UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State field hockey team (7-7) met Ohio State (6-8) for the third time in five days and fell to the Buckeyes in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Field Hockey Tournament. The Nittany Lions, under the direction of head coach Char Morett-Curtiss, dropped a 4-3 overtime game to Ohio State on Wednesday in Iowa City, Iowa.
The two teams went to overtime for the second time in five days as Ohio State downed Penn State 3-2 in the regular season finale on Saturday. The Buckeyes repeated the effort today with another one-goal victory in extra time.
The teams, meeting for the third time in five days but the first time in the Big Ten tournament since 2011, traded early possessions as the game got under way in Iowa City. After each team worked the ball into the other's zone, Ohio State forced the game's first penalty corner just as the clock hit the 10:30 mark. Penn State goalie Brie Barraco (Allentown, Pa.) was able to kick the shot away the game remained scoreless. Penn State returned the ball to the Iowa end as the period hit its midpoint but the Buckeye defense held firm. The Buckeyes returned to the Penn State circle and forced another penalty corner with 2:15 left in the period. The Buckeyes used multiple passes to get off a shot and Tess Maloney knocked in a high ball off a rebound to put Ohio State up 1-0 with 12:53 left in the opening period. Ohio State outshot Penn State 4-0 in the opening period and the game moved to the second with the Nittany Lions trailing by one.
Penn State worked to change the tempo of the game and move forward offensively, but the Buckeyes were able to keep Penn State from threatening. The Nittany Lions picked up their first penalty corner after Grace Wallis (Blue Bell, Pa.) drove the ball downfield and completed a long pass to Emma Spisak (Boiling Springs, Pa.), who worked the ball into the Buckeye circle and force the corner with 9:52 on the clock. Ohio State goalie Abby Danson blocked a hard Anna Simon (Hanau, Germany) rocket from the top of the circle and Bree Bednarski (Wyoming, Pa.) knocked in the rebound with 9:48 on the clock to tie the game. Abby Myers (Hartland, Wis.) forced another penalty corner with 4:29 on the clock. Freshman Sophia Gladieux (Boyertown, Pa.) got off two solid shots that Danson knocked away and the game continued knotted at 1-1. With under a minute to play, Mackenzie Allessie looked force a late corner for Ohio State, but Lion Jemma Punch (McDowall, Australia) stopped the effort and the two teams entered halftime tied 1-1.
Each team had four shots in the first half and both teams had two corners. Ohio State goalie Danson had three saves while Nittany Lion keeper Barraco had one.
Penn State had an early opportunity in the third period when Spisak intercepted a pass that led to a hard Gladieux backhand. But Danson was able to knock the shot aside and the game continued tied 1-1 three minutes into the stanza. The Buckeyes returned the ball to the Penn State circle as the clock hit 10:00 and Barraco kicked away a Buckeye shot to keep the game tied. Ohio State controlled the ball for the next few minutes and worked themselves into a penalty corner with 5:39 left in the third. Penn State effectively defended the effort and the game continued tied 1-1. The Nittany Lion defense, with Elena Vos (Grave, The Netherlands) anchoring, was able to keep Ohio State's offense from a solid shot on goal over the period's final minutes despite controlling possession. Penn State had one final chance to take the lead as the period wound down, forcing a penalty corner with 1:30 on the clock. After Ohio State defended the corner, Penn State took the lead when Simon took a hard shot from outside the left circle and Bednarski tipped the ball into the back of the cage with just 1:12 left in the period to give Penn State a 2-1 lead.
Ohio State answered quickly, however, when Nikki Trzaska scored just less than a minute into the period to tie the game at 2-2. With the game tied, the Buckeyes continued to press Penn State and nearly took a lead less than a minute after that, but Barraco was able to net a save to keep the game tied. Ohio State, however, continued to press Penn State and was able to take a 3-2 lead with 10:47 on the clock when Jessica Hourihane scored after a Buckeye corner, knocking in the ball after it slipped past the Penn State defense in front of the cage. But the Nittany Lions were able settle themselves and tie the game just four minutes later. Gladieux worked the ball across the top of the Ohio State circle and knocked in a wicked backhand with 7:51 left in the game to the score at 3-3. The Buckeyes had a chance to win the game in regulation when Allessie nearly scored with :45 left, but Barraco was able to send the game to overtime with a save.
Ohio State had an early opportunity in overtime to end the game, working the ball right down to the Lion circle. But Barraco and the Penn State defense worked the ball out of the Lion zone and the game continued with 8:45 on the clock. Penn State took advantage of the opportunity, moving down the field and forcing a penalty corner with 8:08 on the clock. But Danson was able to defend a Gladieux shot and the game remained tied. Punch nearly connected on a hard shot with 8:05 on the clock that Danson was able to knock it away. Ohio State pushed the ball down the field right after that and forced a penalty corner. The Buckeyes took advantage, with Sarah Charley tipping in an Allessie shot with 6:54 left in overtime to give Ohio State the 4-3 victory.
Penn State was outshot 14-10 in the game and had four corners to five for the Buckeyes. Barraco had four saves for Penn State while Danson had six for the Buckeyes.
"It was an exciting, back-and-forth game once again with Ohio State," said Morett-Curtiss. "It was great to see our players battle back and put themselves in a position to win, but we had too many attacking opportunities in the circle where we didn't get off any shots. That's what really cost us today."
Penn State ends its season at 7-7 while Ohio State improves to 6-8 and advances to the Big Ten semifinals tomorrow night where it will face the winner of the Rutgers/Northwestern game (played later Wednesday night) in the Big Ten semifinals on Thursday at 7:30 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 OT FINAL
PENN STATE 0 1 1 1 0 3
OHIO STATE 1 0 0 2 1 4
STATS: PSU OSU
Shots 10 14
Corners 4 5
SCORING SUMMARY (goal/assist) – TIME
1st: OSU – Tess Maloney (unassisted); 2:17
2nd: PSU – Bree Bednarski (Emma Spisak); 9:48
3rd: PSU – Bednarski (Anna Simon); 1:12
4th: OSU – Nikki Trzaska (unassisted); 14:04
4th: OSU – Jessica Hourihane (unassisted); 10:47
4th: PSU – Sophia Gladieux (unassisted); 7:51
OT: OSU – Sarah Charley (Mackenzie Allessie); 6:54
GOALKEEPERS: MIN GA S
PSU: Brie Barraco 63:06 4 4
OSU: Abby Danson 63:06 3 6
