Aug. 18, 2007
University Park, Pa. - Penn State received goals from seniors Mallory Weisen and Shaun Banta and from sophomore Bethany Marvel as the Nittany Lions played to a 3-3 tie with visiting Towson in an exhibition field hockey match on Saturday afternoon at AstroTurf Field. The match was the only exhibition game for the Nittany Lions, who will open the regular season one week from today next Saturday at Old Dominion.
The Nittany Lions held a wide advantage in the shot department, outshooting the Tigers by a 25-5 margin. Penn State also had 17 penalty corners to just one for Towson. After outshooting Towson just 6-2 in the first half, the Nittany Lions turned up the offensive pressure in the second half and the overtime period, topping Towson by an 11-3 margin in shots in the second half, when they scored all three of their goals. Penn State also had eight shots in the overtime period to none for the Tigers.
Towson scored a late first half goal to get on the scoreboard first as Laura Schnell put back a deflection off of Penn State goalie Ali Meves. Penn State got tied the scored about eight and a half minutes into the second half as Weisen converted on a penalty corner off assists from Jen Long and Allison Scola. Seven minutes later, Penn State took a 2-1 lead as Banta redirected a pass in midair sent into the circle by Natalie Blasco for the goal, with Blasco being credited with the assist.
It remained a one-goal lead for the Nittany Lions until a furry of action in the final three minutes produced three more goals and a tie score. With just over two and a half minutes remaining, Towson got a goal from Mariah Schuette, who pounced on a free ball in the circle and faked Meves out of the cage before converting to tie the score 2-2. It would not be tied for long, however, as Penn State retook the lead just a minute and a half later at the 68:55 mark as Scola fed Marvel in the circle in transition and Marvel finished with little defense around her to give the Lions a 3-2 lead. Though not an official goal since it was an exhibition game, the score was Marvel's first of her Penn State career, as she is making the transition to midfield this year after playing on defense as a freshman last year.
With just 16 seconds left in regulation, Towson tied the score once again as Angie Brewer knocked home a one-timer off a transition break to knot the match up 3-3.
Despite getting three more penalty corners in the overtime and not allowing Towson a single shot, Penn State was unable to convert in the extra 15 minutes, leaving the game tied.
Penn State will continue its preseason practice next week before heading to Virginia for a pair of games to open the season next weekend. The Nittany Lions will take on Old Dominion next Saturday in Norfolk, which will mark the fifth straight season they will open the year against the Monarchs. That will be followed by an afternoon game against Virginia on Sunday in Charlottesville. Penn State's home opener is on Sunday, September 2 against UConn.