Sept. 11, 2011
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Penn State field hockey team (3-3) got back on track on Sunday afternoon, as it downed the Quinnipiac Bobcats, 6-1, at the Penn State Field Hockey Complex. Junior Kelsey Amy (Sweet Valley, Pa.) had a career-high four goals in Penn State's first ever matchup with Quinnipiac.
Penn State controlled the game from the very beginning, recording nine shots in the first seven minutes. Less than two minutes into the game, senior Casey McCartin (Horsham, Pa.) had the first scoring opportunity for the Nittany Lions, bringing a ball along the end line that was eventually knocked out by the Quinnipiac goaltender.
Shortly after, Penn State would capitalize for its first goal. The Lions were rewarded a penalty corner, in which Amy hit a ball to the left corner of the goal to give Penn State a 1-0 lead. Sophomore Whitney Reddig (Lititz, Pa.) played the ball to Amy on the corner to earn the assist.
Penn State continued to apply the pressure, scoring three goals in less than a three-minute time span. Sophomore Ashtin Klingler (Selinsgrove, Pa.) scored her first career goal in a Nittany Lion uniform at the 19:06 mark on a beautiful backhand shot.
Just 42 seconds following that, the speedy Amy got on a breakaway and buried her second goal of the day. Three minutes later, she would give Penn State a 4-0 lead on a penalty corner with the assist coming from Reddig.
Quinnipiac would get on the board 23 minutes into the half, as Kimberly Cunniff scored her third goal of the season. Amy would answer again though, netting her fourth goal of the game off a penalty corner. McCartin earned the assist as Penn State went into halftime with a 5-1 lead.
In what was really a quiet second half, junior Hannah Allison (Mifflinburg, Pa.) scored her fifth goal of the season off a penalty corner. Freshman Taylor Herold (Fredericksburg, Pa.) and sophomore Brittany Grzywacz (Collegeville, Pa.) earned the assists.
Following Quinnipiac, Penn State will hit the road next weekend to take on Duke and Virginia Commonwealth. The Nittany Lions will then return home on Sept. 22 to host Temple.
Penn State hosts the 2011 Big Ten Field Hockey Tournament from Nov. 3-6. Tickets for the Big Ten Tournament can be purchased by contacting the Bryce Jordan Center ticket office at 814-865-5555. All session passes are $18 for adults and $12 for students/senior citizens. Single session tickets will run at $8 for adults and $5 for students/senior citizens. Groups of 15 people or more may also purchase tickets at $12 for all session passes and $5 for a single session.
Check back to GoPSUsports.com for continued updates throughout the 2011 season. Follow Penn State field hockey on Twitter: www.twitter.com/PennStateFH and www.twitter.com/GoPSUGreg.