THIS WEEK
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- The Penn State Nittany Lions (13-4, 6-2 B1G), ranked No. 7 nationally, will head to Rutgers University in Piscataway, N.J. to take part in the 2021 Big Ten Tournament. The Nittany Lions will face No. 6 Maryland (13-5, 4-4 B1G) in the quarterfinals of the 2021 Big Ten Tournament. The Nittany Lions and Terrapins will battle at 5 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 4.
The 2021 Big Ten Tournament's first round is set: Top seed Iowa gets a bye on Nov. 4; Michigan takes on Northwestern at 11 a.m.; Rutgers faces Indiana at 2 p.m.; and Penn State battles Maryland at 5 p.m. The semifinals are set for 2 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 5, and the title game is Sunday, Nov. 7, at 12 p.m.
Penn State is coming off a thrilling 3-2 overtime win over then No. 2 Michigan on Friday night at the Penn State Field Hockey Complex. Mackenzie Allessie scored the game winner in overtime to spur Penn State on to victory and Penn State ended the regular season tied for second in the Big Ten standings (but are the third seed at the tournament based on head-to-head tie-breaker with host Rutgers).
Gladieux leads Penn State with 34 points off 16 goals and two assists. Allessie checks in with 29 points off nine goals and a team-best 11 assists. Anna Simon has 26 points off 11 goals and four assists while Emma Spisak has 11 points off four and three. Keeper Brie Barraco has three shut-outs, 75 saves, and a .758 save percentage.
Maryland enters the tournament with a 13-5 overall record, 4-4 in the Big Ten. The Terrapins beat Ohio State 6-0 in their regular season finale. Bib Donraadt has 26 points off ten goals and six assists while keeper Noelle Frost has 55 saves and a .705 percentage to go along with eight shutouts.
The winner of the 2021 Big Ten Tournament receives the conference's automatic bid to the 2021 NCAA Field Hockey Championship Tournament. The full field for the 2021 NCAA tournament will be announced on Sunday night, Nov. 7, at 10 p.m. on NCAA.com.
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.
THIS WEEK'S ACTION
#7 Penn State (13-4, 6-2 B1G) vs. #6 Maryland (13-5, 4-4 B1G)
DATE: Thursday, Nov. 4, 2021.
SITE: Rutgers University, Piscataway, N.J.
2021 Big Ten Tournament Schedule:
Quarterfinals - Thursday, Nov. 4
Michigan vs. Northwestern, 11 a.m. (B1G+)
Rutgers vs. Indiana, 2 p.m. (B1G+)
PENN STATE vs. Maryland (B1G+)
Semifinals -- Friday, Nov. 5
Iowa vs. Michigan/Northwestern, 2 p.m. (B1G)
PSU/Maryland vs. Rutgers/Indiana, 4:30 p.m. (B1G)
Championships -- Sunday, Nov. 7
Semifinal winners, 12 p.m. (B1G)
NOTES
ALLESSIE, SPISAK, BARRACO LEAD PENN STATE TO WIN OVER #2 MICHIGAN; ALLESSIE B1G AoW
Junior Mackenzie Allessie and senior Emma Spisak each scored three points in Penn State's thrilling 3-2 overtime victory over No. 2 Michigan on Oct. 29. Both players notched a goal and an assist in the game. Spisak's was the first of the game for Penn State and Allessie's was the game winner in overtime. Goalie Brie Barraco had eight saves in the win as well. Allessie was named Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week for her efforts (week ending Oct. 31).
BARRACO NOTCHES TWO SHUT-OUTS AS LIONS WIN AT #21 OHIO STATE AND MICHIGAN STATE
Junior keeper Brie Barraco notched two shut outs in a two-game road swing in the Big Ten on Oct. 22 and 24. Barraco and the Nittany Lions downed No. 21 Ohio State 4-0 on Friday and won 1-0 at Michigan State on Sunday.
PUNCH LEADS PENN STATE IN WIN AT LAFAYETTE
Junior Jemma Punch had a goal and an assist in Penn State's 3-1 win at Lafayette on Oct. 15. The Lions trailed 1-0 heading into the fourth period and exploded for three goals, thank in large part to a Punch assist on the first and the game winning goal less than a minute later.
PENN STATE FALLS 3-2 IN OT AT #16 PRINCETON
Junior Mackenzie Allessie scored with just :06 on the regulation clock to send the game to overtime but the Nittany Lions lost 3-2 in extra time at No. 16 Princeton on Oct. 17. Allessie had a goal and an assist in the contest.
GLADIEUX SCORES THREE GOALS IN HOME WIN OVER BUCKNELL
Sophomore Sophia Gladieux notched three goals in Penn State's 4-1 victory over visiting Bucknell on Oct. 9. Mackenzie Allessie added the fourth as the Lions rolled to the non-conference win.
GLADIEUX'S GOAL LIFTS LIONS TO 2-1 (2OT) WIN OVER #4 NORTHWESTERN; NAMED B1G AoW!
Sophomore Sophia Gladieux scored the game-winner in extra time in Penn State's 2-1 double-overtime win over No. 4 Northwestern at the Penn State Field Hockey Complex on Oct. 3. The goal built on the goal from Mackenzie Allessie during regulation that helped send the game to extra time. Gladieux, who also had two goals two days earlier in a win over Indian, was named Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week for the week ending Oct. 3, for her efforts.
NITTANY LIONS DOWN INDIANA 4-1
Sophia Gladieux scored twice to lead Penn State to a 4-1 win over visiting Indiana on Oct. 1. The Nittany Lions broke open a close game with a fourth-quarter burst to down the Hoosiers.
GLADIEUX SCORES TWICE TO LEAD PSU TO 3-2 OT WIN AT #7 MARYLAND; B1G OFFENSIVE AoW
Sophia Gladieux scored twice to lead Penn State to a 3-2 overtime win at #7 Maryland on Sept. 18. Gladieux connected on two backhands in the game, including the winner in overtime. Gladieux was named the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week for her efforts.
BARRACO'S SIX SAVES AND A BALANCED ATTACK LEADS LIONS TO 3-0 WIN OVER #19 DELAWARE
Junior goalie Brie Barraco notched six saves to anchor a stingy Penn State defense and picked up her first shutout of the season in a 3-0 win over #19 Delaware on Sept. 12 in State College. Anna Simon, Mackenzie Allessie and Sophia Gladieux each scored in the win.
SIMON'S TWO GOALS LEADS PENN STATE TO 3-1 WIN OVER ALBANY
Senior Anna Simon connected twice on Penn State's penalty corner set, taking assists from Mackenzie Allessie and Elena Vos, to spark Penn State to a 3-1 win over Albany on Sept. 10 in Happy Valley.
GLADIEUX'S TWO GOALS LEAD PENN STATE TO 3-2 WIN OVER #20 ST. JOSEPH'S
Sophomore Sophia Gladieux notched two goals to lead Penn State to a 3-2 victory over St. Joseph's on Sept. 5. Gladieux's two-goal effort was joined by a solo score from Emma Spisak as Penn State won its home opener at the Penn State Field Hockey Complex.
SIMON'S HAT TRICK LEADS PENN STATE TO ROAD WIN AT WILLIAM AND MARY
Senior Anna Simon notched a hat trick to lead Penn State to a 7-2 road win at William and Mary on Aug. 29. Simon's three goals all came off Penn State's superb penalty corner set. Mackenzie Allessie had two assists, Elena Vos had two assists, Meghan Reese had a goal and an assist, Emma Spisak had a goal and Sophia Gladieux had a goal and two assists. Brie Barraco had four saves in the win as well.
PUNCH'S BREAKAWAY LIFTS PENN STATE TO 3-2 VICTORY AT #8 VIRGINIA TO START SEASON
Junior Jemma Punch took a pass from senior Emma Spisak in overtime and broke away for the game-winning goal in a 3-2 (ot) win at #8 Virginia in Penn State's 2021 season opener on Aug. 27. Punch's goal capped off a thrilling road win. Anna Simon and Sophia Gladieux each had goals as well and keeper Brie Barraco withstood 25 Cavalier shots, collecting nine saves.
PENN STATE RANKED #7 IN NFHCA COACHES POLL
Penn State is ranked #7 in the latest NFHCA Coaches Poll. The Nittany Lions are one of six Big Ten teams ranked in the top seven.
