Oct. 30, 2015
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| Lakeside Field | University Park, Pa.| 183 | |
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EVANSTON, Ill. -- Brooke Birosik scored all three of Penn State's goals and Jenny Rizzo made a career-best 15 saves to lead the Nittany Lions to a 3-2 victory over No. 16 Northwestern in Big Ten field hockey action Friday afternoon at Lakeside Field. The game was the regular season finale for both teams.
The hat trick was the first of Birosik's career and it marked Penn State's (8-9, 4-4 Big Ten) second consecutive 3-2 win with one player accounting for all of the scoring. Last week, Aurelia Meijer scored all three goals in a 3-2 win over Iowa.
"She really worked hard from the very start of the game and just created a lot of scoring opportunities around the goal," said head coach Charlene Morett-Curtiss.
The Nittany Lions relied on Rizzo in the second half to ward of a strong attack from Northwestern (12-7, 4-4 Big Ten). After an even first half, the Wildcats outshot Penn State 14-1, as Rizzo made 10 saves in the frame, including a penalty stroke with less than seven minutes remaining.
"Jenny was just absolutely outstanding today," said Morett-Curtiss. "It was a career game for her - saving a stroke - she had an amazing game. You felt like she really took charge of her circle and was ready for everything. She was confident in everything she did."
Birosik gave the Nittany Lions a lead they would not relinquish in the seventh minute, following her own shot and cleaning up the rebound. In the 18th minute, Birosik extended the lead to 2-0 after Meijer entered the circle along the end line and found her near the post for her second goal.
Dominique Masters scored for Northwestern with just over six minutes remaining in the first half to halve the deficit, but Birosik scored again on Penn State's lone shot of the second half, attacking along the end line and finding the back of the cage in the 46th minute.
Rizzo preserved the lead, only yielding the Wildcats' final goal on a direct corner with no time remaining. Masters notched her second goal with Lisa McCarthy and Charlotte Martin assisting.
"It was a pretty even the first half, and then they definitely did not give us many opportunities in the second half at all," said Morett-Curtiss. "They really came at us in waves and our answer was Jenny Rizzo."
Penn State was uncharacteristically outshot, 22-11, and out-cornered 10-6, for the game, but will go into the Big Ten tournament with two consecutive wins and three wins in its last four games.
"I was excited that we were able to get out front and really just play some tough defense and hang on for the win," said Morett-Curtiss. "Beating teams back-to-back and getting to .500 in the conference I think is real important too. To have two good Big Ten conference wins going into the conference tournament is something we should all feel good about and confident about."
The 2015 Big Ten field hockey tournament will be Nov. 5-8 in Bloomington, Ind. The quarterfinals and semifinal will be played on Nov. 5-6, while the Big Ten Championship game will be played on Sunday Nov. 8. The Nittany Lions will learn their first round opponent following the conclusion of Saturday's Big Ten games.