UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The No. 17 Penn State Nittany Lions (7-0) continued the team’s undefeated streak on Wednesday afternoon in Holuba Hall with a dominant win over Colgate (2-3), 20-8.
Delaney Radin led the offensive effort with an astounding nine points and tied the program record with eight assists, a record originally set by Marsha Florio against Princeton in 1985. Her eight assists tied the NCAA single-game-high this season with Allison Reilly of Army West Point and now has the two-highest single-game assist totals in the Big Ten this season alongside her Richmond game. Her nine points tied Madison Taylor and Emma Bradbury for the highest single-game points total in the Big Ten this season and tied for the 11th-highest single-game total in the NCAA. Kelly MacKinney followed up with an eight-point effort of her own with four goals, both the highest of her career, and four assists. Her effort was tied for the fourth-highest point total of the season by any Big Ten player alongside Madison Taylor, Jenna Soto and Ava Angello. Payton Wainman and Anna Salerno both netted four goals and reigning Big Ten Freshman of the Week, Rocquette Allen, had a pair of goals.
KEY PERFORMANCES
- Delaney Radin – one goals, eight assists, nine points
- Kelly MacKinney – four goals, four assists, eight points, four ground balls
- Anna Salerno – four goals
- Payton Wainman – four goals
- Rocquette Allen – two goals, two ground balls, one caused turnover
- Susannah O’Connell – three ground balls, one caused turnover
- Sydney Manning – eight saves
FIRST QUARTER
The Raiders struck first, the first time Penn State allowed another team to score first all year, but the Nittany Lions struck back hard. Radin scored her only goal of the day from the eight-meter and, less than two minutes later, Wainman netted her first goal of the afternoon off an Ellie Wisch assist. A minute after, Wainman cashed in another goal with Radin dishing out the assist. MacKinney grabbed her first goal shortly after with another assist by Radin. Salerno would score her first of four goals with Radin on the assist and MacKinney logged her second of the day after weaving her way through the defense to conclude the Penn State run at six goals. Wainman and MacKinney would each score one more time to both secure first quarter hat tricks with Radin on the assist for both, registering five throughout the first frame.
SECOND QUARTER
Just 11 seconds into the second, Salerno opened the scoring for the Nittany Lions. Both team’s defenses would hold strong for nine scoreless minutes before MacKinney was able to break through for the second Nittany Lion goal of the quarter and her fourth of the game. Allen notched her first goal of the day a minute later, unassisted, and Maddie Greco netted her fifth goal of the season with help from a MacKinney assist. Freshman Hannah Hoyt, off a Radin assist, scored the last Blue and White goal of the half to push the Penn State lead to 11, just before Colgate scored to end the second quarter.
THIRD QUARTER
The Nittany Lions and Raiders would trade goals throughout the third quarter. Allen struck first for Penn State in the second half with MacKinney on the assist for her 20th goal of the year with Colgate answering with an unassisted goal. Salerno, from the free position, secured her afternoon hat trick, the highest-goal total she’s had as a Nittany Lion, but the Raiders would end the quarter with a goal while woman-up.
FOURTH QUARTER
Colgate scored quickly into the fourth, but a draw control from O’Connell led to another free position goal from Salerno. While in a woman-up situation, Tewaaraton Watch List member, Erika Ho, was able to score with help from MacKinney. Wainman netted her 20th goal of the season off a Radin assist to keep the offensive pressure on Colgate. Sophomore Porter Rhoades secured her second goal of the season off a pass from MacKinney and freshman Anna Mellinger was able to score her first collegiate goal for the 20th goal of the day for the Nittany Lions.
UP NEXT
The Nittany Lions are headed to California for a week-long residency to take on San Diego State University on Sunday, March 8th at 3 p.m. and the team’s Big Ten opener against Southern California on Thursday, March 12 at 9 p.m.