Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
No. 5 Penn State
Bucknell Field Hockey Suffers Shutout at No. 5 Penn State
10/23/2012 8:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
Oct. 23, 2012
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Bucknell played 57 minutes of scoreless field hockey, but No. 5 Penn State struck late to take a 2-0 win in University Park, Pa., on Tuesday night. Erica Perrine (Bridgewater, N.J./Bridgewater-Raritan) made 12 saves for the Bison (9-8), who were outshot 29-2. Bucknell now turns its attention to its regular-season finale on Saturday at American as it battles its conference foe for the No. 2 seed in the Patriot League Tournament.
Perrine's 12 saves was her second-highest total of the season. The dozen stops brings her career total to 181, which places her 10th all-time at Bucknell.
The junior saw plenty of opportunities on Tuesday as Penn State (14-3) registered 16 shots in the first half and 13 more in the second. In addition to Perrine's stops, Tayler Siegrist (Madison, N.J./Madison), Cassie Goggin (Glen Ellyn, Ill./Glenbard West) and Liz Wills (Plymouth Meeting, Pa./William Penn Charter School) each had a defensive save. It was a team-best fifth of the year for Wills.
The Bison's strong defense held Penn State without a goal until there was just 12:59 left on the game clock. Taylor Herold broke open the scoring on a pass from two-time All-American Kelsey Amy. The Nittany Lions then tagged on an insurance goal with a successful penalty stroke from Brittany Grzywacz exactly five minutes later.
Bucknell is now 0-29 all-time against Penn State and 0-4 against nationally ranked opponents this season.
The Bison will return to action on Saturday when they visit American in Washington, D.C. The winner of the Bucknell-American matchup, which is set for 12 p.m., will determine the No. 2 seed in the Patriot League Tournament, although with the loser of Saturday's game getting the No. 3 seed, the two teams have already guaranteed a semifinal meeting against each other in Easton, Pa., on Nov. 2.
