UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State Nittany Lion field hockey team (3-9, 2-2 B1G) fell victim to a fourth quarter surge by No. 6 Iowa (10-3, 4-1 B1G) in Big Ten action on Sunday at the Penn State Field Hockey Complex. The Hawkeyes scored two fourth period goals to break open a close game and post a 4-1 win over the home-standing Nittany Lions.
Iowa had the game's first deep offensive push but the Lion defense was able to keep the Hawkeyes out of goal in the opening minutes. Penn State then moved the ball down to the Iowa circle but the Hawkeyes were equal to the task and the game moved below the 11:00 mark of the first period scoreless. Penn State's offense continued to press, forcing the Hawkeyes into defense for the next five minutes. The Lions were unable to break through for a shot on goal and Iowa regained possession. Penn State took the game's first penalty corner at the 4:19 mark but could not convert. Iowa had a point blank shot knocked away by Penn State goalie Brie Barraco (Allentown, Pa.) as the 2:00 mark and the first period ended in a scoreless tie.
The teams traded possessions to start the second period. Neither team was able to get off a shot during the first five minutes of the period. Penn State had the period's first shot, but the quick effort looped over the Iowa goal and the game continued past the 7:00 mark tied 0-0. Each team worked for control over the next few minutes but it was the Hawkeyes who found the cage first. Penn State got hit with a green card at the 2:05 mark and the Hawkeyes quickly moved the ball downfield. The fast break ended with Iowa's Maddy Murphy feeding Ciara Smith with a pass that Smith knocked into the cage at with 1:45 left to play in the half. Iowa carried the 1-0 lead into the third period.
Iowa outshot Penn State 4-2 in the first half and Penn State had the opening 30 minutes' only penalty corner. Lion goalie Barraco had two saves while Iowa's Leslie Speight had none.
Penn State came out aggressively in the third period, taking control of possession and quickly moving the ball into the Iowa circle. The Lion push led to a penalty corner that the Lions converted. Alexis Horst (Port Trevorton, Pa.) took the corner and Paityn Wirth (Thompsontown, Pa.) took a hard shot towards the cage. Lion junior Abby Myers (Hartland, Wis.) redirected the shot past Speight and Penn State tied the game 1-1 less than two minutes into the third quarter. Iowa retook the lead midway through the period, getting a penalty stroke goal from Lokke Stribos at the 6:41 mark to retake the lead, 2-1. Penn State was hit with a 10:00 yellow on the stroke and a subsequent 5:00 yellow a bit later and trailed by one after three periods.
Iowa extended its lead less than a minute in to the fourth quarter when Murphy scored off an Ellie Holley assists to give Iowa a 3-1 lead. Penn State responded with a quick possession but Iowa was able to retake control of the ball and move it down to the Lion circle. The Lion defense held off the Hawkeye push and Penn State trailed by two as the clock moved below the 9:00 mark. Iowa picked up another goal on a penalty corner as Anthe Nijziel scored at the 5:28 mark to put the Hawkeyes up 4-1. Iowa's defense was able to withstand a late Lion charge and the Hawkeyes posted the 4-1 victory.
"You cannot waste shots inside the circle against a good defense and Iowa has a strong defense," said head coach Char Morett-Curtiss. "We have to be more skilled when we have possession to eliminate those mistakes."
The Hawkeyes owned an 11-6 edge in shots in the game. The two teams combined for only three total penalty corners, Penn Stat taking two, Iowa one. Lion keeper Barraco had five saves while Speight had one for Iowa.
The Nittany Lions are now 3-9 overall, 2-2 in the Big Ten, while Iowa improves to 10-3, 4-1 B1G. Penn State hits the road for two conference contests next weekend. The Lions are at Michigan State on Friday, Oct. 18, at 3 p.m., and visit Michigan on Sunday, Oct. 20, 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 3 4 FINAL
PENN STATE 0 0 1 0 1
Iowa 0 1 1 2 4
STATS: PSU IOWA
Shots 6 11
Corners 2 1
SCORING SUMMARY (goal/assist) – TIME
2nd: IOWA – Ciara Smith (Maddy Murphy), 28:15
3rd: PSU -- Abby Myers (Alexis Horst, Paityn Wirth), 31:27
3rd: IOWA – Lokke Stribos (penalty stroke), 38:19
4th: IOWA – Murphy (Ellie Holley), 45:49
4th: IOWA – Anthe Nijziel (Esme Gibson, Holley), 54:30
GOALKEEPERS: MIN GA S
PSU: Brie Barraco 60:00 4 5
IOWA: Leslie Speight 60:00 1 1
