UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State Nittany Lion field hockey team (7-5, 2-2 B1G), ranked No. 15 in the National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) Coaches Poll, rolled to a 4-0 win at Michigan State (3-9, 1-5 B1G) on Friday in East Lansing. Penn State tallied a goal in each period for the B1G win.
Penn State began the game with possession and pressed the Spartan circle in the opening minutes. The Spartan defense held and worked the ball down to the Penn State side of the field, forcing the game's first penalty corner at 11:45. Penn State keeper Brie Barraco and the Lion defense held off the effort, but Michigan State was awarded a penalty stroke on the play. Spartan Lena Kassel took the shot and Barraco made a great save to keep Michigan State off the scoreboard. Penn State gave up a green card at 10:30 but the Nittany Lion defense ably defended the player advantage and the game remained scoreless as it moved to the midway point of the first period. Penn State's Sophia Gladieux just missed on a shot from 10 yards at the 7:30 mark. Gladieux nearly scored at the 6:50 mark but Spartan keeper Cecily Charles made the save to keep the game tied at 0-0. Penn State's pressure paid off seconds later, however, when Gladieux connected off a Julia Lamb pass to give the Lions a 1-0 lead with 6:32 on the clock. Penn State carried that one goal lead into the second period.
The teams traded possessions over the first few minutes of the second period. Penn State gathered control at the 11:30 mark and worked the ball into the MSU circle, picking up a penalty corner at the 11:05 mark. Michigan State was able to break up the Nittany Lion play and move the ball back to the Penn State zone, forcing a corner of their own less than a minute later. The Penn State defense was able to block the Spartan shot and maintain the 1-0 lead for the Nittany Lions. Neither team threatened that corner trade-off and the game moved through midway point of the second period. Penn State moved the ball into the Spartan circle at the 5:35 mark and worked its way to a penalty corner. Julienne van Bekkum fed the ball to the left side of the circle on the play. After the Spartans defended the opening play, Madison Tambroni collected the ball mid-zone and fed van Bekkum, who scored her first goal as a Nittany Lion at the 4:41 mark to put Penn State up 2-0. Penn State rode that two-goal lead into the halftime break.
Penn State outshot Michigan State 5-3. Both teams had two penalty corners. Barraco had two saves for the Nittany Lions, including the key stop on MSU's early penalty stroke. Charles had one for Michigan State.
The Spartans began the period with possession, but the Nittany Lions defended the opening push. The teams traded possessions through the first five minutes with Penn State maintaining its 2-0 lead. Michigan State pressured the Nittany Lion cage at the 9:45 mark, but Anouk Knuvers and the Penn State defense withstood the effort, and the Nittany Lion midfield took the ball downfield. Michigan State was able to regain the ball but over the next five minutes, the game was contended in the midfield and Penn State maintained its lead. Knuvers stopped another Spartan fast break at the 3:20 mark. Penn State then moved the ball into the Spartan zone and Mackenzie Allessie corralled a loose ball, worked the ball left once and then tapped the ball past the Spartan keeper for a goal at the 2:24 mark.
Neither team pressured the other's cage until Gladieux took control of the ball outside the Spartan circle just over 5:00 into the final period. The Lion senior dribbled left and cruised a backhand past the MSU keeper for Penn State's fourth goal with 9:02 left in the game. The two teams traded possessions over the next five minutes as Penn State worked the clock down below the 5:00 mark. Michigan State threatened the Penn State goal at the 4:00 mark but a Spartan shot sailed high. Penn State picked up a late penalty corner with :21 left in the game, but the Spartans defended the play and Penn State posted the 4-0 victory.
"I was very pleased to see us play four solid quarters," said head coach Lisa Bervinchak Love. "We came out strong in the first half and set a tone that we were able to carry through the entire game. Our press was solid, we pressed together and were on the same page throughout the game. We can take a lot of positives out of this game into a big contest at Michigan on Sunday. The game on Sunday will be faster and it is important for us to continue to make good decisions. This was a good win for us tonight and it sets up a big game on Sunday. We are very excited for this opportunity."
Penn State outshot the Spartans 11-5 and had a 4-3 lead in corners. Barraco made two saves for Penn State and Charles had two for MSU.
Penn State is now 7-5 overall, 2-2 B1G. Michigan State falls to 3-9, 1-5 B1G. The Nittany Lions continue Big Ten play next weekend with two road games. Penn State is at Michigan on Sunday, Oct. 15, at 1 p.m. The game in Ann Arbor is a Big Ten Network national telecast.
Fans are encouraged to follow the Nittany Lion field hockey team online at www.GoPSUsports.com (click teams, click field hockey), on X/Twitter @pennstateFH and on facebook at www.facebook.com/pennstatefieldhockey.
GAME BREAKDOWN
SCORING: 1 2 3 4 FINAL
PENN STATE 1 1 1 1 4
Michigan State 0 0 0 0 0
STATS: PSU MSU
Shots 11 5
Corners 4 3
SCORING SUMMARY (goal/assist) – TIME
1st: PSU – Phia Gladieux (Julia Lamb); 6:32
2nd: PSU – Julienne van Bekkum (Madison Tambroni); 4:41
3rd: PSU – Mackenzie Allessie (unassisted); 2:24
4th: PSU – Phia Gladieux (unassisted): 9:02
GOALKEEPERS: MIN GA S
PSU: Brie Barraco 54:19 0 2
Lauren Delgado 5:41 0 0
MSU: Cecily Charles 60:00 4 2