UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State Nittany Lion field hockey team (5-11, 3-4 B1G) shutout Bucknell (8-8) in a non-conference game in Lewisburg on Wednesday. Tied 0-0 after three periods, Penn State mounted a furious fourth period rally to roll to the 3-0 road win. The victory gave head coach Char Morett-Curtiss her 500th win as mentor at Penn State.
The teams traded possession during the opening minutes of the first period. Penn State kept the ball down on the Bucknell for a few minutes as the clock moved to the 10:00 mark before Bucknell was able to regain possession and move the ball into the Penn State circle. Penn State quickly turned the Bison back and moved the ball back down to Bucknell's side of the field. Freshman Jemma Punch (McDowall, Australia) finished off a fast break at the 4:00 mark with a nice shot that Bucknell goalie Olivia Harris was able to knock aside to keep the game scoreless as the clock moved towards 3:00. The Bison defense withstood a late Penn State push in the opening period to send the game to period two tied 0-0.
The Nittany Lion nearly got on the board early in the second period when Paityn Wirth (Thompsontown, Pa.) nearly connected on a point-blank shot after a Penn State steal deep in BU territory. But Harris made the save and the game moved on tied 0-0 three minutes into the second period. The teams batted evenly through the 8:00 mark, keeping the game knotted in a scoreless tie. Penn State's defense held Bucknell without a shot through the middle of the second period but Harris kept the Lion offense off the scoreboard. Penn State keeper Brie Barraco (Allentown, Pa.) turned away Bucknell's first offensive shot at the 6:00 mark. Penn State's offensive forced the game's first penalty corner at the 1:37 mark but could not get off a solid shot and the game moved to halftime tied 0-0.
Penn State outshot Bucknell 5-1 in the first half and had the lone corner in the opening two periods. Harris had four saves for Bucknell while Barraco had none against just one Bison shot.
The Nittany Lions had a quick foray into the Bucknell circle turned away to open the second half. A minute later, another Lion shot went just left of the Bison cage and the game moved to the 10:00 mark tied 0-0. Neither offense threatened until the 7:40 mark when a strong Lion push set up a penalty corner. Bree Bednarski (Wyoming, Pa.) had a goal off a rebound waved off for being too high, setting up another Lion corner. Harris made the save but Penn State picked up a third corner. The Lions could not connect on the last corner and the game moved to the 6:00 mark still tied 0-0. The Penn State offense kept the pressure on Bucknell but could not get a shot in goal despite keeping action in the Bison circle through the 4:00 mark of the third period. The third period concluded in a 0-0 tie despite Penn State tacking on another seven shots and giving up none.
Penn State finally broke through early in the fourth period. Abby Myers (Hartland, Wis.) scored off a Wirth assist after a scrum in front of the Bison cage at the 46:07 mark and quickly added another goal just 0:36 later when Punch scored unassisted at the 46:43 mark to put Penn State up 2-0 less than two minutes into the fourth period. Penn State controlled the action for the next seven minutes, keeping Bucknell from mounting a serious charge as the clock moved below the 7:00 mark with the Lions still leading by two. Penn State forced its sixth corner with 6:36 to play and scored to take a 3-0 lead. Grace Wallis (Blue Bell, Pa.) scored after the initial corner was defended and Penn State led by three. The Nittany Lions controlled the action for the remainder of the game and used the strong fourth period to roll to the 3-0 win.
Penn State posted a gaudy 17-1 edge in shots and had a 6-1 penalty corner advantage. Barraco had one save and picked up her first career shutout in the victory. Harris had six saves for Bucknell.
"I was pleased with how we picked up the intensity and the speed of the game in the second half," said head coach Char Morett-Curtiss. "Our pressure led to more opportunities and it paid off for us. This game gives us great momentum heading into the Rutgers game on Sunday, knowing we can play at this pace and have success."
"I am very grateful to Penn State for giving me the opportunity years ago to lead this program," Morett-Curtiss said, reflecting on her 500th win. "I've received great support from every administration here, from the coaches who have coached with me to the players who I've had the honor of coaching. It has been so much fun and I'm thankful to everyone who has been, and is to this day, a part of this program."
Morett-Curtiss garnered her 500th career victory as Penn State's head coach. She will be inducted into the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame next week and is in her 33rd season as Penn State's head coach. Morett-Curtiss is 500-205-9 as mentor of the Nittany Lions. She is in her 36th season as a head coach (including three years at Boston College where she went 34-16-8) and is now 534-221-16 overall. Morett-Curtiss is among the NCAA's top-five all-time winningest coaches and is in the top four in all-time NCAA tournament appearances as a head coach.
The Nittany Lions are now 5-11 overall, 3-4 in the Big Ten, Bucknell falls to 8-8. Penn State will host Rutgers on Sunday, Nov. 3, at 12 p.m. in the regular season finale for both teams. Senior Day activities will precede the contest at the Penn State Field Hockey Complex.
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 0 3 3
Bucknell 0 0 0 0 0
STATS: PSU BU
Shots 17 1
Corners 6 1
SCORING SUMMARY (goal/assist) – TIME
4th: PSU – Abby Myers (Paityn Wirth), 46:07
4th: PSU – Jemma Punch (unassisted), 46:43
4th: PSU – Grace Wallis (unassisted), 53:39
GOALKEEPERS: MIN GA S
PSU: Brie Barraco 60:00 0 1
BU: Olivia Harris 60:00 3 6
