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| Grant Field | Iowa City, Iowa | 335 | |
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Oct. 25, 2014
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Despite holding an advantage in shots and corners, the No. 4 Penn State field hockey team fell at No. 15 Iowa, 4-0, on Saturday afternoon. The Nittany Lions outshot the Hawkeyes, 16-11, and held an 8-6 advantage in penalty corners, but couldn't capitalize on the opportunities.
"We just played flat," said head coach Charlene Morett-Curtiss. "We had chances, but were not poised enough to finish. We need to regroup and prepare for Northwestern. Iowa played well together."
Penn State fell to 13-4 on the season with a 4-3 mark in Big Ten play. Iowa improved to 11-5 and 4-3 in conference play. The Nittany Lions suffered their first four-goal loss since falling to No. 8 Michigan State, 5-1, on Oct. 31, 2009. Penn State was led in shots by Taylor Herold (Fredericksburg, Va.), who fired off six in the game. Sophomore Carly Celkos (Berlin, N.J.) totaled four shots, including three on goal.
The first six minutes of the game went without a shot from either team. Penn State go the first opportunity on a penalty corner as senior Laura Gebhart (Mount Joy, Pa.) put a shot on goal that was saved by Iowa goalkeeper Alexandra Pecora.
Iowa received its first penalty corner with 15:11 into the period. Following the insert, Hawkeye Dani Hemeon let off a shot from the top of the circle and scored to put them up 1-0.
With 12:38 to go in the half, Iowa's Natalie Cafone went on a breakaway and scored on a backhand shot from just inside the circle to give the Hawkeyes a 2-0 lead.
Minutes later, Stephanie Norlander put a shot into the top of the cage for the Hawkeyes and they led 3-0 with 9:21 to go in the first period.
Penn State generated two shots off a penalty corner with just under five minutes to go in the half, but couldn't find the back of the cage. The Nittany Lions generated three corners in the final minute of the period, but couldn't capitalize. Despite trailing 3-0, Penn State held a 9-6 advantage in shots at the half and led 6-3 in corners.
Coming out of the break, each team produced shots. With 22:55 remaining in regulation, Hemeon scored again off a corner, putting Iowa up 4-0.
The Nittany Lions tallied seven shots and two corners in the second half, but it wouldn't be enough to cut into the Hawkeyes' lead.
Penn State is back in action at home, taking on Northwestern at 3:30 p.m. on Oct. 31 for its final regular season game of 2014. The game will be broadcast live on the Big Ten Network.