Oct. 31, 2008
EAST LANSING, Mich. - With the conference title locked up, the No. 8 Penn State field hockey team allowed a game-winning goal with 28 seconds remaining as No. 10 Michigan State prevented the Nittany Lions from finishing their conference schedule unscathed on Friday.
Jantine Steinmetz was supplied the Spartans a go-ahead goal at the 69:34 mark as she tipped a scramble in front of goalkeeper Jen Beaumont (Chalfont, Pa.) into the goal to lift Michigan State past Penn State, 2-1.
Beaumont made four saves and earned her first conference loss of the season. Allison Scola (Hummelstown, Pa.) scored her seventh goal of the season for the Nittany Lions
After a first half that produced nothing on the scoreboard, Scola acquired a lead for Penn State when she carried the ball up the left side and shot the ball into the far right corner of the goal.
Michigan State did not yield itself to the Nittany Lion offense after a one-goal deficit hard-fought first 40 minutes. Floor Rijpma, who had been held shotless, awoke the Spartan offense, tallying a goal off a penalty corner assisted by Gwen Riley and Joelle van Ierland.
Elissa Unger made two saves for Michigan State, who will most likely end up as the No. 2 or 3 seed, pending on the result of Iowa's game.
Daneen Zug (Manheim, Pa.) had three shots on goal, one of which was stopped by van Ierland.
Brooke Hoffsmith recorded a defensive save in the first half to preserve the tie for Penn State.
Michigan State had a 10-8 advantage in shots, maintaining a 7-3 lead in the second half. Both the Nittany Lions and Spartans had five penalty corners apiece.
With the regular season concluded, Penn State, the Big Ten regular season champion, is the only team in the conference to receive a bye in the first round. The Nittany Lions will face whichever team comes on top between Ohio State and the loser of Sunday's Iowa-Michigan game on Nov. 7. The game, which will be set for 10 a.m. or noon, is going to be shown live on the Big Ten Network Friday.