NASHVILLE, Tenn.- Penn State women's lacrosse loses a close 10-9 game to Vanderbilt in its first road game of the season. The Nittany Lions move to a 4-2 record while Vanderbilt moves to 2-4.
Despite hat tricks from Meghan Murray and Kristin O'Neill, as well as a five-goal scoring run in the second half to tie the score, the Nittany Lions were unable to keep the Commodores from scoring one last time.
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Quarter
A connection between Alaina Hamood and O'Neill got the Nittany Lions on the board in the first minute of the game. Hamood's pass from the side of the cage to O'Neill in front of the net marked the opening goal of the game.
Two back-to-back goals from Vanderbilt's Bri Gross gave the Commodores a 2-1 lead. Murray's free position goal tied the score at 2-2 with 8:04 remaining in the first period of play.
The Dores got the final two goals of the quarter to make the score 4-2 after 15 minutes.
Second Quarter
Vanderbilt started the scoring in the second quarter with Gross' third goal of the game in the opening two minutes.
A free position shot from O'Neill was saved by Vanderbilt's goalie followed by a free position shot for the Dores' Josie Ward which was saved by Ashley Bowan. This kept the score at 5-2.
Murray ended the scoring drought for both teams with 2:21 remaining to cut the deficit to two goals at 5-3. Her free position goal less than one minute later completed her hat trick and brought the Nittany Lions within a goal of the Commodores five.
Vanderbilt's goal with under a minute to play in the half gave them the 6-4 advantage at the half point.
Third Quarter
The Dores pulled away in the third quarter with three unanswered goals to go up by five with a score of 9-4.
Penn State responded with a 3-0 run of its own to pull back within two goals. A pass from Brooke Barger set up O'Neill for a goal to initiate the comeback with 5:59 remaining in the quarter. The bang-bang pass from Murray to Cam Evitts cut the score to 9-6. Gretchen Gilmore got in on the action with seven seconds to play in the quarter, making the score 9-7 with Vanderbilt ahead.
Fourth Quarter
Penn State continued its scoring run up to five goals to come back and tie the score at 9-9 with goals from O'Neill to complete her hat trick and Evitts with her second of the game.
Vanderbilt scored its first goal in over 10 minutes with just over five minutes remaining to take the lead once again and win the game at a score of 10-9.
OF NOTE
- O'Neill's scoring streak moves to 10-straight games with her fourth hat trick of the season.
- Kayla Abernathy notched 100 career draw controls on the first draw of the game. She posted five in the game.
- Murray scored a hat trick in the first half of the game. This is her second of the season and fifth of her career.
- Ellie Hollin had a career high five draw controls.
- Penn State outshot Vanderbilt 33-22 and won the draw control battle 15-8.
UP NEXT
The Nittany Lions stay in Nashville to take on no. 17 Rutgers on Saturday, March 11 for a neutral site game. First draw in the Big Ten match up is set for 1 p.m. ET.