No. 11 Penn State field hockey (2-1) defeated Albany (1-2) Saturday afternoon by a score of 6-2.

Goals from four different players gave the Nittany Lions a comfortable advantage as they locked up their second win of the season. With the win, Penn State remains undefeated against Albany all-time, now advancing to 4-0 against the Great Danes.

How It Happened

Penn State started with its foot on the gas, as Grace Wallis scored her first goal of the season three minutes in.

The Nittany Lions doubled their lead four minutes later when Sophia Gladieux registered her third goal of the season. Seconds later, Carly Gannon scored the third goal, all before Albany had even registered a shot.

Penn State finished the quarter without giving Albany any room for success. After fifteen minutes, the Nittany Lions led in shots 9-1 and penalty corners 3-1.

The Great Danes were able to get on the board early on in the second quarter, scoring less than two minutes in. Four minutes later, Albany’s Sophia Schoonmaker worked the game back to one score with a shot from the side of the goal.

The second quarter served as a massive turnaround for the home side. After getting dominated in the first quarter, Albany worked its way back into the matchup. While their shots didn’t stand out against the Nittany Lions, the Great Danes were the only ones who scored, the only stat that counts.

Penn State worked regained some control of the game in the third quarter, challenging Albany with solid shots early on. Eventually, Gladieux scored her second goal of the game and gave the Nittany Lions a 4-2 lead nine minutes into the quarter. Four minutes later, Gladieux earned a hat trick, giving Penn State another clear advantage on the road.

Penn State didn’t slow down in the fourth quarter, as Jemma Punch registered the team’s sixth goal. Punch’s goal finished the scoring for the game as neither team registered a shot afterward.

Takeaways

• Quite frankly, Gladieux is nice with it. Her hat trick was massive in propelling the Nittany Lions to victory, and her five goals on the year have made her Penn State’s prolific scorer. Add her two assists, and it’s tough to imagine this offense’s early season success without her.
• Penn State learned from its mistakes, folks. After allowing the second quarter to get away from them, the Nittany Lions rebounded in the third and fourth and allowed its opponents no room to succeed, which led to a comfortable victory.

What’s Next

The Nittany Lions will return to Pennsylvania for a matchup at St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia at 4 p.m. on Friday, September 9.