Penn State field hockey drops second game in a row to No. 10 Syracuse

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.- The No.10 Syracuse Orange traveled to University Park on Sunday for their second game of the season against No. 16 Penn State and earned a 2-1 victory over the Nittany Lions.

Penn State started the game with an early shot followed by a penalty corner but could not put anything up on the scoreboard in the ensuing possession. The penalty corner yielded three total shot attempts from Ella Jennes and Sophia Mannino, but Louise Pert recorded the first of her three saves on the day within the first minute of play.

In the following five minutes, Syracuse took possession and earned themselves their first penalty corner of the day. While Penn State was able to clear it off the initial attempt, possession bounced back and forth and Midfielder Willemijn Boogert intercepted a pass in the attacking zone to open the scoring early in the first 6 minutes with a slap shot goal to the bottom left corner.

For the rest of the first quarter, both teams traded possession back and forth until Penn State secured a penalty corner in the closing moments, and Sophia Galdieux had her shot blocked as time was expiring in the first quarter.

In the second quarter, both teams struggled to find opportunities on goal, with only three total shots and a single penalty corner awarded to Penn State. Both goalkeepers made a save in the second quarter but neither team had a great opportunity to score a goal.

Vera Hekkenberg came in to replace Pert in the second half, but had no action until the fourth quarter. Both teams battled for possession throughout the third and Mannino earned a yellow card early, but neither side surrendered any shots recorded or penalty corners.

With their backs against the wall, Penn State got aggressive to start the fourth and earned a penalty corner.

Vera Hekkenberg saved Sophia Gladieux’s shot attempt following the corner, and the Orange quickly turned up the field and scored a counter-attacking goal off the stick of Bo Van Kempen.

Annabelle Vossenaar and Boogert both assisted on the insurance goal that ultimately ended up being the deciding factor in the game. Just three minutes after the Van Kempen goal, Gladieux got on the scoresheet for Penn State with a beautiful shot to the upper right corner.

Unfortunately, the Nittany Lions were only left with about seven minutes to come up with an equalizer, and Syracuse’s defensive pressure was excellent, preventing any threat to Penn State as they controlled possession to wrap up the game.

Penn State will travel to the East Coast next weekend to start a three-game road stretch. Their next game will be played on Friday in Philadelphia against St Joseph's, followed by a short trip to Newark Delaware on Sunday to face the Fightin’ Blue Hens.

Carson Schuler is a fourth-year majoring in broadcast journalism, to contact him please email cts5357@psu.edu