UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State Nittany field hockey team (0-1, 0-0 B1G), ranked No. 9 in the initial NFHCA Coaches Poll, lost to No. 3 Duke (1-0) in the season opener for both teams on Friday. A young Penn State squad battled the veteran Blue Devils tough early before Duke pulled away for the 4-1 non-conference victory.
The Nittany Lions got on the board quickly when sophomore Anna Simon (Hanau, Germany) fed junior Alexis Horst (Port Trevorton, N.J.) for the goal with Horst notching Penn State's first goal of the season. The early goal gave Penn State an early 1-0 lead at the 5:08 mark. The Lion offense stayed on attack and the defense held firm as Penn State led 1-0 after the opening period.
Redshirt freshman Brie Barraco (Allentown, Pa.), making her first collegiate start, made the first save of her career early in the second stanza to keep the Nittany Lions on top. Duke found its offense during the second period, forcing Barraco into a couple more saves before Blue Devil Olivia Sahaydak notched a goal at the 24:54 mark to tie the game at 1-1. Duke found the back just minutes later, with Hannah Miller scoring off a Leah Crouse assist at the 27:23 mark to give the Devils a 2-1 lead. The Blue Devils carried that lead into halftime
Duke outshot Penn State 8-1 in the opening half and had the only penalty corner of the first 30 minutes. Barraco had three saves in the first half while Duke's Sammi Steele had none.
Barraco kept Penn State close in the third period, doubling her save total while Duke stacked up five more shots. The Nittany Lions continued to trail by one throughout the third stanza and were within one goal heading into the final period.
The Nittany Lions battled Duke tough throughout the final period, but the Blue Devil offense connected late in the game with Sahaydak notching her second goal of the contest at the 53:00 mark to put Duke up 3-1. Leah Crouse added a late unassisted goal for Duke at the 57:12 mark to close out the game's scoring and give the Devils the 4-1 victory.
"We showed good signs today and we played together throughout the game," said head coach Char Morett-Curtiss. "But we have to do better taking care of the ball. Turnovers and lack of possession really got us in trouble today and against a good team like Duke, it will be costly. Our players gave 100 percent for the entire 60 minutes and that is definitely something we will build on as the season progresses."
Duke outshot Penn State 17-4 while each team had three penalty corners. Barraco finished the game with seven saves and four goals against while Steele had two saves and a goal against.
The Nittany Lions are now 0-1 on the year while Duke is 1-0. Penn State continues a season-opening road trip at No. 11 Virginia on Sunday at 12 p.m.
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 FINAL
#9 PENN STATE (0-1, 0-0 B1G) 1 0 1
#3 Duke (1-0) 2 2 4
STATS: PSU DUKE
Shots 9 17
Corners 3 3
SCORING SUMMARY (goal/assist) -- TIME
1st: PSU – Alexis Horst (Anna Simon), 5:08
2nd: DUKE – Olivia Sahaydak (unassisted), 24:54
2nd: DUKE – Hanna Miller (Leah Crouse), 27:23
4th: DUKE – Sahaydak (unassisted), 53:00
4th: DUKE – Leah Crouse (unassisted), 57:12
GOALKEEPERS: MIN GA S
PSU: Brie Barraco 60:00 4 7
DUKE: Sammi Steele 60:00 1 2
