UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Payton Wainman recorded her first career hat trick to help lead No. 22 Penn State women's lacrosse to a 13-5 victory against Pitt to stay undefeated in the all-time series, 3-0, at Panzer Stadium Tuesday afternoon.
Penn State's win improves their record to 2-1 (0-0 Big Ten) while Pitt moves to 1-2 (0-0 ACC).
Head Coach Missy Doherty named senior captain Kristin O'Neill the Gritty Nitty Player of the Game. "Kristin was a force to be reckoned with all over the field. She was impactful on the offensive end, creating opportunities and finishing her shots. She also came up with key caused turnovers on the defensive end."
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Quarter – PSU 4, Pitt 0
Kristin O'Neill opened scoring for the Nittany Lions with a free position goal three minutes into the quarter, her eighth goal of the season.
Payton Wainman followed up with the team's second consecutive free position goal of the day and Kayla Abernathy scored less than a minute later with an assist from Kelly MacKinney.
With 4:11 left in the quarter, Wainman scored her second goal of the game off an O'Neill assist.
Second Quarter – PSU 7, Pitt 2
Lauren Saltz ran straight up the middle to notch her third goal of the season to get the second quarter started. Less than a minute later Brooke Hoss scored with an assist from Wainman.
Pitt's Emily Coughlin scored the team's first goal of the game with 8:28 left to go in the quarter.
O'Neill scored an unassisted man-up goal after the Panther's Jill Fenech received a green card, her second goal of the game.
With eight seconds left before halftime Ava Washington scored to give Pitt their second goal of the game.
Third Quarter – PSU 11, Pitt 3
After Hoss scored the Nittany Lion's third free position goal of the game two minutes into the quarter, O'Neill notched her third goal of the game and 23rd hat trick of her career with 12:37 left.
A minute later Wainman recorded a free position goal, her third goal of the game, and first hat trick of her career.
After Avery Moon scored Pitt's third goal of the game with 5:20 left in the quarter, the Panther's Megan Sheridan picked up a yellow card and O'Neill scored a man-up goal, her fourth goal of the game.
Fourth Quarter – PSU 13, Pitt 5
Emma Kelly continued the Nittany Lion's goal scoring efforts into the fourth quarter by notching a free position goal, her second goal of the season.
Pitt responded by scoring two goals a minute apart with an unassisted goal by Jenna Hendrickson as well as a goal by Maureen McNierney with 9:24 left.
Meghan Murray recorded her first goal of the game and fourth of the season with less than two minutes to go.
GAME NOTES
>> Goalkeeper Sydney Manning collected eight saves and two groundballs in the 60 minutes.
>> O'Neill notched her 23rd hat trick of her career.
>> Payton Wainman recorded her first hat trick of her career.
>> O'Neill notched four goals and Wainman recorded a hat trick to lead the Nittany Lion scoring efforts. Hoss scored two goals, while Abernathy, Kelly, Murray and Saltz each had one goal apiece.
>> Penn State held the advantage over Pitt on shots 37-29.
>> The defense scooped up 20 ground balls over Pitt's eight.
>> Penn State recorded 12 caused turnovers, a season high.
UP NEXT
Penn State will wrap up their four-game home slate against Princeton Saturday, Feb. 24 at 1 p.m. for their Morgan's Message game.
