COLLEGE PARK, Md. – Despite a seven-goal push in the second half the No. 21 Penn State Nittany Lions (9-3, 1-2 Big Ten) fell in a tight contest to the No. 3 Maryland Terrapins (12-0, 4-0 Big Ten), 13-14, on Sunday afternoon at SECU Stadium.
Freshmen powered the Penn State performance. Rocquette Allen, the three-time Big Ten Freshman of the Week honoree, recorded a game-high five goals and six points to tie her career-high in both categories. Makenna Gagliardi, in her collegiate debut, found herself in the cage for relief during a yellow card and recorded saves with a 57.1% save rate, beating out Maryland’s Tewaaraton Watch List member JJ Suriano. Defender Susannah O’Connell tied for the game-high and her career-high with three caused turnovers.
In addition to the freshman, Kelly MacKinney and Tewaaraton Watch List honorees Erika Ho and Delaney Radin each put up three points. Cailin Hetrick registered two ground balls and a caused turnover while senior captain Lauren Tinson switched it up with two caused turnovers and a ground ball. Sydney Manning, before her yellow card, recorded six saves a 42.9% save rate.
KEY PERFORMANCES
- Rocquette Allen – five goals, one assist, six points
- Makenna Gagliardi – eight saves, 57.1% save rate, one ground ball
- Erika Ho – two goals, one assist, three points, one draw control
- Kelly MacKinney – three goals, three points
- Delaney Radin – one goal, two assists, three points
- Susannah O’Connell – three caused turnovers
- Cailin Hetrick – two ground balls, one caused turnover
- Lauren Tinson – one ground ball, two caused turnovers
FIRST QUARTER | PSU 2 – Maryland 4
Maryland secured the opening possession and the first goal of the game. Despite the quick start by the Terrapins, Emma Kelly was able to secure the next draw control and Ho was able to score off an unassisted heater. Kelly was able to secure a second consecutive draw, but the Nittany Lions were unable to convert on the ensuing offensive possession. A stringent Penn State defense forced a pair of stops on the Maryland offense before Anna Salerno was able to score off an assist from Ho. The Terrapins were able to score on the team’s next possession, but Kelly was able to set up the Penn State offense by winning the ensuing draw. The Nittany Lions offense took nearly two minutes off the clock but were unable to score while Maryland scored in the immediate next possession. The Terrapins were able to string back-to-back goals to close out the first frame.
SECOND QUARTER | PSU 6 – Maryland 9
Manning was able to save the Maryland shot to open the second stanza, but the Terrapins were able to force a clock violation by the Nittany Lions and scored a goal on the subsequent possession. Manning was able to save the shot on goal on the next possession and Allen was able to secure her first goal on the afternoon. A draw control victory by the Nittany Lions and a green card by the Maryland draw control unit led to MacKinney continuing the Penn State offensive run on a woman-up opportunity with Allen on the assist. The Terrapins stopped the bleeding with a goal on the next offensive possession, but a save by Manning and strong defense led to a clock violation. Radin would not let the opportunity pass her by and scored unassisted on spinning goal near the crease. Maryland scored next, but Allen would answer with a goal from the eight-meter. Manning registered a save on a Terrapin eight-meter, but a turnover led to a Maryland score. Manning recorded back-to-back saves but a yellow card from Manning led to a free position goal by the Terrapins. The freshman goalie, Gagliardi, came in as relief while Manning was held up with the card and recorded two incredible saves in her collegiate debut to close out the half.
THIRD QUARTER | PSU 10 – Maryland 13
Despite Maryland grabbing the opening draw control and a free-position attempt, the Penn State defense held strong and led to a quick clear-to-goal sequence to start the frame with MacKinney converting and Radin on the assist. Gagliardi continued her hot debut with another save and O’Connell caused a turnover that led to Payton Wainman securing her first goal of the contest with Radin on the assist yet again. Gagliardi continued to be a brick wall with another pair of saves, but Maryland finally broke through to register the team’s first goal of the half. After another save by the freshman on the ensuing possession, Ho was able to score her second of the afternoon, unassisted. Hetrick forced the turnover during the draw control battle, but Penn State was unable to convert on a free position attempt and the Terrapins were able to score. Maryland recorded another goal, this time from the eight-meter, but Allen was able to answer quickly with a goal of her own. Maryland answered back, but Gagliardi registered another save to finish the quarter.
FOURTH QUARTER | PSU 13 – Maryland 14
MacKinney opened up scoring in the final frame for Penn State from the eight-meter, but Maryland was able to answer from the line soon after. The two teams were locked in a defensive struggle for the next three scoreless minutes, before Allen made a goal-of-the-year candidate with a sitting down, behind the back goal. Defenses held strong again for the next five minutes, but Allen was able to break through again to make it a one score game. Despite strong defense and a chance late, Penn State was unable to score again and lost in a tight contest, 13-14.
POSTGAME NOTES
- Penn State’s offense held Maryland’s JJ Suriano to her second-lowest save percentage of the season (.350).
- Allen’s five goals and six points tied her career-high in both categories and set new career-highs against Big Ten opponents in both categories.
- The 13 goals that Penn State scored was the second-most allowed by Maryland all season.
UP NEXT
The Nittany Lions will close out the two-game road trip on Sunday, April 5 at 12 p.m. to take on the Ohio State Buckeyes in Columbus, Ohio. Penn State next plays at home on April 9th at 8 p.m. against the Oregon Ducks on the Big Ten Network.