UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State women's lacrosse team fell 16-11 against No. 16 Stony Brook on Tuesday at Panzer Stadium in a game that featured two lightning delays. The Nittany Lions dropped to 7-8 overall, while the Seawolves improved to 12-4.
The Nittany Lions were paced by sophomore Sophia Triandafils, who matched a career high with four goals and two assists. Junior Quinn Nicolai recorded her fourth hat-trick of the season and her second straight game with three goals. Junior Maria Auth tallied two goals and two assists, while senior Kayla Brisolari collected a goal, an assist and five draw controls. Senior Delaney Muldoon added a goal. Freshman Taylor Suplee made four saves in 34 minutes of action. Sophomore Lucy Lowe finished the game and made two saves.
The Seawolves were led by six goals and 12 draw controls by junior Ally Kennedy. Junior Taryn Ohlmiller collected three goals and four assists, while senior Sabrina Tabasso had two goals and one assist. Nicole Barretta and Kasey Mitchell each scored twice. Senior Anna Tesoriero made nine saves.
Stony Brook got on the board first on a free-position goal by Kennedy with 23:23. The Nittany Lions tied the game just a minute later on a goal by Muldoon, off a feed by Auth.
Penn State took a 2-1 lead with 21:36 on a man-up tally by Nicolai after a pass by Triandafils. However, the Seawolves tied the game on a free-position goal by Ohlmiller with 17:49 remaining. Ohlmiller gave Stony Brook a 3-2 lead with a man-up goal at the 15:02 mark. Stony Brook gained a 4-2 advantage on a goal by Tabasso with 12:55 left.
Nicolai answered with two straight goals to tie the game at 4-4. Her first goal came on an assist by Triandafils at the 10:18 mark before Nicolai scored again off a feed by Brisolari. The Seawolves re-took the lead on a tally by Barretta with 8:58 remaining.
Following a 40-minute lightning delay, Stony Brook extended its lead to 8-4 on goals by Ohlmiller at 3:25, Mitchell at 2:51 and Kennedy at the 1:42 mark. The Seawolves took the four-goal advantage into halftime.
Stony Brook began the second half on a 6-0 run, sparked by a goal by Mitchell at the 26:39 mark. Kennedy found the net three times during the run, including two free-position tallies. Barretta and Tabasso each scored once.
Auth ended the SBU run with a goal at the 7:19 mark, weaving her way from the right side into the middle of the defense, cutting the deficit to 14-5. Triandafils scored the first of her four goals with 6:54 remaining on a free-position opportunity.
Kennedy answered with her sixth goal of the contest, but Triandafils found the net again, at the 3:36 mark. Stony Brook held a 16-7 lead after Siobhan Rafferty's tally with 2:31 remaining.
However, the Nittany Lions scored the final four goals of the game. Auth started the run with a free-position tally before assisting Triandafils for her third of the half at the 1:22 mark. Triandafils found the net against just 38 seconds later on a free-position look. Brisolari closed out the game with a free-position goal with just one second left.
The Nittany Lions close out the regular season on Saturday, April 27 against Rutgers. First draw is scheduled for 11 a.m. on Big Ten Network. With a win, Penn State will clinch the fourth seed in the Big Ten Tournament.
Sophomore Sophia Triandafils led PSU with four goals and two assists