UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.; Sept. 25, 2022 – The Penn State Nittany Lion field hockey team (8-1, 3-0 B1G), ranked No. 6 in the NFHCA Coaches Poll, shut out visiting Ohio State for a 2-0 victory (3-5, 0-3 B1G) at the Penn State Field Hockey Complex on Sunday. Mackenzie Allessie (Mt. Joy, Pa.) and Jemma Punch (Queensland, Australia) scored for Penn State while goalie Brie Barraco (Allentown, Pa.) notched her third straight shutout in goal.
Penn State controlled the action early in the first period. Sophia Gladieux (Boyertown, Pa.) nearly scored on a breakaway just over a minute into the game. But Buckeye goalie Abby Danson came out to contest the drive and Gladieux's shot slipped just wide. The Nittany Lions forced the game's first penalty corner with 7:23 on the clock but Anna Simon's (Hanau, Germany) shot was knocked aside by Danson. The teams traded possessions over the course of the next five minutes before Penn State was able to work the ball into the Buckeye circle where Allessie has her shot slide wide. The first period ended in a 0-0 tie.
The Nittany Lions forced a quick corner just 2:00 into the second period but could not connect on the play. Penn State controlled the ball for the first part of the period, getting off a series of shots. But Danson and the Buckeye defense kept Penn State off the scoreboard as the clock moved to the 6:00 mark. Ohio State began to assert itself on offense late in the second quarter. The Buckeyes picked up their first penalty corner with 5:27 left in the half and reeled off a series of three corners in a :20 span. But Barraco made a save on the first corner set and the other two were blocked by the Penn State defense. The teams entered halftime deadlocked in a 0-0 tie.
The Nittany Lions outshot Ohio State 9-4 and each team had three penalty corners in the first half. Danson had four saves for the Buckeyes, including three in the second period. Barraco had one for Penn State.
The third period began with a quick green card on Ohio State. After the Buckeyes were able to withstand the player advantage, Penn State's offense began to take control of momentum. Gladieux, Allessie and Grace Wallis (Blue Bell, Pa.) each had solid shots in the Buckeye circle but could not break through Danson's defense. Penn State kept the pressure on, however, and forced a penalty corner with 3:27 left in the period. Allessie started the set and Simon's shot was saved by Danson. Allessie was there for the rebound however, working here way to the left side of the cage and drilling the ball past Danson for the game's first goal with 3:18 on the clock. Penn State carried a 1-0 lead into the final period.
Defense dominated the fourth period with only Penn State's Gladieux getting off a shot in the first 10:00 of the period. Ohio State pulled Danson from goal with 5:32 left in the game and Penn State spent the next minutes keeping Ohio State from tying the game as the Buckeyes pressed the Nittany Lion cage. The Nittany Lions were able to take advantage of the empty net as Punch scored unassisted on a breakaway to ice the game with 2:04 on the clock. Punch's goal was the final tally in a 2-0 Penn State victory.
"This was a typical Big Ten game against a very good Ohio State team," said head coach Char Morett-Curtiss. "I thought they (Ohio State) did a real nice job today and played very well. They challenged us throughout the game and I'm proud of the way we fought through it and found a way to win. This was a great weekend for us, to get two Big Ten wins. We'll take some things from both this weekend's games that we can learn from and build on as we hit the road next weekend."
Penn State outshot Ohio State 16-4 and had a 5-3 edge in penalty corners. Danson had six saves for Ohio State while Barraco had one for the Nittany Lions, recording her third straight shutout.
Penn State is now 8-1 overall, 3-0 in the Big Ten, while Buckeyes fall to 3-5, 0-3 B1G. Penn State hits the road for two Big Ten away games next weekend. The Nittany Lions are at Northwestern on Friday, Sept. 30, at 4 p.m. Eastern and at Indiana on Sunday, Oct. 2., at 11 a.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 FINAL
PENN STATE 0 0 1 1 2
Ohio State 0 0 0 0 0
STATS: PSU OSU
Shots 16 4
Corners 5 3
SCORING SUMMARY (goal/assist) – TIME
3rd: PSU – Mackenzie Allessie (unassisted); 3:18
4th: PSU – Jemma Punch (unassisted); 2:04
GOALKEEPERS: MIN GA S
PSU: Brie Barraco 60:00 0 1
OSU: Abby Danson 54:28 1 6
TEAM 5:32 1 0