Hoosiers Fall to Penn State, 3-1, in Big Ten Quarterfinals

Thursday, November 3

College Park, MD

12:30 PM

Indiana University

(8-12)

Penn State

(15-2)

Indiana

Penn State

Hoosiers Fall to Penn State, 3-1, in Big Ten Quarterfinals

11/3/2016 6:31:00 PM | Field Hockey

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

COLLEGE PARK, Md. – The Indiana field hockey team's season came to an abrupt halt in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Tournament, following a 3-1 defeat against second-seeded Penn State. The Hoosiers (8-12, 3-5) fought to keep the play at a championship level on both ends, but the Nittany Lions' (15-2, 6-2) two goals in a three-minute span doomed Indiana.

Noëlle Rother delivered another outstanding performance between the pipes with 10 saves in a 65-minute shift. She made five saves before Penn State's first goal, and continued to make acrobatic stops throughout the game. The first team All-Big Ten goalkeeper stepped up with three parries in a three-minute span, putting a pad on Aurelia Meijer's shot before a crucial double save on a Penn State corner.

After serving as one of Indiana's two corner hitters this season, Elle Hempt broke through for her first career goal on Indiana's second corner attempt. After receiving the insert from Nora Aucker and the placement from Mollie Getzfread, Hempt cranked back and squeezed her attempt past Jenny Rizzo's save. The goal comes just six days after Hempt earned her first career assist, also against Penn State.

Penn State took their lead with seven minutes remaining in the first half. Brooke Birosik charged down the right side of the pitch with the ball, while Gini Bramley slipped to the backside of the play. Birosik delivered her pass cross-cage for Bramley, who one-timed it into goal.

The second half featured three goals, all in a span of less than three minutes. Penn State doubled their lead in the 47^th minute, when Shay Cannon ramped Katie Dembrowski's straight hit over Rother's save attempt. Two minutes later, Hempt nailed her first corner hit from the top of the circle, cutting the Nittany Lions' lead to 2-1.

A minute after Indiana entered the scoring ledger, Penn State took a counterattack to the other end, and Bramley converted her second of the afternoon on a low backhand strike.

The loss was a bitter end to the collegiate careers of Indiana's senior class: Kate Barber, Morgan Dye, Malia Fujisawa, and Mollie Getzfread. They've carried the adage, "Leave everything on the field," with them throughout this season, and Thursday's game was no exception.

Barber's season continues on Saturday, November 19 with the NFHCA Senior All-Star Game in Norfolk, Virginia. The game will commence at 2:30 p.m., and it will feature 38 standout seniors celebrating their illustrious field hockey careers.