Penn State field hockey (3-3, 0-1 Big Ten) fell to No. 5 Maryland (7-0, 1-0 Big Ten) 4-1 on Thursday afternoon at the Penn State Field Hockey Complex.

The Terrapins started hot with a goal, but the Nittany Lions quickly retained momentum. Ella Gaitan, the former Maryland Terrapin, scored the equalizer in the third. Penn State couldn’t hold on to the lead in the fourth quarter and dropped its Big Ten opener.

How It Happened

Penn State started with the center pass, though Maryland set up an offensive possession first.

It took just over a minute for the Terrapins’ dominant offense to earn themselves a penalty corner. Feliz Kuhne took the shot for Maryland, and Aby Deverka made a diving stop that rebounded to Cooper Cutchins’ stick.

Cutchins was fouled, giving her a free hit, and Penn State was able to clear the ball and try to set up on offense itself.

After a few errant passes, the Nittany Lions turned it over to Maryland. Ella Fehr dribbled into the circle and deflected a pass to the top of it. Maia Adamson collected the ball and dinked one off of Brinkley Eyre’s stick for the first goal of the game.

Penn State started to inch into Terrapin territory through the middle minutes of the frame. The looming threat of another breakout offensive possession for Maryland forced the Nittany Lions to be careful.

Even with their caution, the Terrapins cruised their way into the shooting circle on two occasions, though Deverka took care of the net. With a minute left in the frame, Maryland was offered another penalty corner.

Francisca Eschoyez had the pass settled for her and fired a shot to the left side of the net. Deverka made another full-body save, which rebounded to another Terrapin, though the ball was stolen away.

Penn State once again opened with possession, this time playing it back to its defenders. However, it did not pay off with a new result, as Maryland took possession in Penn State territory.

Deverka once again made a diving save to her right, pushing the ball out of bounds and earning Penn State possession.

Josephine Purdy intercepted a pass and dribbled into the shooting circle. She found Sienna Dunn, who passed it over to Chloe Dhage. Dhage fired off a chip-shot that Alyssa Klebasko smacked out of the air.

The Nittany Lions continued their pressure and finally found themselves with momentum. Gaitan took the ball off a free hit and bolted into the shooting circle. She ripped a shot that sailed high, but it was one that established her presence against her former team.

The Terrapins took notice and brought it down into Penn State territory. They earned themselves their third penalty corner of the game. Their shot rattled around a few sticks and Deverka’s pads before a Nittany Lion sent it out of the shooting circle.

But they weren’t out of the woods yet. Maryland continued to threaten. Rachael Whitehead dribbled in the corner and centered a pass, but Madison Britton cleared it.

Penn State attempted a final charge of the half with two minutes remaining. An errant pass gave possession back to Maryland with one minute left, but time expired for both teams before they could tally a second goal in the first half.

This time, Maryland opened the half with possession, and they would once again be the first team to take a shot. Penn State finally controlled the ball in offensive territory three minutes into the frame.

Lara Pyle took a deep shot from beyond the circle, but it was kicked away by Klebasko. Gaitan eventually dribbled into the circle and earned Penn State’s first penalty corner.

And who else but Gaitan to take the penalty corner? The former Terrapin and current Nittany Lion ripped her shot into the back of the net to even things up.

Penn State continued to threaten with seven minutes left in the frame as Natalie Freeman settled a bouncing ball in the circle, but her shot was deflected wide right.

Dhage had another opportunity, nearly finding Freeman’s stick on a deflection, but the ball went out of play. Time expired in the third quarter, but Penn State lived in Terrapin territory for the remaining minutes.

Maryland opened the final frame with possession, though quickly lost it on an errant pass. Babs van Hest, the leader in points for the Terrapins, stole away a pass and dribbled into a one-on-one opportunity with Deverka.

She pulled Deverka out of goal and whipped her shot by her for a 2-1 lead.

Rain quickly came pouring down onto Penn State’s field hockey complex while Maryland continued to dominate possession. Ella Beach dribbled around Deverka and gave the Terrapins an insurance goal.

The game briefly paused for a rain delay with nine minutes remaining.

Maryland played keep away for a few minutes, forcing Penn State to pull Deverka for an extra offensive player. Maci Bradford received a pass inside the circle and tacked on another goal for Penn State.

The Nittany Lions were unable to score in the final minutes of the match.

Takeaways

• Penn State’s current goal leader, Ella Gaitan, earned the team its first penalty corner and converted on it to even the score 1-1 early in the second half against her former team.
• Maryland’s offense came into the game with 21 goals over only six games. It took three corners, scoring on none of them, but the Terrapins tacked on three goals in the fourth quarter.
• Penn State has dropped three consecutive games against ranked teams. Two of the losses have been by a single goal following a fourth-quarter surge.

What’s Next?

The Nittany Lions will head to Monmouth for a game at noon on Sunday, September 20, on So Sweet a Cat Field. It will be streamed on Big Ten Plus.