UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.; September 6, 2024 – The Penn State Nittany Lion field hockey team (0-3, 0-0 B1G), ranked No. 16 in the National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) Coaches Poll, lost a tough 4-1 game at No. 13 St. Joseph’s (2-1) in its first road action of the season. Senior Phia Gladieux scored for the third straight time in the non-conference contest in Philadelphia.
True freshman goalie Aby Deverka made a save on an early shot from St. Joseph’s Lily Santi as the Hawks began the game with some offensive pressure. St. Joseph’s maintained possession and forced the game’s first penalty corner at 9:30 and Deverka made another save off a Julia Duffhuis shot on the ensuing play. The teams traded bursts over the next five minutes before another SJU shot sailed high over the Penn State cage. Penn State was hit with two green cards within :30 of each other and the Hawks had a two player advantage with 4:00 left in the opening period. The Hawks forced another corner, Deverka notched another save and the Nittany Lion defense, anchored by freshman Morgan Snyder and graduate Julienne van Bekkum, held off the Hawks without giving up a goal. Deverka made another late save and fed the ball downfield, with the middies moving the action to the SJU circle and Drew Taylor launching Penn State’s first shot of the game at the 1:06 mark. Hawk keeper Marith Bijkerk made a save on the play, SJU returned action to the Lion end and reeled off a final shot that sailed wide. The first period ended scoreless.
The second period began with an even battle over the first five minutes. Neither team threatened the cage until the 10:06 mark when St. John’s forced a penalty corner. Deverka made a great save off an Allison Buffington shot to keep the game knotted in a 0-0 tie with 8:53 left in the first half. The two teams were even through the middle portion of the second stanza with neither Deverka nor Bijkerk tested through the 5:00 mark. But Penn State worked possession into the Hawk side and Lion senior Gerry Schnarrs got off a solid shot at 4:25 that went high. The Hawks then worked the ball into the Penn State circle on the break that followed and forced penalty stroke from the Nittany Lion defense. Hawk Lily Santi knocked the penalty shot past Deverka and St. Joseph’s led 1-0 with 3:27 left in the first half, a score that held until intermission.
St. Joseph’s outshot Penn State 9-2 I the first half and had a 4-0 advantage in corners. Deverka had five saves for the Nittany Lions, Bijkerk one for SJU.
Nittany Lion All-American Phia Gladieux tied the game quickly for Penn State, scoring just :29 into the third period, unassisted. Gladieux knocked a rebound in off a blocked crossing pass. Her goal, the third of the season for the senior in as many games, tied the game at 1-1 with 14:31 on the clock. Just 3:00 later, Deverka made another save on an Erick Culp shot, keeping the game tied with 11:20 left in the third. The Hawks forced a corner and Deverka knocked away another shot a minute later, and the game moved past the 10:00 mark still tied. St. Joseph’s continued to pressure the Lion cage, but Deverka and the PSU defense held as the clock moved to the 8:00 mark. SJU forced another corner with 5:45 on the clock but the ensuing shot was wide. The Hawks kept action on the Lion side, forcing Deverka into another save but SJU picked up a corner at 3:29. The Penn State defense stifled the effort, forcing a turnover and moved the ball downfield. Penn State true freshman Kerry O’Donnell launched a shot at Bijkerk, but the Hawk goalie was able to pick up the save and the game remain tied. A minute later, St. Joseph’s forced another corner, but the following shot was high. But the Hawks were able to connect in the ensuing action with Sol Borensztein scoring with 1:31 left in the period to put SJU on top 2-1.
The fourth period began with St. Joseph’s picking up a green card at the 12:39 mark, giving Penn State a player advantage. The Hawks were able to kill off the penalty and continued into the third period holding a one-goal lead. The teams battled through the 10:00 mark before SJU forced another corner. Deverka picked up the save once again to keep the game close with 8:38 left to play. St. Joseph’s was able to pick up another penalty corner a few minutes later and then connected on the following play. Erika Culp scored off a Santi assist with 5:19 left in the game to give the Hawks a 3-1 lead. The homestanding Hawks were able to ice the game minutes later with a fourth goal, this one once again off a corner set with Julia Duffhuis scoring with 2:36 on the clock. The two teams traded penalty corners over the final minutes with no scoring and St. Joseph’s posted the 4-1 win.
St. Joseph’s outshot Penn State 22-4 on the day and had a 13-1 advantage in penalty corners. Deverka had 10 saves for the Nittany Lions while Bijkerk had two for SJU.
Penn State is now 0-3, 0-0 B1G. St. Joseph’s improves to 2-1. The Nittany Lions continue road play on Sunday, Sept. 8, with a 12 p.m. game at Delaware.
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 0 1 0 1
St. Joseph’s 0 1 1 2 4
STATS: PSU SJU
Shots 4 22
Corners 1 13
SCORING SUMMARY (goal/assist) – TIME
2nd: SJU – Lily Santi (penalty stroke); 3:27
3rd: PSU – Phia Gladieux (unassisted); 14:31
3rd: SJU – Sol Borensztein (Manu Ghigliotti); 1:31
4th: SJU – Erika Culp (Lily Santi); 5:19
4th: SJU – Julia Duffhuis (Kate Crist); 2:36
GOALKEEPERS: MIN GA S
PSU: Aby Deverka 60:00 4 10
SJU: Marith Bijkerk 60:00 1 2