EVANSTON, Ill. – Northwestern’s defense allowed just one Penn State goal in three different quarters to keep the PSU’s attack at bay in a 16-7 defeat for the Nittany Lions on Sunday evening in Ryan Fieldhouse. With the loss, Penn State moves to 2-7, (0-2 Big Ten) while Northwestern improves to 7-1 (1-0 Big Ten).
Erika Ho led the Nittany Lions with four points on a hat trick and an assist. Kelly MacKinney, Booke Hoss, and Brooke Long each added a goal and an assist. Maggie Rezza rounded out the scorers in blue and white with her second career goal. Ho had a day at the draw, securing 11 of Penn States 16 wins, and securing more draws herself than Northwestern did as a team.
The 16-10 differential at the draw marks the first time this season that Northwestern lost the battle at the X.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Quarter 1 – Penn State 1, Northwestern 4
Northwestern opened the scoring for the afternoon with a goal just over four minutes into the contest, but Erika Ho had the answer to knot things up at one at the 8:23 mark.
Northwestern remained in control though, scoring three more times before the end of the quarter.
Quarter 2 – Penn State 2, Northwestern 10
The Wildcats improved their lead to four less than a minute into the second quarter before Maggie Rezza notched her second-career goal to get PSU back within four.
The ‘Cats scored five time unanswered to build the lead out to eight by halftime.
Quarter 3 – Penn State 6, Northwestern 13
Northwestern opened the scoring for the third straight quarter, but Ho and Kelly MacKinney combined for Penn State’s first back-to-back goals of the afternoon.
Wildcat Niki Miles pushed the NU Lead back to eight, but Ho and Brooke Hoss put away consecutive scored to drop the deficit back down to six. Madison Taylor net fifth of six goals to get the NU lead back to seven before the end of the third.
Quarter 4 – Penn State 7, Northwestern 16
Penn State finally struck first in the fourth quarter, but it was the last time PSU found the net while NU tacked on three more for good measure, ensuring a nine-goal victory for Northwestern
NUMBERS TO KNOW
- Freshman Maggie Rezza scored her second career goal in the contest.
- Erika Ho’s 11 draw controls mark the second most single-game wins of her career.
- Freshman Brook Long has three points in her career. All three have come against nationally ranked opponents.
UP NEXT
The Nittany Lions will remain on the road when the team travels to Eugene, Oregon to take on the Oregon Ducks on Sunday, March 23 in the teams’ first ever meeting. First draw at Pape Field is scheduled for 4 p.m. on Big Ten Network.