Penn State (3-2-1, 1-0 Big Ten) came into Jeffrey Field Tuesday night to open Big Ten play in the Fourth Annual Mack Brady Match against Ohio State. The reigning Big Ten Champion Buckeyes (1-5-0, 1-1 Big Ten) are coming off their first win of the year against Northwestern. The Nittany Lions were trying to bounce back from their recent loss against Saint Francis and managed to have a strong first half against the Buckeyes to come away with the 4-2 victory.

How It Happened

Mason Klerks opened the scoring right off the jump from deep outside the box in the first minute of the game for his first goal of the season.

That didn't take long! @PennStateMSOC scores in the first minute on a DEEP strike! #B1GMSOC https://t.co/ew1AHAn920

— B1G+ (@BigTenPlus) September 13, 2016

The action slowed briefly after the quick strike from the Nittany Lions until Connor Maloney put a move on a Buckeye defender in the 21st minute to create a scoring chance that sailed high and wide. Ohio State had a shot bounce off the post following Maloney’s chance which led to their first corner of the game.

Klerks wasn’t satisfied with only one goal. In the 26th minute Klerks scored with the header after a free kick in the short corner from Maloney to make it 2-0. Quickly after, Maloney added a goal of his own via penalty kick after being fouled in the 27th minute to take a commanding 3-0 lead.

In the 30th minute, Ohio State had a chance to cut into the Penn State advantage thanks to a penalty kick, but the freshman goalkeeper Arie Amman made a huge diving save on Yaw Amankwa to keep it 3-0.

Late in the first half, Ohio State turned the ball over near midfield to Maloney who set up junior forward Aymar Sigue for the breakaway goal to extend Penn State’s lead to 4-0 in the 42nd minute.

It was a very slow start to the second half until Ohio State’s Austin Bergstrom scored on a penalty kick in the 66th minute of the game to make the score 4-1. Two minutes later, the Buckeyes followed up with another goal from Abdi Mohamed on a free kick from outside the box. Penn State quickly brought back in Maloney after subbing him out in in the 65th minute.

Ohio State had a great look to cut the score to one from a free kick after a yellow card was assessed to Penn State’s Dani Marks in the 76th minute, but Mohamed’s shot went high for the Buckeyes.

Penn State clamped down defensively in the final portion of the game to hold on for the 4-2 victory.

Player Of The Game

Connor Maloney | Forward | Senior

Maloney was a factor in all four of Penn State’s goals tallying a goal and three assists to lead the Nittany Lions past the Buckeyes.

What’s Next

The Nittany Lions are back in action Sunday on the road against No. 4 Maryland. Kick off in College Park is at 5 p.m.