UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.; September 4, 2018 – The Penn State Nittany field hockey team (2-1, 0-0 B1G), ranked No. 5 in the NFHCA Coaches Poll, lost a hard-fought double-overtime thriller to No. 6 Princeton (2-1) in a mid-week night game at the Penn State Field Hockey Complex. The Tigers scored with just 2:31 left in the final overtime period to post a thrilling 2-1 (2OT) win over the Nittany Lions in yet another early season top ten showdown for Penn State.
Princeton struck fast, scoring less than one minute into the game, becoming the first team to score on the Nittany Lions when Sophia Tornetta scored from right in front of the Penn State cage. Penn State's offensive quickly chalked up two penalty corners as the Nittany Lions looked to tie the game, but Princeton stopped both efforts, all within the first six minutes of the game. The Tigers countered with solid offensive pressure for the middle part of the opening half, keeping action on Penn State's side of the field and pressing the Lion defense.
Lion keeper Jenny Rizzo (Hershey, Pa.) knocked back to shots to keep Penn State within striking distance as the clock moved to the 17:00 mark. Penn State had three early shots midway through the half but none on goal. Tornetta nearly scored again at the 15:29 mark but her effort went off the right post. Penn State nearly tied the game at the 9:45 mark but a Mary Nell Smith (Dauphin, Pa.) shot just missed wide. Rizzo then cleared the cage from a Princeton scramble with 8:00 on the clock to keep the score at 1-0 Princeton. With 3:06 left in the half, Penn State had a penalty corner blocked high and the Tigers carried that lead into the halftime break.
Princeton outshot Penn State 9-3 in the opening 35:00 but Penn State a 4-0 corners edge. Rizzo kept Penn State close with five saves while Princeton's Grace Baylis has no saves as none of Penn State's three shots were on goal.
The Tigers picked up their first two penalty corners of the game early in the second half but could not connect on either. Penn State looked to work the ball down to Princeton's end of the field but the Tiger defense kept Penn State from challenging the goal. But Penn State took advantage of a change of possession in front of the Lion bench to knot the score. Senior Cori Conley (Oak Park, Ill.) pushed the ball deep into the circle where Madison Morano (Hammonton, N.J.) moved the ball closer to the cage. Emily Klingler (Selinsgrove, Pa.) took control of the ball amidst the Princeton defense and scored unassisted at the 30:02 mark to tie the game at 1-1.
The goal energized the Nittany Lion offense as momentum shifted on the field. Penn State began to pressure the Tigers more consistently and picked up the pace, setting a quicker tempo. Princeton was able to push back against the Lions and forced a couple penalty corners after the clock dipped below 20:00. Penn State held first and the game moved under the 15:00 mark knotted at 1-1 as Rizzo notched her seventh save of the game midway through the second half.
Princeton regained momentum as the second half wound down, setting up another set of corners as the clocked moved under 8:00. Rizzo held firm with another save and Penn State pressed to push the ball down to Princeton's side of the field. The Tigers took advantage of a Lion turnover at the 5:00 mark and picked up their ninth corner of the game. Princeton took timeout at the 4:20 mark, prior to the corner. Penn State held firm on first corner, then a second, and finally a third to keep the score tied 1-1 with 2:25 left to play. Princeton picked up one chance on a corner at the 1:00 mark and, with seconds ticking off the clock, nearly won the game but Rizzo made a great save on the left side of the cage to send the game into overtime.
In the first ten-minute, seven on seven, overtime period, neither team could put a shot on goal for the first six minutes. Conley forced a Princeton turnover with 3:30 on the clock but the Lions could not convert and Princeton countered with a late push of its own. Aurelia Meijer (Hattem, Netherlands) regained possession for Penn State and the Lions worked the clock down, forcing a second overtime.
Princeton took over after a brief Penn State push and turnover and ended the game at the 7:31 mark when Annabeth Donavan took a pass from Julianna Tornetta and pushed the ball through for a score. The goal in the second overtime gave Princeton a hard-fought 2-1 win.
"We did not play with enough composure at the start of the game and we didn't make good decisions," said head coach Char Morett-Curtiss. "We didn't convert on the opportunities when we had the ball. Cori (Conley), Jenny (Rizzo), Anna (Simon) and the corner defense were outstanding. But you can't turn the ball over in overtime, you'll pay for it and we did."
Princeton outshot Penn State 21-1, including the lone shot in overtime that resulted in the game winning goal. Rizzo kept Penn State close with 9 saves (Penn State had one defensive for a total of 10). The Lion offense forced Princeton goalie Grace Baylis into only one save. Princeton also had a 12-5 penalty corner edge.
Penn State continues a busy week by hosting Kent State on Friday, Sept. 7, at 4 p.m. at the Penn State Field Hockey Complex. The Nittany Lions will then return to Philadelphia to face off against No. 3 Duke at 10:30 a.m. in yet another top 10 match-up. The game will be played at Temple.
Fans are encouraged to follow the Nittany Lion field hockey team online at www.GoPSUsports.com (click teams, click field hockey), on twitter @pennstateFH and on facebook at www.facebook.com/pennstatefieldhockey.
GAME BREAKDOWN
SCORING: 1 2 OT1 OT2 FINAL
#5 Penn State (2-1j, 0-0 B1G) 0 1 0 0 1
#6 Princeton (2-1) 1 0 0 1 2
STATS: PSU PRI
Shots 5 21
Corners 5 12
SCORING SUMMARY (assist) -- TIME
1st: PRI – Sophia Tornetta (MaryKate Neff) – 34:08
2nd: PSU – Emily Klingler (unassisted) – 30:02
OT2: PRI – Annabeth Donavan (Julianna Tornetta) – 7:31
GOALKEEPERS: MIN GA S
PSU: Jenny Rizzo 82:30 2 9
Defensive 1
PRI: Grace Baylis 82:30 1 1
