UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State Nittany Lion field hockey team (1-1, 1-` B1G) shut out visiting Maryland (2-2, 2-1 B1G) in the home opener for head coach Char Morett-Curtiss' squad. Penn State scored a goal in the first, third and fourth quarters to roll to a 3-0 win in the first game played at the Penn State Field Hockey Complex this season.
In instances where teams are schedule to play each other twice during this year's Big Ten season, only the first game between the two squads is considered for the Big Ten regular season standings. Given that, today's game counts both overall and in conference.
The Nittany Lions controlled the tempo of the game from the opening whistle. After an early Maryland push that Penn State keeper Brie Barraco (Allentown, Pa.) turned away with the first of her seven saves, Penn State's offense worked the ball down to Maryland's circle. With Penn State freshman Sophia Gladieux (Boyertown, Pa.) and senior Emma Spisak (Boiling Springs, Pa.) pressuring the Terrapins, Penn State eventually picked up a penalty corner at the 9:50 mark. Bree Bednarski (Wyoming, Pa.) took the corner, moved the ball in to sophomore Elana Vos (Grave, The Netherlands), who stopped the pass perfectly. Junior Anna Simon (Hanau, Germany) finished off a perfectly executed corner with a sizzling shot that hit the back of the cage to give the Nittany Lions a 1-0 lead at the 9:37 mark.
Penn State controlled action in the second period as well. The Nittany Lions and Terrapins each had two first period shots, with Penn State connecting on one. The second quarter was all Penn State as the Lions got off four shots to only one for Maryland. Terrapin keeper Noelle Frost kept the visitors in the game with three saves and Penn State led by just one, 1-0, at intermission.
The Nittany Lions outshot Maryland 6-3 in the first half and had two corners to one for the Terrapins. Barraco had two saves, both in the first period, while Frost had four total in the opening two quarters.
Penn State's offense controlled the third period as it did the second, with Gladieux setting the pace from the start. The Lion freshman had a first shot early in the period go high but continued to press the Maryland defense. Gladieux and the Nittany Lion offense kept the ball on the Maryland side of the field for a large part of the third period and the pressure paid off with a penalty corner with just under 5:00 on the clock. Bednarski again took the corner, leading to another solid Simon shot. This time, however, Gladieux deflected Simon's shot just enough to slip the ball past Frost to put Penn State up 2-0 at the 1:05 mark of the third period.
Leading by two, Penn State opened up the fourth period and quickly put the game away. With Jemma Punch (McDowall, Australia) and Abby Myers (Hartland, Wis.) keeping possession in the midfield and clearing the ball down the right side, Gladieux took a pass and slid to the right of the Wisconsin circle. The Lion freshman passed the ball to Spisak, who pivoted and pushed a diving shot past Frost for Penn State's third goal with just under 2:00 gone in the fourth period. The three-goal cushion would stand as the Penn State defense, led Vos, Madison Hutson (Gloucester Point, Va.) and Kelsey Love (State College, Pa.) held off a late Maryland rally. Barraco was outstanding in the fourth period to earn the shutout with three saves in the final quarter alone.
Penn State outshot Maryland 13-9 over the course of the game and had a 5-4 edge in corners. Lion keeper Barraco earned her first shutout of the year with seven saves while Frost had six for the Terrapins.
"It was so nice to be at home and in front of our fans," said Morett-Curtiss. "It is nice to be home and nice to be playing this year. To see the improvement this team made over the course of the week was great. We made some moves, particularly in the backfield, getting some players back in spots where they were more in their comfort zone and that paid off for us."
Penn State is now 2-2, 2-1 in the conference standings. Maryland falls to 2-3, 2-2 in the Big Ten. The two teams will now meet once again in Happy Valley, taking to the field on Sunday, March 14, 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 1 0 1 1 3
Maryland 0 0 0 0 0
STATS: PSU MD
Shots 13 9
Corners 5 4
SCORING SUMMARY (goal/assist) – TIME
1st: PSU – Anna Simon (Bree Bednarski, Elena Vos); 9:37
3rd: PSU – Sophia Gladieux (Simon); 1:05
4th: PSU – Emma Spisak (Gladieux; 13:02
GOALKEEPERS: MIN GA S
PSU: Brie Barraco 60:00 0 7
MD: Noelle Frost 60:00 3 6
TEAM (def.) 0 1
