April 18, 2014

Box Score

UNIVERSITY PARK, PA - Host and 12th-ranked Penn State outscored seventh-ranked Johns Hopkins, 8-3, in the second half to rally for a 12-10 win on Friday night in ALC action. The Blue Jays fall to 12-3 on the season and 2-3 in the ALC while the Nittany Lions improve to 9-6 on the season and 3-3 in the league. Seniors Sammy Cermack and Taylor D'Amore combined for seven goals and 10 points in the loss.

Penn State used a five-goal run, which began in the second half and spanned just five minutes and 43 seconds, to turn a four-goal deficit into a one-goal lead. Maggie McCormick got the run going with her only goal of the game at the 1:40-mark in the first half. After winning the draw, the Nittany Lions had a fast break and Mackenzie Cyr found McCormick open on the left post for the quick score to make it 7-4 Hopkins. PSU had a chance to pull within two at the break when Mac. Cyr earned a free position shot with just 10 seconds left, but freshman Caroline Federico came up with a big save to end the period.

The Nittany Lions came out firing to start the second and Ally Heavens made it a two-goal game at 27:54 with a free position goal. Madison Cyr then rattled off three straight goals, in a span of just 26 seconds to push Penn State ahead, 8-7. D'Amore put an end to the run when she rolled the crease and slipped a shot past Cat Rainone from a tight angle at 22:24. After extended possessions by both teams that ate nearly nine minutes off the clock, Kelly Lechner dodged from the left side and beat Federico stick-side at 13:29 to put PSU back on top, 9-8.

The Blue Jays answered at the 10:41-mark to once again tie the game. From left goal line extended, Cermack found junior Jen Cook open in the slot for the quick-stick goal. But just 21 seconds later, Mad. Cyr took a Jenna Mosketti pass and buried it to put Penn State up 10-9. PSU won the ensuing draw and was able to run more than minutes off the clock before Hopkins took possession off a missed shot.

After working the ball around, Cermack got a look at the cage with 5:21 to play, but Rainone made the save and the Nittany Lions took over. Penn State was only able to eat up 90 seconds off the clock before Cermack checked the ball away from Lechner and sophomore Caroline Turco pounced on the ground ball. Hopkins cleared and senior Sarah Taylor had a great look off a hard dodge, but once again Rainone turned it aside and PSU cleared. With Hopkins coming out to double and looking to force a turnover, Mosketti scored on an open net with 1:04 to play to give Penn State a two-goal cushion.

Sophomore Dene' DiMartino won the draw and D'Amore pulled the Jays within one as she lost her defender behind the crease, and buried her fourth goal of the game from in tight with 38.9 seconds left. However, Penn State won the draw and ran off all but 6.6 seconds before Jess Loizeaux scored on the open Blue Jay cage.

The game was barely seven minutes old, but Hopkins had jumped out to a three-goal lead on goals from Cermack, Taylor and D'Amore. D'Amore fed a pass over the top of the cage to Cermack, who caught the ball high and went low on Emi Smith for the game's first goal at 27:05. Less than a minute later, Taylor took a dump pass in the slot from Cook, turned and fired a shot over the shoulder of Smith. The goal gave her 100 points for her career, becoming the 16th player in school Division I history to reach the mark. D'Amore then cashed in a free position goal at the 22:44-mark to complete the opening run.

Kristen Brent got the Nittany Lions on the board at 20:29 with a shot from seven yards out. DiMartino answered with a free position goal at 15:55 to give Hopkins a 4-1 lead and breaking the school record with her 13th free position goal of the season. Just 11 seconds later however, Mosketti scored after winning the draw to cut the deficit in half. Cermack answered with back-to-back goals less than three minutes apart to push the Blue Jays' lead to four with 10:33 to play in the half.

Once again, Penn State answered quickly as Tatum Coffey raced towards the goal off the draw, stopped and then ripped a shot from about six yards out. D'Amore gave Hopkins a 7-3 lead with 1:50 to play in the half with a free position goal, but the four-goal margin lasted just 10 seconds thanks to McCormick's goal.

D'Amore led the Blue Jays with four goals and six points, while Cermack added three goals and four points and Cook had two points (1g, 1a). Federico finished with eight saves and two ground balls in the loss. Mad. Cyr led Penn State with four goals, while Mosketti had three points (2g, 1a) and Mac. Cyr had three helpers. Smith made one save in nearly 20 minutes of action before giving way to Rainone, who earned the win with five saves.

Hopkins returns to action on Wednesday, April 23 as the Blue Jays travel to Norfolk, VA to take on Old Dominion. The non-conference tilt is slated for a 4:00 pm start.