Penn State field hockey (3-1, 0-0 Big Ten) defeated the Delaware Blue Hens (1-2, 0-0 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation) 2-1 at home on Sunday afternoon.

Ella Gaitan scored both goals for Penn State, one from a penalty corner and another from inside the circle. On the other side of the field, Aby Deverka made nine saves, including a few late in the game that upheld Penn State’s one-goal lead.

How It Happened

The Blue Hens started with the center pass, playing it to their back line, and then dumping it into Penn State’s half of the field. However, the Nittany Lions established their offense first after an infraction gave them possession.

Both teams attempted to find their game plan in the first few minutes, and Delaware was the first to threaten. Katie Clarke dribbled into the left side of the circle, firing a worm-burner towards Deverka that the Penn State goalkeeper kicked away.

The Blue Hens continued to attack, as Penn State couldn’t get a clean clear until the six-minute mark. The Nittany Lions brought their clear into the shooting circle and earned a penalty corner after review, which they were unable to convert, but Penn State continued to pressure Delaware’s defense.

With three minutes remaining, Penn State earned a pair of penalty corners. The second one resulted in a wide shot off Gaitan’s stick, which gave Delaware time to collect itself.

The Blue Hens scrambled the Nittany Lions’ defense and got their first penalty corner of the match with less than two minutes remaining in the frame. Delaware’s shot was deflected far left, leaving no rebound opportunity.

Opening the second quarter, Penn State developed a scoring chance with a through ball from Sienna Dunn to Gaitan. Gaitan was fouled in the shooting circle and given a penalty corner. The junior forward took the shot and buried it off the right post, putting Penn State ahead 1-0.

A few minutes into the quarter, Delaware got a penalty corner, but it was misplayed. Penn State took the ball downfield. Natalie Freeman barely missed a centering pass, but minutes later, the Nittany Lions got a penalty corner. Joji Purdy rang her shot off the left post, and the Blue Hens took possession.

They ran time off the clock trying to set up an offense in Penn State’s territory, but to no avail. The Nittany Lions controlled possession until the end of the first half.

Opening the second half with the center pass, Delaware played it to its backline again. It earned a penalty corner a minute into the half, and Alexa Michielsen buried it with a shot from deep.

No more than two minutes later, Gaitan got her second of the game, flicking it by the Blue Hens’ goalkeeper after receiving a pass inside the circle from Chloe D’Hage.

The teams exchanged possession for the majority of the third quarter, with no team dominating control, until Penn State had a breakaway play.

Gaitan fed Olivia Marthins in a two-on-one. Marthins gave it back, and Gaitan flicked the ball in the air, needing a slight redirection to find the back of the net. Freeman came sprinting downfield and just barely missed the deflection left of the net.

With a 2-1 lead, Penn State continued to attack the Blue Hens while trying to control any counterattacks. However, Delaware launched a counter and got Deverka out of position. The shot sailed past the right side of the net, and Penn State continued to pressure.

The Blue Hens got consecutive penalty corners with ten minutes remaining in the game. Deverka made a split-save, and her defensemen cleared the ball downfield, allowing Penn State to earn two penalty corners of its own.

They did not convert on either corner, but dominated ball control in the middle minutes of the final frame. The Nittany Lions continued to play fast and aggressively, which led to a few turnovers, giving Delaware solid looks with under five minutes remaining.

At the 57-minute mark, the Blue Hens pulled their goalie, but time expired on their comeback attempt, and Penn State pulled out a 2-1 victory.

Takeaways

• The uptightness Penn State played with against Virginia and early on against Villanova was nowhere to be found against the Blue Hens. The Nittany Lions played fast and aggressive in all four quarters, even when it may have been better to play it backwards and run the clock out late in the match.
• Ella Gaitan has been a force to be reckoned with all season. She’s scored in every game except Friday’s match, where she still pressured Villanova’s defense throughout all 60 minutes. Her two goals today put her atop the points leaderboard for her team and near the top in the Big Ten.
• Penn State converted only one of the nine penalty corners it earned. However, it held Delaware to only one goal in its five corners, which has been a strong aspect for the Nittany Lions.

What’s Next?

The Nittany Lions stay in town to take on the Princeton Tigers at noon on Sunday, September 13. Sunday’s contest will be streamed on Big Ten Plus.