Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Penn St
Bucknell Field Hockey Falls to No. 7 Penn State, 2-0
10/21/2003 8:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
Oct. 21, 2003
State College, Pa. - The Bucknell field hockey team played its most difficult opponent of the season tonight according to the STX/NFHCA collegiate field hockey poll, which ranked Penn State No. 7 in its latest standings. Despite strong defense by the Bison, the host Nittany Lions handed Bucknell a 2-0 loss, dropping the Bison to 8-5 on the year.
The Nittany Lions controlled the game early and converted on a penalty corner rebound by Michele Rigby at 26:24 of the first half, but the Bison responded with their best scoring chance of the opening stanza when Carli Cataldo attempted to put a cross-goal pass past Penn State goalie Annie Zinkavich, who recorded the save. Bucknell held the home team for the rest of the first half, despite strong attacking by the Nittany Lions.
The Bison came out strong in the second half, keeping the ball on their half of the turf early on in the period. Meiko Boynton took a shot straight on in front of the goal that tipped off Zinkavich's stick halfway up the cage and went wide. Bucknell had two penalty corners following, including a fine scoring chance by Kirsten Nilsen at the corner of the cage.
Later in the period, the Nittany Lions had a bevy of penalty corners, all of which were snuffed out by excellent Bison defense and sprawling saves by Bucknell goalie Liz Jordan. Penn State ended up with 16 penalty corners and 29 shots, resulting in 16 saves for Jordan, a season high. Zinkavich saved all of Bucknell's five shots. The Bison had three penalty corners of their own.
It wasn't until the last minute of the game that Penn State was able to convert one of those penalty corners, as Karin Grap scored off a rebound, giving the Nittany Lions their second goal of the game. The Bison were under a minute from being only the third team this season to hold Penn State to a single goal, and the Nittany Lions were only the second team to shutout the Bison in 2003.
The Bison will resume their Patriot League campaign on Saturday at Fairfield, followed by another non-conference road game at Towson next Tuesday, Oct. 28. Bucknell will end the regular season at home against the Patriot League's first-place team, American, on Nov. 1.
P - Rigby (unassisted), 8:26, 1st P - Grap (unassisted), 34:23, 2ndShots: Bucknell 5. Penn State 29. Saves: Bucknell (Jordan) 16. Penn State (Zinkavich) 5. Penalty Corners: Bucknell 3. Penn State 16. Team Records: Bucknell 8-5, 3-1 Patriot League. Penn State 13-3, 3-1 Big Ten.
