Sept. 3, 2017
| 6 | 0 |
| Field Hockey Complex | University Park, Pa. | 790 | |
| POST GAME LINKS |
| Box Score (HTML) | Box Score (PDF) |
| FINAL STATISTICS |
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - No. 7 Penn State remained perfect, moving to 4-0 on the season following a 6-0 shutout of No. 15 Wake Forest Sunday afternoon at Field Hockey Complex.
"Our kids played so so well today," said head coach Charlene Morett-Curtiss. "I told them at halftime `we're playing really well, but I know we can play better'. I think this team plays so well together, they play as a team, they have each other's backs, and they don't leave anyone hanging on the field."
If there was anyone who didn't leave her teammates hanging on the field Sunday afternoon it was junior forward Moira Putsch who dished out two assists as well as scoring two goals of her own that capped the scoring for Penn State with the game's fifth and sixth goals.
"I think it was really awesome for us," said Moira Putsch. "We came out today knowing that we had to come out really strong especially after (Wake Forest) didn't win against Indiana on Friday. We executed and it was a little tough in the first half, we had a lot of chances but I think it was awesome in the second half when we really put them away."
Penn State's penalty corners came together today to contribute a third of the goals for the Nittany Lions.
"I think they're feeling confident about the (penalty corner) combinations that we're using," said head coach Charlene Morett-Curtiss. Bes (Bovelander), Aurelia (Meijer) and Katie (Dembrowski) can get the ball on goal and that really what it's about."
"We really didn't get a chance to work on (penalty corners) a lot," added Putsch. "I think the concept that has been really clicking for us is just reading it. So whatever Char calls, we play what we see which is cool."
Not only was the Blue & White offense clicking today, but the defense was suffocating as well holding a second-straight opponent to zero goals.
"(Cori Conley) played really well, she knew that we really had to stop Jule Grashoff and I think she was ready for the challenge," said Morett-Curtiss. She just keeps getting better with every game, it's great to see her composure and her defensive skills, and Jenny Rizzo was outstanding!"
"We came into this game knowing it was going to be a hard fought battle, but I think we were really surprised and excited about the outcome of it," said Jenny Rizzo.
Rizzo guided to Penn State defense to a second shutout on the season while making nine saves of her own in the cage.
"My defense was on, but it's not a one man team back there," said Rizzo. "I had all three of my backs, and even the girls who came in after them were all on top of it marking and I just felt really good. Cori is a strong back, it's good to have her, we didn't have her last season so it's really good to have her back. She's really strong on the ball, she's someone I can really trust to mark and step up."
While it was a slow first half with the score sitting at 2-0 after 35-minutes, Penn State turned it on the second half, as has been the case this year, pouring in four goals and running away with its third win over a ranked opponent in 2017.
"I think our team really buys into being a strong second half team because they trust their fitness and their training," said Morett-Curtiss. "We told them to sharpen up their passes, just be firmer, and that'll pick the speed of the game up in the second half."
Goal scorers on the day for Penn State were Gini Bramley ('17), Aurelia Meijer (`24), Mary Nell Smith ('47), Katie Dembrowski (50'), Moira Putsch ('50, '53).
The two shutouts this weekend (Temple, Wake Forest) marked the first time since 2014 that the Nittany Lions held their opponents scoreless in back-to-back outings.
Penn State will be back in action Sunday, Sept. 10 at 12 p.m. when the Nittany Lions travel to Princeton, N.J. to face the Tigers of Princeton.
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.