The Penn State Nittany Lion field hockey team (8-2, 3-1 B1G), ranked No. 6 in the NFHCA Coaches Poll, dropped a heart-breaking 5-4 game at No. 2 Northwestern (10-1, 1-1 B1G) in a critical Big Ten road game. Senior Mackenzie Allessie scored three times, but the Wildcats connected on a penalty stroke with just :07 left in overtime to steal the victory.
The first five minutes were an even battle with each team pressing the opponents circle during the span. Northwestern's Katie Jones getting an early shot off that Lion keeper Brie Barraco (Allentown, Pa.) knocked aside. Sophia Gladieux (Boyertown, Pa.) had an early shot sail wide just under 5:00 into the contest. Four minutes later, Gladieux connected for the game's first goal, scoring unassisted with 6:58 left in the opening period. Barraco fended off a number of late shots by NU's Bente Baekers and Lauren Wadas, collecting five saves in the first period alone and Penn State carried a 1-0 lead into the second period.
Northwestern controlled the action to start the second period and the Wildcat offense was able to break through for a goal at the 11:10 mark, with Baekers scoring off a Lane Herbert assist to tie the game a 1-1. The teams traded possessions after the NU scored. Penn State worked the ball into the NU circle midway through the second stanza with Gladieux getting off another solid shot that just missed wide with 6:30 left in the half. Penn State kept the pressure on NU and retook the lead with 4:05 on the clock. Mackenzie Allessie (Mount Joy, Pa.) scored unassisted from just right of the Wildcat cage to give the Nittany Lions a 2-1 lead. Northwestern went back on attack, forcing a penalty corner with 2:35 left in the half and Maddie Zimmer's shot sailed wide off the set. Penn State carried the one-goal lead into halftime.
The Wildcats outshot Penn State 6-2 and had a 2-1 corner edge. Barraco had five saves for Penn State while Annabel Skubisz had none for Northwestern.
Penn State came out and set a torrid early pace offensively in the third period. Allessie fired off a shot just over 2:00 into the half that Skubisz made a save on. Penn State maintained control of the ball and forced a penalty stroke at the 11:59 mark. Allessie made good on the penalty stroke and the Nittany Lions took a 3-1 lead. Northwestern was able to regain momentum and control late in the third period and forced a penalty corner with 2:07 left in the period. Shannon Dailey set the offense up and Baekers scored off the corner set with 2:03 on the clock to cut into the Nittany Lion lead and Penn State led 3-2 after three periods.
The Nittany Lions quickly answered to start the fourth period however, forcing a penalty corner less than 3:00 into the period. Allessie set the offense and started the corner, Anouk Knuvers ('s-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands) had a shot blocked and Allessie was there to knock in the rebound, scoring unassisted at the 12:05 mark to put Penn State up 4-2. Northwestern answered quickly though, scoring less than 2:00 later when Peyton Halsey scored unassisted with 10:29 left in the game to cut the Lion lead to 4-3. Penn State got hit with a yellow card at the 6:34 mark. Penn State was able to kill the early part of the player advantage, forcing a corner with 5:00 to go in the game. Jemma Punch's (Queensland, Australia) shot off the set was saved by defender Garcia and Penn State continued to lead. The Wildcats pulled their goalie with 2:00 left, looking for a player advantage to try and tie the game. Northwestern forced a penalty corner with 1:04 left and Baekers' shot was blocked by the Lion defense. The Wildcats were awarded another corner off the block. The Lion defense held off the corner play, but Halsey was on the spot for NU and knocked in an unassisted goal off a rebound with just :56 left in the game. Halsey's late goal sent the game into overtime tied 4-4.
Northwestern's Lauren Wadas got off a quick shot in extra time and Barraco made a save to keep the game going. The Wildcats picked up a penalty corner off the shot and Barraco made another save off a Baekers shot. The Nittany Lions forced a corner and Gladieux's shot off the set was knocked away. Barraco and the Lion defense withstood a couple NU shots as the first overtime period hit its midway point. The Penn State offense peppered the Wildcat zone in the last three minutes but shots from Gladieux and Meghan Reese (Center Valley, Pa.) were defended as the clock moved below the 1:00 mark. Northwestern returned the ball to the Lion side of the field and moved into the Penn State circle with less than :30 to play. The Wildcats moved to the cage and were awarded a penalty stroke with just :07 left. Halsey was able to connect on the free shot for NU and the Wildcats escaped with a 5-4 (ot) win.
"This was an outstanding field hockey game between two top teams," said head coach Char Morett-Curtiss. "I'm very proud of the way our players battled and overcame adversity during the game. This is the kind of game that teaches you about yourself and while we didn't win the game, we believe we learned a lot about ourselves as a team. Even though his was a tough loss, we will get refocused and ready for a good Indiana team on Sunday."
Northwestern outshot Penn State 25-17 and had a 9-4 edge in corners. Barraco had 14 saves for the Nittany Lions while Skubisz and the Wildcat defense collected six.
Penn State is now 8-2 overall, 3-1 in the Big Ten, while Northwestern improves to 10-1, 1-1 B1G. Penn State continues a road weekend 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 OT FINAL
PENN STATE 1 1 1 1 0 4
Northwestern 0 1 1 2 1 5
STATS: PSU NU
Shots 17 25
Corners 4 9
SCORING SUMMARY (goal/assist) – TIME
1st: PSU – Sophia Gladieux (unassisted); 6:58
2nd: NU – Bente Baekers (Lane Herbert); 11:10
2nd: PSU – Mackenzie Allessie (unassisted); 4:05
3rd: PSU – Mackenzie Allessie (penalty stroke): 11:59
3rd: NU – Bente Baekers (Ana Medina Garcia, Alia Marshall); 2:03
4th: PSU – Mackenzie Allessie (unassisted); 12:06
4th: NU – Peyton Halsey (unassisted); 10:29
4th: NU – Peyton Halsey (unassisted); 0:56
OT: NU – Peyton Halsey (penalty stroke); 0:07
GOALKEEPERS: MIN GA S
PSU: Brie Barraco 69:03 5 14
NU: Annabel Skubisz 67:03 4 4
TEAM 2:00 0 2