ARLINGTON, Va. – The Penn State women's hockey team dropped in its second game of the D1 in D.C. showcase 4-2 to second-ranked Ohio State Saturday evening at the MedStar Capitals Iceplex.
Penn State (8-6-2) finished the showcase 1-1 after its 3-2 win over No. 7/6 Minnesota-Duluth Friday night. Ohio State (14-2-0) won both of its games in the weekend showcase.
Senior Natalie Heising (Wayzata, Minn.) stayed hot with her third goal of the weekend early in the second period for Penn State. Senior Rene Gangarosa added PSU's second goal in the third period.
Sophomore Josie Bothun (Wyoming, Minn.) stopped 35 shots in net for the Nittany Lions and Julie Gough (Newcastle, Ontario) assisted on both PSU goals.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Nittany Lions had the first power-play of the evening after an Ohio State tripping penalty at 5:15 in the first, but despite a couple good attempts on net, PSU was unable to score first.
The Buckeyes countered on their first power-play of the evening to take the 1-0 lead with 9:00 on the clock after Sophie Jaques found the back of the cage.
Ohio State quickly doubled its lead 24 seconds later with an even-strength marker by Clair DeGeorge and held a 2-0 advantage after the first period.
Penn State was able to find a spark on a 5-on-3 power play that carried over from the first period to get on the board and cut the deficit back to one. Gough pushed the puck towards the goal from between the circles and it deflected right to Heising in the left circle for the quick try on the open cage.
Her 11th goal of the season made it 2-1 Buckeyes just 50 seconds into the second period.
However, Ohio State roared right back with two more power-play goals in the period. Jaques netted her second of the night at 5:14 to put Ohio State back ahead by two. Another PP marker by Jennifer Gardiner late in the frame at 18:55 extended the margin to three at 4-1 just before the second intermission.
Penn State managed another power-play goal with just over eight minutes to play in the game. Gangarosa ripped a slapshot from the left point that scurried over the goal line. Her second of the season brought the Nittany Lions within two at 4-2, but that's all Penn State would manage with the game ending in an Ohio State win.
NEXT UP
Penn State completes its first half of the season with a trip to New Hampshire Dec. 9-10.
