PHILADELPHIA – The No. 21 Penn State Nittany Lions (5-0) used a first half shutout and 12 goal lead going into the second half to dominate the Drexel Dragons (2-0), 16-3. Penn State’s 5-0 start is the longest undefeated start to a season since 2017, when the Blue and White started 7-0. The win also breaks a two-game losing streak that the Nittany Lions had to the Dragons.
Penn State’s offense and defense shined in the first half, culminating in a 12-0 lead and the first first-half shutout by the Nittany Lions since a 2023 victory over Ohio State, 13-3. Payton Wainman led the way for the offense with a career-high five goals and six points while adding an assist. Anna Salerno scored two goals for the second time as a Nittany Lion and Emma Kelly wo double-digit draws for the second time this season. Rocquette Allen netted a goal and posted a game and career-high three assists while Delaney Radin scored twice and dished out a pair of assists. Sydney Manning, who was the backstop for the first half, notched four saves for a perfect half while Maggie Driver and Susannah O’Connell each caused two turnovers and picked up three and two ground balls, respectively.
KEY PERFORMANCES
- Payton Wainman – five goals, one assist, three ground balls, one caused turnover
- Anna Salerno – two goals, two draw controls
- Emma Kelly – one goal, ten draw controls
- Rocquette Allen – one goals, three assists, four points, two ground balls, one caused turnover
- Delaney Radin – two goals, two assists, four points
- Sydney Manning – four saves, 100% save rate
- Maggie Driver – three ground balls, two caused turnovers
- Susannah O’Connell – two ground balls, two caused turnovers
FIRST QUARTER
The Penn State offense exploded in the first quarter. Immediately after the first draw was recovered by Salerno, a pass to Maddie Greco just past the restraining line led to her sprinting to net the first goal of the day. On the next Drexel possession, the defense clamped down with Julia Basciano causing a turnover. Drexel would have good defense on its next possession, but Wainman caused a turnover and picked up a ground ball, eventually leading to an Ellie Wisch goal. Radin, after a Maggie Driver caused turnover, scored on a twizzler down low just outside the crease to keep up the Penn State momentum. Less than a minute after that, Radin connected with freshman Rocquette Allen to keep up the scoring blitz by the Nittany Lions. Allen caused a turnover on the next draw control and Salerno scored on a free-position shot from the eight-meter. Less than 30 seconds later, Wainman, on a pass from Radin, scored her first of the contest. In a freshman-to-freshman connection, Hannah Hoyt’s pass to Elizabeth Anné led to E. Anné’s first goal of her career with Hoyt securing her first assist. Salerno scored another from the eight-meter line to close out the first quarter with the Nittany Lions leading, 8-0.
SECOND QUARTER
Good defense by both squads dictated the start of the second frame. Drexel’s first two possessions were held scoreless while Penn State’s first was unable to cash in. E. Anné, off a pass from Allen, was able to stop the nearly-four minute scoring drought in the opening of the quarter. Captain Kelly MacKinney, off another pass by Allen, was able to net her first of the contest to push the Nittany Lion lead to 10. Wainman, after a non-releasable yellow card on Drexel, scored from the eight-meter and again in the next possession, this time off an assist by Allen, just under a minute and a half after her previous goal to secure the opening half hat trick. Penn State led going into the second half, 12-0.
THIRD QUARTER
Kelly would be the only Penn State player to score in the quarter off an eight-meter free position goal on the Nittany Lions’ opening possession of the half. The Dragons would score twice in the quarter, breaking the first half shutout with nine minutes left in the frame.
FOURTH QUARTER
Wainman continued her dominant day of scoring with her fourth goal of the morning off a MacKinney assist. The senior, Wainman, netted her career-high fifth goal of the contest from the eight-meter after a pair of fouls from Drexel. The Dragons would score the team’s third and final goal of the day halfway into the fourth quarter, but Radin, on a beautiful behind the back shot, scored the final goal of the day.
POSTGAME NOTES
- Penn State’s 5-0 start is the longest undefeated start to a season since 2017, when the Blue and White started 7-0.
- The Nittany Lions held a shutout until nine minutes into the third quarter. The first half shutout is the first since 2023 against the Buckeyes.
- The 13-goal victory is the tied for the biggest margin of victory ever against Drexel and is the highest ever against Drexel in Philadelphia. Outside of the City of Brotherly Love, the last time Penn State defeated the Dragons by at least 13 was in 2018, 22-9.
- Wainman’s five goals are a new career-high and is tied with Allen for the most in a single game this season.
- The Nittany Lions outshot the Dragons, 30-16, with two-thirds of Penn State’s shots being on goal.
- Penn State doubled up Drexel in the draw circle, winning 14 compared to the Dragons’ 7.
UP NEXT
The Nittany Lions head up to Ithaca, N.Y. to take on the Cornell Big Red on Saturday, February 28th at 3 p.m. at Schoellkopf Field. Penn State next plays in University Park on Wednesday, March 4th at 12 p.m. against the Colgate Raiders for the team’s Pride game. The venue for the March contest will be announced soon.