UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State Nittany Lion field hockey team (4-11, 3-4 B1G) dropped a hard-fought game to No. 22 Ohio State (7-8, 2-5 B1G) in a Big Ten battle Friday night at the Penn State Field Hockey Complex. The Nittany Lions tied the game in the third and had a late goal waved off in dropping a 2-1 game to the visiting Buckeyes.
The first period began with each team trading possessions but no serious forays into the circle. Penn State was turned back on a nice charge at the 10:00 mark, regained possession, and forced a penalty corner at the 9:50 mark. Ohio State goalie Aaliyah Hernandez made a save on a hard Anna Simon (Hanau, Germany) shot and then a second Lion shot went wide. Madison Hutson (Gloucester Point, Va.) forced a turnover with stingy defense a minute later to turn back Ohio State's deepest penetration into Penn State's side of the field to keep the game scoreless. Hernandez turned back a Madison Morano (Hammonton, N.J.) shot after a nice drive into the Buckeye circle and the clock moved below the 4:00 mark.
Ohio State scored quickly in the second period, taking control of the ball and moving into the Lion circle where Esther Clotet Alsina scored off a Leanne Bough assist at the 12:27 mark to give the Buckeyes a 1-0 lead. Penn State pushed the ball down to the Buckeye side of the field and kept possession as the clock moved to the 9:00 mark. Ohio State's defense was able to keep the Lions from getting off a solid shot as time the second period hit 6:00. Penn State was unable to break through the Buckeye defense for the remainder of the period and trailed 1-0 at intermission.
Penn State outshot Ohio State 8-1 but the Buckeyes made their shot count with Alsina's goal. The Nittany Lions had the first half's lone penalty corner. Hernandez had four saves for Ohio State while Lion keeper Brie Barraco (Allentown, Pa.) had none.
Ohio State began the third period with possession in the Lion circle. Penn State's defense held firm and the Lions moved the ball down the field but Ohio State regained the ball and went on attack. Hutson and Elena Vos (Grave, The Netherlands) turned OSU back and Penn State regained possession. The Lions quickly got off a shot at the 10:20 mark that was blocked mid-circle. Hernandez turned back a Simon shot off a corner and the clock moved to the 8:30 mark with Penn State still down by one. Barraco made two point blank saves at the 4:00 mark to keep Penn State close, then the Lions forced a penalty corner just seconds later after moving the ball downfield on a fast break. Jemma Punch (McDowall, Australia) took a strong shot that Bree Bednarski (Wyoming, Pa.) tipped in with 3:30 left in the third period to tie the game 1-1. Ohio State forced their first corner and took advantage. Whitney Harris tipped in an Alsina shot at the 2:06 mark to give the Buckeyes a 2-1 lead that they carried into the fourth period.
The fourth period began with each team pushing possession into the other's circle but not managing a solid shot. With the clock moving below the 12:00 mark, Grace Wallis (Blue Bell, Pa.) made a nice steal on a Buckeye fast break to kill a potential close shot, keeping Penn State close. Ohio State kept possession, however, for the bulk of the next four minutes, forcing the Nittany Lions into defense as the clock moved below the 8:00 mark. Alexis Horst (Port Trevorton, Pa.) had a solid shot pushed away by Hernandez after a quick fast break and Ohio State returned the ball to the Lion side of the field. Penn State stole the ball back and Bednarski finished off a Lion fast break with a blistering shot with 5:37 to play that found the back of the cage to tie the game at 2-2. But Ohio State challenged the goal and the play was reversed, leaving the Nittany Lions still trailing by one. Ohio State was able to maintain possession for the next four minutes-plus. Penn State hurried the ball down to Ohio State's circle in the final minute. The Lions forced final penalty corner with just :09 left to play but the shot sailed wide and the Buckeyes escaped with a 2-1 win.
"I thought this was one of the best games we have played all year long and I feel good with this style of play this late in the season," said head coach Char Morett-Curtiss. "But with 15 chances, you have got to get more than one goal and that ended up costing us."
Penn State outshot Ohio State 15-5 and had four corners to just one for the Buckeyes. Hernandez had six saves for Ohio State while Barraco had two for the Nittany Lions.
The Nittany Lions are now 4-11 overall, 3-4 in the Big Ten, while Ohio State improves to 7-8, 2-5 B1G. The Nittany Lions travel to Bucknell on Wednesday, Oct. 30, for a 6 p.m. game and host Rutgers on Sunday, Nov. 3, at 12 p.m. for Senior Day in the regular season finale.
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
Ohio State 0 1 1 0 2
STATS: PSU OSU
Shots 15 5
Corners 4 1
SCORING SUMMARY (goal/assist) – TIME
2nd: OSU – Esther Clotet Alsina (Leanne Bough), 17:33
3rd: PSU – Bree Bednarski (Jemma Punch), 3:29
3rd: OSU –Whitney Harris (Alsina), 2:06
GOALKEEPERS: MIN GA S
PSU: Brie Barraco 60:00 2 2
OSU: Aaliyah Hernandez 60:00 1 6
