No. 15 Penn State field hockey (6-5, 4-2 Big Ten) split its series with Ohio State (4-8, 4-8 Big Ten) this weekend in Happy Valley.

The Nittany Lions took game one thanks to some stingy defensive play. Game two was more of the same, but a late goal for the Buckeyes was enough to steal a win before returning to Columbus.

Game One

The match opened up with both teams trading possessions ,but Penn State scored first, five minutes into the game. The goal came off a shot by none other than Sophia Gladieux. The Buckeyes continued to put pressure on Penn State through the rest of the first quarter, but fell short thanks to a few good saves by Brie Barraco.

Penn State’s defense continued to hold its ground as Ohio State pushed into its territory. The Buckeyes’ main problem the majority of the quarter was turnovers, and was one of the main reasons they couldn’t get anything going. The first penalty corner of the game was awarded to Ohio State, but it couldn’t convert as Penn State went into the half leading 1-0.

Just about a minute into the second half, Penn State struck again off a shot by Emma Spisak. Ohio State came back with back-to-back penalty corners, but Barraco came up big again with some more saves. Finally, on yet another penalty corner with four minutes remaining in the third period, Ohio State scored to shorten the lead to 2-1.

The two teams traded possessions and shots all throughout the fourth quarter, but the defenses came through. The fourth quarter came to a close as the Nittany Lions won 2-1.

Game Two

Ohio State got off to a fast start, scoring in the first two minutes of the game off of a penalty shot. However, it was the only offense for either side in the first period.

The Buckeyes got on the board again in the second quarter off of another penalty shot, extending the lead to 2-0. However, Sophia Gladieux put the Nittany Lions on the board immediately after, cutting the lead in half. It was a very strong defensive performance by both sides in the first half.

The third quarter showcased how good these teams are defensively. Penn State outshout Ohio State, and even had more corners, but it couldn’t find the back of the net. The Buckeyes, on the other hand, played very little time on the Nittany Lions’ side of the field. They were too busy trying to stop a Penn State push.

Goaltender Brie Barraco got the fourth period started with a couple big time saves. It looked like it was going to be another scoreless 15 minutes, when Bree Bednarski knocked in a shot off of a penalty quarter to tie the game. Neither team could break the tie, and the game went to overtime.

Overtime didn’t last long, however. In one minute and 13 seconds, the Buckeyes were able to knock in a shot to win the game. The final score was 3-2.

Takeaways 

• It seems as if Sophia Gladieux has her hand in just about every Penn State win this season. The freshman continues to go on a scoring rampage, and makes Penn State’s future look bright with her in the program. Gladieux is a rising star and makes this team extremely fun to watch.
• The defense looked really solid throughout most game two, but when it was needed most, it collapsed. Penn State has to become a more consistent defending team if it’s going to beat the better teams in the conference.

What’s Next?

Penn State will play in the Big Ten tournament in Iowa City, beginning April 21.