UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.; – The Penn State Nittany Lion field hockey team (7-10, 2-6 B1G) lost a hard fought 4-2 game to No. 18 Rutgers (9-8, 4-4 B1G) in the regular season finale for both teams on Friday night. Ella Jennes and Natalie Freeman scored for the Nittany Lions.
Rutgers forced an early penalty corner at 12:52 and the Nittany Lion defense blocked the ensuing shot. The Scarlet Knights kept the pressure on Penn State’s defense and Olivia de Zwaan scored unassisted at 10:50 to give Rutgers and early 1-0 lead. Rutgers picked up another corner at 9:29. The Knights connected on the play with Olivia Fraticelli scoring at 9:25. The visitors then scored a quick third goal with Sophie Kuiper scoring at 8:10 to give RU an 3-0 lead. Penn State got on the board late in the first with Natalie Freeman tipping in a hard pass from Lara Pyle at 1:52 to cut the lead to 3-1 at the end of the opening period.
The second period began with Rutgers working the ball down to the Lion circle and Penn State keeper Aby Deverka swatting a Knight pass aside. Rutgers forced a corner at 8:07 and the Lion defense blocked the following shot. The Nittany Lion worked action to the Rutgers sides and Ella Jennes scored unassisted at the 5:01 mark to cut the Knight lead to 3-2 in the second. Rutgers gave up a green cad at the 3:01 mark and then a yellow at 2:37, giving Penn Stater a two player edge. Rutgers killed off the first penalty and then Penn State gave up a yellow card with just :11 on the clock, evening up the sides and sending the game to the halftime break with Rutgers leading 3-2.
Penn State began the third period by forcing a corner at 14:09. Rutgers keeper Emily Nicholls made a save on the Jennes shot and the game continued with the Nittany Lions trailing by one. Rutgers worked the ball into the Penn State circle and forced a penalty stroke at 11:29. Paulina Niklaus connected on the shot and Rutgers led 4-2. Rutgers gave up a green card at 7:02. Nicholls made a save on a hard Joji Purdy backhand at 5:20 as Penn State worked to cut into the lead. Deverka made a kick save on a Knight shot in the final seconds of the period and Penn State trailed 4-2 after three.
Rutgers began the fourth quarter by forcing a corner at 13:05 and Penn State blocked the shot that followed. Rutgers was hit with a yellow card at 10:31. Penn State spent the next 5:00 working in the RU circle but could not break through the Knight defense. Penn State battled through the final period, but Rutgers was able to keep the Lions from finding the back of the cage and Rutgers posted the 4-2 win.
“I’m proud of how the team bounced back from the hole we were in after the first period,” said head coach Lisa Bervinchak Love. “They stuck together and made me Penn State proud tonight with how hard they fought down the stretch.”
Rutgers outshot Penn State 11-10 and had a 4-1 edge in corners. Deverka had two saves for Penn State while Nicholls had four for Rutgers.
Penn State ends its season at 7-10, 2-6 in the Big Ten. Rutgers improves to 9-8, 4-4 B1G.
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 FINALS
Penn State 1 1 0 0 2
Rutgers 3 0 1 0 4
STATS: PSU RU
Shots 10 11
Corners 1 4
SCORING SUMMARY (goal/assist) – TIME
1st: RU – Olivia de Zwaan (unassisted); 10:50
1st: RU – Olivia Fraticelli )Anna Cogdell); 9:25
1st: RU – Sophie Kuiper (unassisted); 8:10
1st:: PSU – Natalie Freeman (Lara Pyle); 1:52
2nd: PSU – Ella Jennes (unassisted); 5:01
3rd: RU -- Paulina Niklaus (penalty stroke); 11:29
GOALKEEPERS: MIN GA S
PSU: Aby Deverka 60:00 4 2
RU: Emily Nicholls 60:00 2 4