UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State Nittany Lion field hockey team (14-4), ranked No. 7 in the NFHCA Coaches Poll, used a hat track from junior Anna Simon (Hanau, Germany) to beat No. 6 Maryland (13-6) in the quarterfinals of the 2021 Big Ten Tournament, hosted by Rutgers University. Simon scored all three goals for head coach Char Morett-Curtiss' squad in a 3-2 win over Maryland in Piscataway, N.J. The victory moves Penn State into tomorrow's Big Ten semifinals.
Each team had early chances in the other's circle, but it was Maryland who forced a corner at the 13:03 mark. Penn State keeper Brie Barraco (Allentown, Pa.) made the save on the first corner and then another on a subsequent one. Seconds later, Simon fired off a hard shot that Maryland goalie Noelle Frost knocked away. Maryland was able to control the ball over the next few minutes, keeping the ball in the Nittany Lion circle and forcing another penalty corner at the 7:35 mark. The Terrapins connected on the corner set, with Bibi Donraadt connecting with 7:33 on the clock to give the Terrapins a 1-0 lead. Penn State responded by working the ball down into the Maryland circle and forcing a corner with 4:33 left in the period. But the Lions could not connect on the set. Sophia Gladieux (Boyertown, Pa.) and the Lion offense picked up another corner with 3:56 on the clock. Simon's pass to Gladieux off the corner was intercepted, but Penn State forced another corner. Mackenzie Allessie (Mount Joy, Pa.) sent the corner to Elena Vos (Grave, The Netherlands) who set up Simon. Simon's launch from the top of the circle found the back of the cage and Penn State tied the game 1-1 with 3:33 left in the opening period. Maryland quickly moved the ball into the Lion circle, but Barraco knocked the Maryland shot away. Penn State drove downfield and Allessie fed Emma Spisak (Boiling Springs, Pa.) in front of the goal, forcing a corner. Maryland defended the late Penn State attempt and the game moved to the second period tied 1-1.
The two teams each had chances early in the second period to get on the board. The Lion defense, with Gery Schnarrs (Camp Hill, Pa.), Kelsey Love (State College, Pa.) and Anouk Knuvers ('s-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands) in the backfield, pushed back on Maryland and the Nittany Lions regained possession. Meghan Reese (Coopersburg, Pa.) moved the ball into Maryland territory, eventually ending on the end of Spisak's stick. The Lion senior forced a corner with 10:29 on the clock. But Simon's shot was blocked. Penn State kept possession and Gladieux launched a backhand at the 10:08 mark that Frost saved. Jemma Punch (McDowall, Australia) nearly scored off the rebound, but the ball was just outside as the clock hit the 10:00 mark. Penn State continued to press the Terrapin defense, keeping the ball near or in the Maryland circle. Maryland was able to work the ball down into the Lion circle where Donraadt took a shot that Barraco made a save on. But Maryland picked up a corner off the rebound with 7:08 left. Maryland scored once again off its corner offense. This time, Hope Rose scored off the corner with 7:07 left in the first half. With 2:30 left in the half, Grace Wallis (Blue Bell, Pa.) worked the ball down the far sideline. Allessie received the ball, fed Gladieux in the circle and the Lions picked up a penalty corner with 1:58 on the clock. Allessie, fed Vos and Simon shot low at Frost. The Terrapin made the save but Simon moved in, took control of the rebound and used a fast backhand to pick up the goal with 1:45 to play. Simon's second goal of the game sent the Nittany Lions into the halftime break tied 2-2 with Maryland.
Penn State outshot Maryland 8-6 in the opening half and had a 6-4 edge in penalty corners. Barraco had four saves for Penn State while Frost had three for the Terrapins.
The Nittany Lions worked the ball into the Maryland zone with Gladieux, Punch and Allessie controlling the ball at the top of the circle. Penn State's early pressure forced a penalty corner at the 13:01 mark. Gladieux rocketed a backhand that Frost blocked, Reese's rebound effort just missed, and the game continued tied 2-2. The teams traded possessions over the next five minutes with neither team getting a shot on goal as the clock moved towards the 8:00 mark. Bree Bednarski (Wyoming, Pa.) used a drive down the near sideline and nearly forced a corner. Maryland was able to regain possession and drove the downfield, breaking through the Lion defense. An errant Penn State pass gave Maryland's Donraadt a near-open cage to shoot at, but Barraco and Knuvers forced the Terrapin into a high shot, keeping the game tied 2-2 at the 7:30 mark. Maryland forced a corner just over 2:00 later, setting their offense at the 5:08 mark. But the Lions defended the effort and immediately drove the ball downfield. Bednarski fed Simon whose shot was just wide. But the Nittany Lions continued to press after the shot and forced a corner with 4:18 on the clock. Simon's shot was high and blocked away and the clock moved below 4:00. Brianna O'Donnell (Lansdale, Pa.) and the Lion midfield moved the ball into the Maryland circle, but the Terrapin defense held firm. Gladieux took the ball into the Maryland circle as the clock moved below :20 and forced a penalty corner with just :06 on the clock. Gladieux's backhand was blocked as was Punch's rebound. The game moved to the fourth period tied 0-0.
Penn State's offense went on attack to start the final period. Punch moved the ball downfield and into the Maryland circle. She fed Spisak who got a shot on goal that Frost was able to knock back. But Simon, once again, was on the spot for the rebound. The junior knocked the rebound past Frost for her third goal of the game, putting Penn State up 3-2 just :29 into the final period at the 14:31 mark. Penn State continued to pressure Maryland after the goal. Allessie took a shot from the top of the circle and Frost kicked the ball away. Maryland and Penn State worked the midfield over the next five minutes. The Terrapins pushed the ball into the Penn State zone at the 9:00 mark but the Nittany Lion defense regained the ball and Simon worked it down the near side. The Lion junior blasted a past cross the Maryland circle. Wallis and Bednarski each nearly scored but Frost blocked Wallis' effort and Bednarski's rebound slipped just wide with 6:20 left to play. As the clock moved below 5:00, Maryland pulled goalie Frost to get a player advantage with 4:15 left to play. Penn State went on attack. The Nittany Lions worked the ball into the Maryland circle with Simon feeding Gladieux in front of the cage. The Lion push forced a corner with 3:33 on the clock and Frost out of the game for Maryland. Simon's shot off the first corner was blocked by a Maryland defender. Penn State picked up another corner six seconds later. Allessie fed Gladieux whose shot was just high, giving the ball back to Maryland with 3:01 to play. Penn State's offense was able to work the clock down to the 1:30 mark before Maryland regained possession briefly. But Schnarrs forced a turnover on the far side and action continued in the midfield. Love regained the ball with :25 left and killed the clock on the near sideline for Penn State and the Nittany Lions moved into the semifinals with a 3-2 win.
"I'm so proud of how hard we played tonight," said Morett-Curtiss. "We played fast and smart all game long. We did a great job, at every position, of fighting for loose balls and pressuring Maryland. Anna (Simon) was outstanding tonight obviously and the forwards really pressured Maryland's defense well. Now we get ready for a talented Rutgers squad tomorrow."
Penn State outshot Maryland 15-9, dominating the second half. The Nittany Lions had 11 corners to just five for Maryland. Barraco and Frost each had four saves in the game.
Penn State is now 14-4 while Maryland falls to 13-6. The Nittany Lions will now play No. 3 Rutgers in the Big Ten semifinals tomorrow, Nov. 5, at 4:30 p.m. in a game that will air live nationally on the Big Ten Network. The B1G tournament winner will receive the Big Ten's automatic bid to the 2021 NCAA Championship Tournament. The full field for the 2021 NCAA tournament will be announced on Sunday, 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.
GAME BREAKDOWN
SCORING: 1 2 3 4 FINAL
PENN STATE 1 1 0 1 3
Maryland 1 1 0 0 2
STATS: PSU MD
Shots 15 9
Corners 11 5
SCORING SUMMARY (goal/assist) – TIME
1st: MD – Bibi Donraadt (Riley Donnelly); 7:33
1st: PSU – Anna Simon (Mackenzie Allessie, Elena Vos); 3:33
2nd: MD – Hope Rose (Julianna Tornetta, Emma DeBerdine); 7:07
2nd: PSU – Anna Simon (unassisted); 1:45
4th: PSU – Anna Simon (unassisted); 14:31
GOALKEEPERS: MIN GA S
PSU: Brie Barraco 60:00 2 4
MD: Noelle Frost 56:00 3 4
Team 4:00 0 0