ANN ARBOR, Mich. – The No. 19 Penn State women's lacrosse team made a second half rally, but fell short, 12-9, in its Big Ten opener at No. 12 Michigan on Saturday. The Nittany Lions scored five of the first six goals of the second half to cut the deficit to one, but could not complete the comeback. Penn State dropped to 4-4 overall, while Michigan improved to 10-0.
Sophomore Quinn Nicolai tallied a career-high seven points, including a career-best five goals, to lead the Nittany Lions. Maria Auth, Kayla Brisolari, Delaney Muldoon and Erin Triandafils each found the net once. Kristin Roberto and Sophia Triandafils each contributed two assists, while Roberto gained five draws. Goalie Taylor Suplee made a career-best 14 saves, including 10 in the first half. Penn State won the draw battle, 13-10, but Michigan had the advantage in shots, 34-27. Penn State committed 17 turnovers, including 12 in the first half.
Michigan's Caitlin Muir collected five points, including two goals. Adriana Pendino scored three times, and added an assist, while Nadine Stewart scored twice. Mira Shane made seven saves to earn the win.
The Nittany Lions got on the board for an early lead as Auth found the net, off an assist by Nicolai, at the 27:58 mark of the first half. However, Michigan answered just 23 seconds later on a score by Erin Garvey. Penn State re-gained the lead as Nicolai scored, off a feed by Triandafils, to hold a 2-1 advantage with 23 minutes remaining in the half.
Michigan closed the half on a 6-0 run. Lilly Grass tied the game with 22:01 to go in the half. Pendino gave the Wolverines their first lead on a free-position tally at the 18:19 mark. Pendino added another goal with 14:56 remaining. Catherine Granito found the net with 8:39 left and Nadine Stewart added a score just three minutes later. A snipe by Muir with just 35 seconds left gave Michigan a 7-2 advantage going into the break.
The Nittany Lions came out firing in the second half, finding the net four times in the first four minutes. Brisolari opened the half with a snipe at the 28:45 mark. Nicolai followed 38 seconds later, sending one home off an assist by Roberto. After a goal by Michigan's Stewart with 27:51 remaining, Nicolai answered at the 26:55 mark with her third goal of the afternoon. Muldoon cut the deficit to two, 8-6, with 26:05 to go in the half.
Nicolai's fourth score of the game came with 21:06 remaining and cut the Michigan lead to 8-7. A goal by Michigan's Muir with 18:45 to go was answered by Erin Triandafils' snipe, off a dish by Nicolai, to keep PSU within a goal.
The Wolverines' Muir found the net again and Pendino's tally at the 11:13 mark gave Michigan an 11-8 advantage. Nicolai's fifth tally of the game, off an assist by Sophia Triandafils, cut the deficit to 11-9 with 3:32 remaining, but Michigan got an insurance goal by Maggie Kane with 1:55 left.
The Nittany Lions return to Panzer Stadium on Thursday, March 21 for a 5 p.m. matchup against No. 2 Maryland. The game will be broadcast on ESPNU, the first ever national television broadcast in Panzer Stadium.
Sophomore Quinn Nicolai had a career-high 7 points, including 5 goals