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| J.S. Coyne Stadium | Syracuse, N.Y. | 415 | |
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Nov. 15, 2014
SYRACUSE, N.Y. - The No. 6 Penn State field hockey team used a late goal in a tightly-contested match to down No. 11 Boston College, 2-1, in the first round of the NCAA Tournament Saturday. Seniors Amanda Dinunzio (State College, Pa.) and Taylor Herold (Fredericksburg, Va.) scored for the Nittany Lions. Herold posted the game-winner with 7:11 remaining in the second half.
"It's great to get through this first game," said head coach Charlene Morett-Curtiss. "Boston College was an outstanding competitor today and opponent. They just really played hard and especially put a lot of pressure on us. I'm really proud of the way our kids came back after they scored. I thought Amanda Dinunzio was really, really strong for us today. It was just a whole team effort. It's great to get that first NCAA win for this group."
Penn State improved to 16-6, while Boston College ended its season with a 13-7 record.
Penn State created opportunities early, earning a corner just more than a minute and a half into the contest. Herold let off a shot that got blocked.
A little over four minutes in, redshirt senior goalkeeper Kylie Licata (Mountain Top, Pa.) made a diving save off a penalty corner rebound shot, keeping the game scoreless.
With 25:57 remaining in the half, Dinunzio made a strong defensive play, taking the ball from a Boston College player. Dinunzio then went on a breakaway and carried the ball into the circle, firing off a shot from the left side of the goal, which snuck past the goalkeeper Leah Settipane to put Penn State up 1-0.
Senior Jenna Chrismer (Mountain Top, Pa.) had a strong opportunity minutes later, but a diving stop by Settipane kept the score 1-0.
With about three minutes to go in the period, Licata came up with five straight saves on one Boston College possession, keeping the Eagles out of the cage. The game remained scoreless at the half.
With just under 23 minutes left in regulation, the Nittany Lions were issued another corner. Senior Laura Gebhart (Mount Joy, Pa.) got a shot on goal, but the score remained 1-0. Penn State had four shots saved in the first 14:15 of the second half.
The Eagles had three penalty corners in a two minute span starting with 12:18 to go, but the Nittany Lions' defense held strong, keeping them off the board.
Boston College knotted the game at 1-1 with 8:29 on the clock in the second half as Eryn McCoy scored for the Eagles.
The Nittany Lions answered. Dinunzio ripped a ball across the front of the cage from right to left. Herold found the ball near the left post and poked it in to give Penn State a 2-1 lead with 7:11 on the clock. Boston College pulled its goalie with about three minutes remaining, but the Penn State defense kept them off the board to secure the victory.
Penn State is back in action tomorrow, taking on No. 4 Syracuse in the NCAA Tournament quarterfinals at 2 p.m.