Late Goal Lifts No. 5 Penn State Past No. 8 NorthwesternLate Goal Lifts No. 5 Penn State Past No. 8 Northwestern

Late Goal Lifts No. 5 Penn State Past No. 8 Northwestern

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Field Hockey Complex| University Park, Pa. | 442

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Oct. 31, 2014

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - In thrilling fashion, the No. 5 Penn State field hockey team defeated No. 8 Northwestern, 2-1, at the Field Hockey Complex Friday afternoon. Senior Laura Gebhart (Mount Joy, Pa.) scored the game-winner with 6:26 to go.

"Northwestern is a very strong team," said head coach Charlene Morett-Curtiss. "They're very physical in a good way. I thought that it was a really good field hockey game, more in the midfield the second half, but I thought the first half was great hockey."

Penn State improved to 14-4 on the season, including a 5-3 mark in Big Ten play. Northwestern moved to 12-6 and 6-2 in conference action. The Nittany Lions outshot the Wildcats, 13-5.

The Nittany Lions had an early opportunity off a penalty corner. Emilee Ehret (Philadelphia, Pa.) inserted the ball to Taylor Herold (Fredericksburg, Va.). Herold dished it off to Gebhart, who put a shot on goal.

Penn State had another opportunity about six minutes later on their second corner of the game where three separate players were able to fire off a shot, but couldn't convert.

With 13:57 to go in the first half, the Nittany Lions got on the board. Gebhart ripped the ball from the hash mark outside the circle. Her shot found Herold's stick, who deflected it in, lifting the score to 1-0. The goal put Herold in sole possession of eighth on the program's all-time list with 51.

Northwestern answered when it weas awarded a corner near the end of the half. With no time remaining, Caroline Troncelliti found the back of the cage. The score was tied 1-1 with the clock at zero.

Penn State went into halftime outshooting the Wildcats 10-4.

The second half started as a defensive battle with only one shot coming from either team in the first nearly 22 minutes of play.

Gebhart picked off a pass near the 25-yard line with 6:26 left in the game. She drove into the circle let off a shot from just inside the arc, which found its way past Northwestern goalkeeper Maddy Carpenter and into the top of the cage. The goal would turn out to be the game-winner, putting Penn State up 2-1.

The defense held on for the victory, holding off a final push from the Wildcats.

Penn State is back in action at the Big Ten Tournament, starting on Thursday Nov. 6.