UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Penn State women’s lacrosse battled against No. 9-ranked Johns Hopkins in a defensive duel, but the five-seed Blue Jays put away eight second-half scores to keep the game out of reach for the Nittany Lions, going on to win 13-8 in College Park, Maryland. The Blue Jays own Reagan O’Brien broke the JHU single game caused turnover record, forcing 10 by the Blue and White. With the loss, Penn State falls to 7-9 (5-3 Big Ten), while JHU improves to 12-5 (5-3 Big Ten).
Seven different Nittany Lions tallied a score, with junior Erika Ho leading the charge on a pair of goals and an assist for three points. The attacker also won a team-high six draw controls, scooped two ground balls, and caused a turnover. Payton Wainman also notched three points, posting a pair of assists and scoring a goal. Kelly MacKinney rounded out the multi-point scorers with two apples. Emma Kelly, Brooke Hoss, Brooke Long, Delaney Radin, and Maggie Rezza each tallied a goal.
Sydney Manning tallied 12 saves for the Nittany Lions, posting a save percentage of .480. The netminder also scooped three ground balls and caused a turnover.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Quarter 1 – Penn State 1, Johns Hopkins 3
The Nittany Lions won the opening draw, but it was Johns Hopkins that scored the first and second goals of the afternoon, both coming in first two minutes of action.
The Hopkins defense held PSU off the boards for over nine minutes of game clock, but Ho finally broke through on a free-position chance at the 5:47 mark. Penn State looked poised to make a run after winning the ensuing draw control, but a turnover by PSU gave the Blue Jays another offensive possession. Manning stood strong, making the save and giving Penn State another chance to tie things up. A stuff by Laurel Gonzalez, the Johns Hopkins netminder, on a Kelly MacKinnney free-position attempt pushed the ball the other direction, and Blue Jays capitalized, scoring with 2:29 left in the quarter to close the quarter with a two-goal advantage.
Quarter 2 – Penn State 3, Johns Hopkins 5
The five seed again opened the scoring, this time getting on the boards just 1:06 into the second quarter. Penn State had a response this time though, when Wainman fed a crossing Ho at the 12:27 mark to keep PSU within two.
Wainman tallied back-to-back points to cut the deficit to one, this time scoring on a free-position chance at the 11:30 mark.
Neither team could find the net for over 11 minutes, but Hopkins finally staved off its drought with 18 seconds left in the first half, while continuing to hold Penn State scoreless.
Quarter 3 – Penn State 6, Johns Hopkins 9
PSU’s highest scoring quarter of the afternoon began with an early tally just 37 seconds into the second half. Wainman fed a dodging Emma Kelly at the top of the eight-meter to again get the four-seeded Nittany Lions back within one.
JHU had a response just 31 seconds later, going up 6-4, before the teams traded a pair of goals in the next two minutes, moving the score line to 7-5 by the 12:22 mark.
Again, a scoreless stretch plagues both team, extending over nine minutes before the Blue Jays scored two consecutive tallies to boost the lead out to four.
The Nittany Lions struck last, scoring at the 2:06 mark when Ho found Brooke Long on the feed to keep the No. 4 seed within striking distance.
Quarter 4 – Penn State 8, Johns Hopkins 13
The fourth quarter opened with another quick Hopkins score, with the Blue Jays scoring 1:11 into the final frame.
Penn State answered with back-to-back scores to brings the game within two, but a trio of late goals by the Blue Jays finished the Nittany Lion's season.