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| Field Hockey Complex| University Park, Pa. | 783 | |
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Oct. 14, 2014
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Senior captain Laura Gebhart (Mount Joy, Pa.) posted her first career hat trick, leading the No. 5 Penn State field hockey team to a 4-1 win against Bucknell at the Field Hockey Complex Tuesday night. Gebhart scored all three of her goals in the first 18:46 of the game. Senior Taylor Herold (Fredericksburg, Va.) also scored in the game, tying her for 10th on the program's all-time goals list with 48.
"I think Laura having the three goals, it was just a great night for her," said head coach Charlene Morett-Curtiss. "She's just so dangerous around the cage and she really put herself in an attacking position tonight, so I thought that something that was very helpful."
Penn State improved to 11-3 on the season, while Bucknell moved to 8-4. There were 783 fans that attended the game, which was THON Night and Sports Class Night.
The first of three goals from Gebhart came just 3:06 into the first half when senior Jenna Chrismer (Mountain Top, Pa.) took off down the field on a breakaway. Chrismer found redshirt senior Natalie Buttinger (Kitchener, Ontario) charging to the endline. Buttinger collected the ball and fired off a crossing pass to Gebhart at the top of the circle. Gebhart ripped a shot into the cage, putting the Nittany Lions up 1-0 early.
Gebhart found the back of the net again 6:39 later. She intercepted a Bucknell pass near the endline and took it to the front of her cage, putting a shot into the left corner and past Bison goalkeeper Shannon Keen.
Bucknell answered the Nittany Lions' second score when Kiersten Sydnor took off on a breakaway. She found Cassie Lawrence inside the Penn State circle who netted the first goal for the Bison, making it 2-1 with 20:50 remaining in the opening half.
With 17:14 left in the first half, Gebhart completed her hat trick. The captain received a pass from fellow captain and senior Katie Andrews (Lancaster, Pa.). Gebhart pulled the goalie out to the stroke mark and found the back of the net. It marked Andrews' first career assist.
The Nittany Lions capped off the first half leading the Bison in shots, 5-2. Penn State was able to capitalize on three of its five shots. Neither team received a corner in the opening period.
Penn State put up the only goal following the break. With 15:40 to go in the second half, Penn State earned the second of its two corners. Senior Amanda Dinunzio (State College, Pa.) inserted a pass to Herold. Herold netted the game's final goal with a shot from the top of the circle, lifting the score to 4-1.
The Nittany Lions are back in action on Friday, Oct. 17, taking on first-year Big Ten foe Rutgers at the Field Hockey Complex at 3:30 p.m. The game will be broadcast live on the Big Ten Network.