UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State Nittany Lion field hockey team (15-2, 7-1), ranked No. 3 in the NFHCA Coaches Poll, rolled to a 3-1 win at No. 21 Rutgers (7-9, 3-5) in the regular season finale for Penn State. The win earns the Nittany Lions a share of Penn State's eighth Big Ten regular season title, ending the conference slate with a 7-1 mark. Head coach Char Morett-Curtiss and her squad share the title with Maryland (who the Lions beat 5-1 last Friday).
Penn State began the game by rolling downfield and forcing a penalty corner in the first :30. But two Lion shots were blocked off the corner and Rutgers tried to work the ball downfield. The teams traded possessions in the middle of the field before Penn State moved the ball back into the Knight circle where Sophia Gladieux had one shot saved and another blocked before the Lions picked up another corner. Rutgers defended that corner, but Penn State's offense controlled the bulk of the first period. Penn State outshot Rutgers 6-1 in the first period but the game moved to the second tied 0-0.
Rutgers earned a player edge when Penn State was hit with a green card at the 14:15 mark but the Nittany Lions easily killed the advantage. Gladieux forced yet another corner at the 11:05 mark, working the ball in from right of the Knight cage. Anna Simon connected on the corner set, scoring at the 11:25 mark with assists from Mackenzie Allessie and Elena Vos. Penn State controlled ball possession deep into the second period. Kelsey Love fed Grace Wallis from the left sideline and Wallis nearly scored, but Rutgers keeper Sophia Howard kicked Wallis' shot away with 7:15 left in the half. RU moved the ball down to the Lion circle late in the period and appeared to tie the game, but an official review overturned the score and Penn State continued to hold the one goal lead. The Knights retuned the ball to the Lion circle where Brie Barraco knocked back a solid RU shot, but Rachel Houston tied the game on the rebound, scoring with just :49 on the clock and the game moved to halftime knotted 1-1.
Penn State outshot Rutgers 8-3 in the first half, including a 6-1 edge in the first period. Barraco had one save for the Nittany Lions and Howard had three for Rutgers. Penn State had four corners in the opening two quarters while Rutgers had none.
Mirroring the start of the game, Penn State immediately pushed the ball into the Rutgers circle where Gladieux nearly scored. But Howard made a save and the game stayed tied at 1-1. The teams traded possessions over the next five minutes. Rutgers moved the ball into the Lino circle at the 9:30 mark but Anouk Knuvers and the Penn State defense worked to retake possession. Rutgers was able to force its way to a first penalty corner with 9:01 on the clock. Barraco made a great diving save on a solid RU corner play with 8:40 left in the period. Penn State retook the lead with 7:30 on the clock when Wallis moved the ball down the left endline, fed Simon, who scored her second goal of the game to put Penn State up 2-1. The Nittany Lions carried the one-goal lead into the fourth period.
Morett-Curtiss' squad quickly pushed the ball into the Rutgers circle to start the fourth period and forced a penalty corner less than a minute into the period. Allessie quickly pushed a short pass out to Jemma Punch, who knocked the pass down and drilled a beautiful shot past the RU keeper to put Penn State up 3-1 with 13:58 to play in the game. Gladieux hit the cross bar on a backhand at the 9:00 mark as Penn State continued to pressure the Scarlet Knight cage. Rutgers tried to move the ball down to the Nittany Lion circle, but Penn State's defense was equal to the task and the Lions carried their two-goal lead deep into the fourth period. Rutgers pulled its goalie in the final three minutes and forced a penalty corner with 2:04 on the clock. Barraco made a diving save on the shot off the set and Penn State rolled to the 3-1 win.
"I feel like this team was very special last year, but we were young," said Morett-Curtiss. "Having almost everyone back this year, they are more mature and more experienced, and it shows. The closeness of this team continues to inspire us. They have so much fun at practice and it motivates us to work hard. We've improved throughout the season, and we were so resilient all year long. I'm very proud of the way we closed this out. We're looking forward to the post-season."
Each team had 11 shots in the game. Barraco had six saves for the Nittany Lions while Howard had three for RU. Penn State owned a 5-3 edge in penalty corners.
The win gives Penn State a 7-1 final record in conference play and secures a share of the 2022 Big Ten Championship, Penn State's eighth Big Ten regular season title in its history. The Nittany Lions share this year's crown with Maryland. It is Penn State's first regular season title (outright or co-) since 2013.
Penn State is now 15-2 overall, 7-1 in the Big Ten. Rutgers falls to 7-9, 3-5. Penn State returns to action next weekend, travelling to Ohio State for the 2022 Big Ten Field Hockey Tournament. Penn State will be the No. 1 seed at the tournament, which begins with the quarterfinals on Thursday. By virtue of its regular season win over fellow co-champion Maryland, Penn State's top seed slot earns the Nittany Lions a bye into the semifinals. Penn State's first game at the event will be Friday, Nov. 4, against the winner for the 4/5 game. The tournament runs Thursday through Sunday, Nov. 3-6, in Columbus and the winner earns the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Championship Tournament. The Nittany Lions head to the Big Ten tournament riding a seven-game win streak.