UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.; September 29, 2019 – The Penn State Nittany Lion field hockey team (1-7, 0-1 B1G) beat visiting Villanova (3-5) in an intra-state non-conference battle on Sunday. The Nittany Lions scored four goals in each half to post a convincing 8-2 win at the Penn State Field Hockey Complex.
Villanova turned early first period possession into an early corner but the Lion defense was strong in the opening minute to keep the Wildcats from scoring. Penn State answered with a fast break that led to two penalty corners less than a minute later but the Lions could not connect either. The Lions had another corner and three more shots at the 9:30 mark but Villanova keeper Jordan McGinley kept Penn State from taking an early lead. Penn State keeper Brie Barraco (Allentown, Pa.) notched a save on a subsequent Villanova corner and the game stayed 0-0 eight minutes in. Anna Simon (Hanau, Germany) had a shot off a corner got off the 'Nova post with 7:20 left. Penn State's offense forced ten penalty corners in the first period alone and connected on the tenth with just 0:48 left in the period. Freshman Paityn Wirth (Thompsontown, Pa.) fed Simon and the Lion sophomore connected for the game's first goal to give Penn State a 1-0 lead after the opening period.
The first minutes of the second period featured the teams trading possessions. Penn State's offense once again kept the Wildcats on the defensive as the team picked up five more corners during the second period's middle minutes. The Lion pressure finally paid off as Penn State scored three goals in less than three minutes. Simon notched her second goal off a Grace Wallis (Blue Bell, Pa.) assist with 5:50 on the clock. Emma Spisak (Boiling Springs, Pa.) tipped in a Jemma Punch (McDowall, Australia) assist with 5:43 on the clock. Punch notched a goal with assists from Spisak and Abby Myers (Hartland, Wis.) at the 3:32 mark to give the Lions a quick 4-0 lead. Villanova got on the scoreboard with 2:37 on the clock as Emily Clarke scored with an assist from Christen Pennington. The Lions led 4-1 at the break.
The Nittany Lions outshot Villanova 22-3 in the first half and had 11 corners to three for the Wildcats. Barraco had one save for Penn State while McGinley had nine for Villanova.
Villanova came out aggressive in the third period and made it pay off with an early goal. Christen Pennington scored on a rebound after a Barraco save to cut the Lion lead to 4-2 at 12:25. The Lions quickly responded, however. Alexis Horst (Port Trevorton, Pa.) took a Myers assist and found the back of the cage with 11:29 on the clock and the Lions led 5-2. Penn State continued to pour on the offense. Bree Bednarski (Wyoming, Pa.) scored unassisted after a scramble in front of the 'Nova cage at the 6:03 mark and the Nittany Lions led 6-2. The two teams battled evenly for the final minutes of the third period. Penn State gave up a green card as the third period ended but the Lions still led 6-2 after three periods.
Penn State maintained possession early in the fourth period after killing a green card and upped its lead to 7-2 when Wirth scored off a Wallis assist with 11:47 on the clock. Villanova then moved the ball down to the Penn State circle but the Lion defense, anchored by junior Madison Hutson (Gloucester Point, Va.) and senior Lauren McNally (Marmora, N.J.) kept the Wildcats from scoring. Sophomore Meghan Reese (Coopersburg, Pa.) then scored Penn State's eighth goal of the game, unassisted at the 7:00 mark, to give the Lions an 8-2 lead. Penn State would hold off Villanova for the remaining minutes and walk away with its first win of the season, 8-2 over the visiting Wildcats.
"I loved our offensive output today, we had some beautiful goals," said head coach Char Morett-Curtiss. "Our fast breaks were better and we controlled the attack well. Anna (Simon) broke through today. She has maybe the hardest shot in the country and it was good to see her connect off the corners today."
Penn State outshot Villanova 26-10, including a 22-3 edge in the opening half. Barraco had five saves in a good effort in cage for Penn State while McGinley had nine for Villanova. Claire Borman also played in goal for the Wildcats, seeing action in the fourth period. Penn State had an 11-7 edge in corners, with all 11 coming in the first half.
The Nittany Lions are now 1-7, 0-1 B1G, while Villanova falls to 3-5. Penn State hits the road next weekend for two games. The Lions are at Indiana on Friday, Oct. 4, for a 3 p.m. Big Ten battle. Penn State then visits Louisville on Sunday, Oct. 6, for a 12 p.m. non-conference game.
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 3 4 FINAL
PENN STATE 1 3 2 2 8
Villanova 0 1 1 0 2
STATS: PSU VIL
Shots 26 10
Corners 11 7
SCORING SUMMARY (goal/assist) – TIME
1st: PSU – Anna Simon (Paityn Wirth), 0:48
2nd: PSU – Simon (Grace Wallis), 5:50
2nd: PSU – Emma Spisak (Jemma Punch), 5:43
2nd: PSU – Punch (Abby Myers, Spisak), 3:32
2nd: VIL – Emily Clarke (Riley Dolan), 2:37
3rd: VIL – Pennington (unassisted), 12:25
3rd: PSU – Alexis Horst (Myers), 11:29
3rd: PSU – Bree Bednarski (unassisted), 6:02
4th: PSU – Wirth (Wallis), 11:47
4th: PSU – Meghan Reese (unassisted), 7:00
GOALKEEPERS: MIN GA S
PSU: Brie Barraco 60:00 2 5
VIL: Jordan McGinley 45:00 6 9
Claire Borman 15:00 2 0
Team - 1
