UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Payton Linnehan's first half hat trick powered the Nittany Lions to a 4-0 win over La Salle on Sunday evening. Linnehan netted goals in the 25th, 27th and 29th minutes as she was the first Nittany Lion since 2017 to score a hat trick.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Similar to the victory over UMass several days prior, the Nittany Lions got started quickly tallying four shots in the first 12 minutes of the match. Penn State's best opportunity came in the fourth minute as Kerry Abello skyed above the Explorers defense and headed a cross on goal that was turned away by the La Salle goalkeeper.
In the 19th minute, La Salle recorded their only shot on goal but Katherine Asman was there to make an easy save.
Six minutes later, senior captain Sam Coffey played a ball behind the Explorer back line to a streaking Linnehan. Linnehan took one touch and sent her shot around the Explorer keeper to give Penn State a 1-0 lead.
32 seconds later, Ally Schlegel found Linnehan in the box and she slotted her right-footed shot beyond the outstretched hands of the goalkeeper to give Penn State a 2-0 advantage.
Following a Penn State corner kick, an attempted clearance found Linnehan's feet and she bounced a shot under the Explorer's keeper hands to make it 3-0 Penn State. Linnehan's hat trick was 22nd in program history. Laura Freigang was the last Nittany Lion to record a hat trick, scoring her three goals in a 7-0 win over Stony Brook on November 10, 2017.
In the 37th minute, Penn State extended the lead as Rachel Wasserman sent a perfect cross into the box to Olivia Damico and she sent her shot into the back of the net to make it 4-0 Penn State.
The Penn State defense limited La Salle to just five shots and one on goal for the game. The Nittany Lions tallied 26 shots in the match and held much of the possession throughout the match.
Notes
Payton Linnehan netted four goals and added two assists in the first two matches of the season. Last season she scored five goals and added eight assists.
Linnehan's hat trick is just the fourth since 2010 for the Nittany Lions.
Sam Coffey recorded her first assist of the season and now has 47 assists in her career. She is the NCAA active leader in assists and has 117 points in her career.
Penn State improved to 3-0 all-time vs. La Salle and this was the first meeting between the programs since 2016.
