Sept. 1, 2017
| 5 | 0 |
| Field Hockey Complex | University Park, Pa. | 867 | |
| POST GAME LINKS |
| Box Score (HTML) | Box Score (PDF) |
| FINAL STATISTICS |
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Penn State moved to 3-0 on the season with a 5-0 win over instate rival Temple Friday night at Field Hockey Complex in the first home game for the Nittany Lions in 2017.
"I thought obviously the team played very well and kept their composure when we just kept trying to get a goal and it would not come," said head coach Charlene Morett-Curtiss.
"I thought Temple really improved their program from last year. It was a very competitive game."
The game was scoreless through an overwhelming majority of the first half, though Penn State had its fair share of tries, outshooting the Owls 14-0 in the first 35-minutes of play.
Aurelia Meijer broke the tie scoring her first goal of the season in the 30th-minute with Madison Morano providing the assist.
Penn State carried the 1-0 lead into the half where head coach Morett-Curtiss prepped her team for a second half push.
"Temple's defense did a really good job in the first half, so we really talked about going down the end line and really coming across. I think we got two goals from end line plays (in the second half) so I thought that was really positive but our defense was really solid as well," said Morett-Curtiss.
During the final 35-minutes of play, Penn State poured in four more goals from four different Nittany Lions.
"I thought Aurelia (Meijer) played very well, I thought Cori (Conley), Maddie (Morano), it was good play from everybody really. It was good to set up the goals in the second half and finish."
Moira Putsch struck first in the 42nd minute with help from Meijer to make it 2-0 Penn State. Alexis Horst notched her first-career goal, unassisted, from point blank in front of the cage to extend the lead to 3-0 in the 55th minute.
The scoring continued as Madison Morano scored her first goal of the season with help from a familiar face in Meijer who racked up her second-assist of the night and tied Putsch for the team lead on the season (2).
The final nail in the coffin for Temple came in the 66th minute as Cassie Kline found the cage for her third goal of the season to make it 5-0 Penn State.
Colleen Conway came in to close out action in the cage for the Nittany Lions and help secure its first shutout of the season while dominating in shots (27-1) and penalty corners (14-1).
"I think what we can take from this game is to start strong, stay competitive but stay composed at the same time," said Aurelia Meijer. "Tonight we really played together, we passed together, and we worked as a team."
Penn State moves to 3-0 on the season and will look to add another win to the column Sunday afternoon as the Nittany Lions host No. 15 Wake Forest (12 p.m.) who played Indiana to a 1-0 loss earlier today in a neutral site game at Field Hockey Complex here in University Park.
For more on Nittany Lion Field Hockey, log onto www.GoPSUsports.com or follow the team on Twitter and Instagram at @PennStateFH, and on Facebook at PennStateFieldHockey.