UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Nicole Crane entered her name into the history books with the 26th hat trick in Penn State women’s soccer history on Sunday afternoon at Jeffrey Field. The redshirt freshman forward powered the Nittany Lions to a 6-0 victory over Brown on Senior Day to move PSU to 2-0 on home grass with wins by a combined score of 11-0.
Crane scored twice in the first half before reaching the historic milestone with just under 15 minutes left in the final frame. Her first goal came off a ball that bounced over the keeper’s head for a tap in while her second was a well-placed header off a free kick from junior defender Bella Ayscue. She notched her third score thanks to some timely passing from freshman forward Marthe Hens and senior defender Kaelyn Wolfe just 20 seconds later.
The program celebrated six seniors prior to the start of Sunday’s contest: Defender Lily Boyden, goalkeeper Mackenzie Gress, defender Kayleigh Herr, forward Paige Kalal, midfielder Molly Martin, and Wolfe.
The match against the Bears was the third consecutive match where a Nittany Lion freshman secured their first collegiate goal in their first career start. Forward Ellie Kocher tallied her first with a rocket to the back of the net in the second half. Forward Anna Babcock notched her first during the contest against West Virginia while midfielder Paige Pasinski scored her first against Bucknell.
Freshmen forwards Olivia Robinson and Marthe Hens earned the first points of their collegiate careers with assists. Boyden tallied the first assist of her Penn State career on Kocher’s goal.
Redshirt sophomore defender Lilly Burger tallied her second goal of the season in similar fashion to her first against Bucknell on Thursday as she headed one in off a corner kick. Ayscue was the first Nittany Lion to score in the match as she capitalized on a penalty kick for her first of the season.
Penn State outshot the Bears, 15-11, and held a significant edge in shots on goal with 11 compared to five. Kocher and Crane led the way with three shots each. Gress collected two saves in the contest before being relieved by freshman Lily Selvy who made two more saves to complete the second straight shutout for the Blue & White.
FIRST HALF
Soon after the first whistle, a true battle for possession began between the Nittany Lions and the Bears. Brown goalkeeper Gurleen Toor collected two early saves after Kalal and Herr peppered shots at the net. Ayscue opened the scoring with a penalty kick goal to the bottom left of the goal at the 26:15 mark, securing her first score of the season.
Crane registered her first goal of the contest after Robinson got in front of a Brown pass attempt that sailed over the keeper’s head for a tap in. The goal by Crane marked the first of her collegiate career at the 37:26 mark of the frame.
Just a few minutes later, Ayscue lined up for a dangerous free kick in the attacking zone. Her service connected with Crane for an impressive header that was placed perfectly off the crossbar and into the net to give PSU a 3-0 edge at the break.
SECOND HALF
Penn State did not take long to add to its lead early in the second half as Kocher captured her first career goal with a laser from inside the box at the 53:39 mark of the contest. Her goal was assisted by some clean passing from junior forward Aubrey Kulpa and Boyden.
The Blue & White kept the momentum going at the 75:36 mark when Burger headed in her second goal off a corner kick in as many matches off a service from Pasinski.
The Bears had no time to react as Wolfe and Hens positioned Crane to return to the net once again just 20 seconds later. Hens sent the ball down field before a cross from Wolfe found Crane for the 26th hat trick in program history.
Two saves from Selvy with under 10 minutes to play kept Brown off the scoreboard to preserve back-to-back clean sheets for the Blue & White at Jeffrey Field.
SCORING SUMMARY
27’ - PSU 1, BROWN 0: Bella Ayscue (1).
38’ - PSU 2, BROWN 0: Nicole Crane (1). Assisted by Olivia Robinson (1).
41’ - PSU 3, BROWN 0: Nicole Crane (2). Assisted by Bella Ayscue (2).
54’ - PSU 4, BROWN 0: Ellie Kocher (1). Assisted by Aubrey Kulpa (3) and Lily Boyden (1).
76’ - PSU 5, BROWN 0: Lilly Burger (2). Assisted by Paige Pasinski (1).
76’ - PSU 6, BROWN 0: Nicole Crane (3). Assisted by Kaelyn Wolfe (1) and Marthe Hens (1).
UP NEXT
Penn State will close out a three-match homestand and nonconference play when the Nittany Lions welcome Virginia Tech to Jeffrey Field on Thursday, September 3. The contest is slated for a 7:30 p.m. (ET) start in Happy Valley with a live stream on B1G+.
FOLLOW THE NITTANY LIONS
Visit GoPSUSports.com for more information on Penn State women’s soccer. Fans can keep up to date with the Nittany Lion women’s soccer team on X and Instagram @PennStateWSOC, in addition to the team’s Facebook page at /PSUWomensSoccer.