Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Penn St
Late Surge Propels #17 Penn State Past Bison Field Hockey, 5-1
10/2/2001 8:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
Oct. 2, 2001
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. - Timarie Legel's second of three goals on the night snapped a 1-1 deadlock and lifted 17th-ranked Penn State to a hard-fought 5-1 victory over visiting Bucknell Tuesday evening.
The Bison fell to 5-5 on the season but played terrific hockey for nearly 60 minutes against the powerful Nittany Lions. The game was scoreless at the half, and after Legel converted a Kate Bender pass for the game's first goal 8:05 into the second stanza, Bucknell drew even on a pretty two-on-one rush with 16:35 to play.
Lisa Bingaman broke free along the right wing, drew the defender and goaltender and slid a pass to Melissa Maher, who buried a shot into the vacant cage for her team-leading sixth goal of the season.
Penn State regained the lead just over four minutes after Maher's goal, as Legel scored off a feed from Meredith Shulzitski. Legel completed her hat trick with an unassisted goal with 10:42 to play, and Kiley Kulina tacked on two insurance tallies in the final 8:28. Shulzitski finished with two assists for the Nittany Lions, who improved to 4-5.
Bucknell goalie Sonja Wettergreen made eight second-half saves after not facing a shot on goal in the first 35 minutes. Wettergreen entered the game ranked fourth nationally in save percentage (.860) and eighth in the nation in goals-against average (1.01). Annie Zinkarich made one save for Penn State, which held a 20-4 edge in shots and 16-4 advantage in penalty corners.
The Bison run into another nationally ranked team this Saturday, when No. 20 Holy Cross visits Lewisburg for a 2 p.m. Patriot League contest at West Field.
BUCKNELL 0 1 -- 1 PENN STATE 0 5 -- 5PSU - Legel (Bender), 26:55, 2nd
B - Maher (Bingaman), 16:35, 2nd
PSU - Legel (Shulzitski), 12:26, 2nd
PSU - Legel (unassisted), 10:42, 2nd
PSU - Kulina (Shulzitski), 8:28, 2nd
PSU - Kulina (unassisted), 1:16, 2nd
Shots: Bucknell 4. Penn State 20.
Penalty Corners: Bucknell 4. Penn State 16.
Saves: Bucknell (Wettergreen) 8. Penn State 1 (Zinkarich [65:06] 1sv, 0ga, Leuchte [4:54] 0sv, 0ga)
Defensive Saves: Bucknell (McCorry).
Team Records: Bucknell 5-5. Penn State 4-5.
