UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.; September 15, 2024 – The Penn State Nittany Lion field hockey team (3-3, 0-0 B1G) rallied late, scoring twice in the fourth quarter to post a 3-2 win over No. 15 Princeton (2-2) in non-conference field hockey action. Phia Gladieux tallied five points and Sophia Mannino scored late for the win at the Penn State Field Hockey Complex.
The Nittany Lions pushed the ball into the Princeton zone early after the opening whistle after an Ella Jennes steal. After a quick Princeton stop, Penn State regained possession and worked to keep the ball on the Tiger side of the field. Princeton once again held then moved the ball down to the Penn State side. After a Lion turnover, the Tigers found the back of the cage when Talia Schenck scored off a Beth Yaeger assist at the 12:15 mark. Penn State’s Gladieux nearly tied the score a minute later with a blistering backhand, but Princeton keeper Robyn Thompson made a nice save to keep the Lions off the board. The teams traded possessions through the 6:00 mark. Penn State picked up its first corner at the 4:55 mark. Gladieux’s shot off the first corner was blocked, leading to a second corner, then a third at 4:35. But Princeton held through all three sets. Princeton worked its way into the Lion circle for a corner at 1:33. But the Tiger shot off the play was wide, and the clock moved past 1:00. Penn State trailed 1-0 after the opening period.
The teams battled in the midfield through the first two minutes of the second period. The Tigers entered the Lion zone at 12:55. Penn State keeper Aby Deverka made a save on a quick Princeton shot and the Nittany Lions returned the ball to the Princeton side of the field. But the Tigers forced a turnover and regained possession at 11:30. Penn State battled and regained the ball with 9:35 on the clock as the teams continued to trade barbs in the middle of the field. Princeton moved into the Lion circle at 9:00 and pressed the Penn State defense. Yeager got off a solid shot for the Tigers, but Deverka swatted it aside to keep the Nittany Lions close. Madison Tambroni stopped a quick Tiger break and Morgan Snyder stopped a second as the period hit its midway point. The Tigers maintained possession until a turnover at 6:00 gave the ball back to Penn State. A long lift from Gery Schnarrs fed Gladieux behind the Tiger defense. The Lion senior dribbled left and launched a backhand to the upper right of the Tiger cage to tie the game at 1-1 with 5:41 on the clock. Penn State’s Natalie Freeman nearly gave the Lions the lead a minute later with a backhand of her own, but Thompson made the save. Carly Seal and the Penn State defense held off a late Tiger press and pushed the ball back to the Tiger side of the field. Princeton’s Yeager finished off a Tiger break late in the period, launching a backhand into the Lion cage at 0:15 to give Princeton a 2-1 lead at the break.
Princeton outshot Penn State 6-5 in the first half. Deverka had three saves for the Nittany lions while Thompson had two for the Tigers. Penn State owned a 3-1 edge in penalty corners over the first 30:00.
Princeton moved into the Lion zone early in the third where Schenck had a quick shot saved by Deverka. Princeton was able to pressure the Penn State defense for the first three minutes of the period, but the Nittany Lions held. Penn State had a brief push into the Tiger circle but did not threaten the cage. A quick Gladieux fast break was turned aside by the Tigers at the 9:30 mark. But Gladieux stole the ball seconds later to keep action in the Tiger zone. Princeton held and worked down to the Lion zone, getting off a couple shots that were blocked by Nittany Lion defenders. Deverka made a save on a Pru Lindsey shot to keep the Lions close at 4:00. Deverka made a kick save on a Schenck shot with 2:40 left in the period. Lion freshman Katelyn Strawser had a shot sail just wide at 1:05 after a Penn State break. Princeton then pressured the Lion zone for the final minute, but Penn State’s defense held, and the game moved to the fourth period with Princeton leading 2-1.
The two teams traded possessions over the first 4:00 and Gladieux go high with 11:30 on the clock. Penn State worked to keep the ball on the Princeton side of the field, but the Tigers grabbed the ball and pushed it to the other side of the field. Schnarrs blocked a hard Tiger shot with 10:45 on the clock to keep Penn State within one but the Tigers continued to pressure the Nittany Lion defense. Penn State forced a turnover and worked the ball into the Tiger circle. Thompson made a save on a tight Gladieux shot with just under 9:00 to play. But Gladieux kept up the pressure and tied the game at 2-2 with 7:14 on the clock. The senior drove down the right side of the field and rocketed the ball past Thompson for the tying goal, unassisted. Princeton forced a quick corner after they tying goal with 6:57 on the clock. Deverka made a diving save on the ensuing shot. The Nittany Lion defense held through the 6:00 mark as the Tigers pressured the cage. The tie score held into the final minutes of the period. Princeton was hit with a green card at 3:47, giving the Lions a player edge. Princeton was able to kill off the penalty as the clock moved below 2:00. A quick Tiger green card, however, with 1:47 on the clock, led to a Nittany Lion drive and a penalty corner with 1:20 to play. Penn State connected on the play. Sophia Mannino tipped a Gladieux pass (off a Tambroni set) into the cage with 1:14 to play and Penn State led for the first time, 3-2. Penn State was able to kill the final seconds and walked away with the come from behind 3-2 win.
“This was a huge win for this team,” said Penn State head coach Lisa Bervinchak Love. “Princeton is a talented team and we worked very hard to play with the grit and determination that was showcased today. I felt like we played a great first half but just couldn’t capitalize. After a shaky start to the third period, I was very pleased with how we settled down, turned up the pressure and attacked the cage. It was great to get that late goal, payoff for a well-played fourth quarter.”
Princeton owned a 13-10 edge in shots on goal, but the Nittany Lions had a 4-2 lead in corners. Deverka came up big in the second half for Penn State and collected seven saves in total. Thompson had three for Princeton.
Penn State is now 3-3, 0-0 B1G. Princeton falls to 2-2. The Nittany Lions travel to Bucknell next Sunday, Sept. 22, in their next contest.
Fans are encouraged to follow the Nittany Lion field hockey team online at www.GoPSUsports.com (click teams, click field hockey), on X and IG @pennstateFH and on facebook at www.facebook.com/pennstatefieldhockey.
GAME BREAKDOWN
SCORING: 1 2 3 4 FINAL
PENN STATE 0 1 0 2 3
Princeton 1 1 0 0 2
STATS: PSU PRIN
Shots 10 13
Corners 4 2
SCORING SUMMARY (goal/assist) – TIME
1st: PRIN: Talia Schenck (Beth Yeager); 12:15
2nd: PSU: Phia Gladieux (unassisted); 5:41
2nd: PRIN: Beth Yeager (unassisted); 0:15
4th: PSU: Phia Gladieux (unassisted); 7:14
GOALKEEPERS: MIN GA S
PSU: Aby Deverka 60:00 2 7
PRIN: Robyn Thompson 58:46 3 3
TEAM 1:14 0 0