No. 16 Penn State field hockey (4-3, 0-1 Big Ten) lost to Lafayette (5-3, 1-0 Patriot League) on the road Sunday, 3-2 in the shootout.

The Nittany Lions climbed back from an early deficit but gave up a last-minute equalizer before ultimately dropping the game.

How It Happened

Penn State earned the game’s first opportunity midway through the first quarter, as Joji Purdy’s shot was blocked after a penalty corner. Lafayette responded with a cover of its own moments later but couldn’t capitalize.

The Nittany Lions kept pressing and earned another corner at 11:38, but Lafayette goalie Raffi Fragomeni came up with the save of Natalie Freeman to keep things scoreless.

Lafayette broke through with the game’s first goal with 7:37 left in the quarter when Lena Thedrian converted off passes from Lea Good and Katie Gibb to put the Leopards up 1-0.

Penn State looked to answer, but Lafayette nearly doubled its lead as Good fired a shot wide with under two to play in the frame.

The Nittany Lions evened the score early in the second quarter when Freeman buried a shot off a feed from Brooke Weaver to tie the game 1-1.

Penn State pushed for a go-ahead goal ate in the half, with Ella Jennes forcing Fragomeni to make the save with just over a minute on the clock. The ensuing penalty corner for the Nittany Lions was unsuccessful, keeping things tied heading into halftime.

Freeman gave Penn State an early chance in the second half, firing a shot that Fragomeni turned away just four minutes into the third quarter. The Leopards nearly answered at the other end, earning a penalty corner, but their shot went wide.

Momentum shifted midway through the quarter when Morgan Snyder stepped up to a penalty stroke and buried her first goal of the season to put the Nittany Lions ahead 2-1 with 7:22 left in the quarter.

The fourth quarter opened with a wide look for Purdy before both sides traded green cards. Lafayette’s Linda Nova and Penn State’s Rennes were both sent off.

Opportunities came midway through the frame as Olivia Marthins tested Fragomeni with a close shot, but it was turned away. Purdy followed with another chance minutes later, only for her shot to be blocked.

Lafayette stunned Penn State in the final minute, as Lauren Kurek capitalized on a penalty corner, burying the equalizer with just 37 seconds left to make it 2-2.

The first overtime opened with Lafayette earning an early corner, but Josephine van Wijk’s shot was blocked. Penn State tried to answer, as Brooke Weaver forced Fragomeni into a save less than a minute later. Both defenses tightened up, and neither side managed to net the golden goal.

The second overtime opened with Cooper Hutchins forcing Fragomeni into a save. The Nittany Lions piled on more pressure minutes later with shots from Snyder and Freeman, but both shorts were turned away.

Lafayette nearly stole it back on the counter, but Deverka stopped Good’s shot and the follow-up was also denied. Neither team could find the back of the net across both overtime periods, sending the game into penalty strokes.

The shootout opened with Lafayette’s Stella Malinowski converting to give the Leapord’s the early edge. Sophia Mannino responded for Penn State, burying her attempt to even the score.

Both goalies came up with the stops in the second, third, and fourth rounds.

With the score still tied heading into the final round, Good put the pressure on by scoring against Deverka. Purdy stepped up, but Fragomeni came up with the stop to clinch a 2-1 shootout win for Lafayette.

Takeaways

• Penn State was 37 seconds away from closing out a win on the road, but a defensive breakdown on a Lafayette penalty corner allowed the Leapords to win the game.
• Despite another strong effort from Deverka in goal, the Nittany Lions couldn’t convert enough in the shootout out, with just one goal from Mannino.
• Penn State’s attack never found a rhythm, failing to generate chances in overtime before going dry in the shootout.

What’s Next?

The Nittany Lions will return home for a Big Ten showdown against Michigan State at 4 p.m. on Friday, September 26. The game will be nationally televised on BTN.