAKDOWN
SCORING: 1 2 3 4 FINAL
PENN STATE 1 1 1 0 3
Indiana 0 0 1 0 1
STATS: PSU IU
Shots 14 11
Corners 9 2
SCORING SUMMARY (goal/assist) – TIME
1st: PSU – Mackenzie Allessie (penalty stroke); 13:45
2nd: PSU – Phia Gladieux (unassisted); 0:19
3rd: IU – Yip van Wonderen (unassisted); 13:08
3rd: PSU –Phia Gladieux (Anouk Knuvers); 2:41
GOALKEEPERS: MIN GA S
PSU: Brie Barraco 60:00 1 4
IU: Arabella Loveridge 60:00 3 7