Penn State field hockey (4-0) beat Albany (2-3) 3-1 Friday afternoon in Happy Valley.

Anna Simon slapped in two goals in Friday’s match to bring her season total to six. However, it was a defensive showdown on both sides that kept this game close.

How It Happened

The game started off with both teams going back and forth. The Great Danes had the first scoring opportunity, but a pass delivered to Lara Mortz was too long. The Nittany Lions started to gain momentum towards the end of the first quarter, and capped it off with the first goal of the match by Anna Simon.

Penn State kept it rolling and so did Simon, who got her second goal of the match off a corner mid-way through the second quarter. Minutes later, Simon had yet another opportunity off a corner, but a kick save from Lara Behn stopped her chance for a hat trick.

The Nittany Lions’ offense picked up where they left off in the second half. They got themselves in a great scoring chance thank’s to Jemma Punch’s dangles, but yet another great save from Behn stopped Penn State from increasing the lead. Just a few minutes later, the Great Danes got themselves on the board with a goal from Floor de Ruiter off a corner.

Defense, on both sides, controlled the majority of the fourth quarter. At the four-minute mark, Penn State separated itself with a goal from Mackenzie Allessie on a great assist from Kelsey Love and Meghan Reese. A last-ditch effort from Albany almost gave it life, but it was Penn State who came out on top thanks to solid defense the rest of the way.

Takeaways

• Despite allowing one goal, the Nittany Lions’ defense showed up to play. Elena Vos and Kelsey Love were a deadly duo that stopped Albany from getting any chances in the offensive zone. Keep an eye out for those two to set the standard on defense for the rest of the season.
• Anna Simon had herself another great game, adding two goals to make it six goals for the season. She took full advantage of corner opportunities, played great defense, and provided great leadership on the field. Penn State will continue to rely on games like this for her down the road.
• Penn State was tested with great defense from Albany. The Great Danes showed no signs of giving up, despite being down the whole game, and continued to push the offense to its limits. This was a great test for the Nittany Lions before the start of conference play next weekend.

What’s Next?

Penn State will stay in Happy Valley and hope to continue its win-streak against Delaware. The game will be at noon this Sunday at the Penn State Field Hockey Complex.