Penn State Limits Zerhusen, Defeats Ohio State in Double Overtime
from press release
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.-- Senior attacker Jen
Steadman (Sykesville, Md.) scored a game-winning goal 45 seconds
into double overtime, sending the No. 15 Penn State women's
lacrosse team to a thrilling come-from-behind 11-10 sudden victory
win over No. 19 Ohio State (8-5, 1-2) on Sunday afternoon at
Jeffrey Field. The victory was the Nittany Lions' sixth consecutive
over the conference rival Buckeyes.
Steadman made her final regular season game at Jeffrey Field an
unforgettable one, tying her career-high by netting five goals and
tallying one assist in leading the Nittany Lions to the Senior Day
win. Another senior, Laura Lesnick (Jarrettsville, Md.) represented
Penn State's only other multiple goal scorer, as she registered
two, including the game-tying goal late in the second half.
Steadman, Lesnick, and fellow classmates Ashley Boccio (Northport,
N.Y.), Mary Dean (Wyncote, Pa.), Maggie Dunbar (Cockeysville, Md.),
Jackie Eastman (Springfield, Pa.), Megan Hollerbach (Annapolis,
Md.), and Katy Wick (Winter Springs, Fla.) were recognized in a
ceremony preceding the key ALC contest.
Junior Dana Cahill (Towson, Md.) was stellar in goal for Penn
State, recording a career-high 14 saves against a firestorm of 37
Ohio State shots. The Nittany Lion defense was solid, limiting
OSU's Brittany Zerhusen, who entered the game tied for the team
lead with 38 goals, to zero scores and just one point. Junior
Colleen Shea (Baltimore, Md.) topped PSU with three caused
turnovers.
Penn State (8-6, 2-2) found itself behind early on, as Ohio State's
Jayme Beard netted her 17th goal of the season just 27 seconds into
the game. The Lions responded with back-to-back goals by junior Aly
Adams (Springfield, Pa.) and Steadman to take their first of just
two leads for the game.
Ohio State answered back, embarking on a mini 2-0 run, which
featured goals from Jacqueline Orona and Maghan Beaudrault, to
retake the lead at 3-2 with 13:50 left in the half.
Off an assist from redshirt sophomore Bridget Callahan (Moorestown,
N.J.), Lesnick then pulled Penn State even with the Buckeyes with
her first goal of the game. However, Ohio State would go on
outscore Penn State, 3-1, in the remainder of the half, including a
goal by Beard with just two seconds on the clock, to head to
halftime with a 6-4 advantage.
Penn State chipped away at the Ohio State lead soon after the
opening draw of the second half, as Mary Dean put in her 15th of
the season. After OSU's Alayna Markwordt scored the first of her
three second half goals, the Lions fought back to tie the game for
the first time in 20-plus minutes, getting goals from Steadman and
Maggie Dunbar.
Ohio State then reclaimed its largest lead of the game, a margin of
two goals, with consecutive scores from Markwordt and Gabby Capuzzi
in the span of less than two minutes.
Steadman again came through when a goal was needed, stemming the
Buckeyes tide by notching her third of the game to make the score
9-8 in favor of OSU.
Following an Ohio State goal at the 4:21 mark, down 10-8, Penn
State looked to be running out of chances and time. But the duo of
Steadman and Lesnick proved to be clutch once again as each senior
netted a goal in the remaining time and send the game to overtime.
Lesnick and Dunbar also earned assists on the scoring plays.
Six minutes of scoreless overtime play ensued, setting the stage
for Steadman's sudden victory heroics. Taking a pass from Jackie
Eastman, Steadman beat OSU goalkeeper Annie Carruthers to score her
fifth goal of the game and her team-high 28th of the season,
lifting Penn State to the crucial win.
Penn State will finish out its 2011 regular season schedule with a
two-game road swing, beginning on Saturday, April 23 when it
travels to Baltimore to face Johns Hopkins in a pivotal ALC
contest. Game time is set for 1 p.m. at the Blue Jays' Homewood
Field. A year ago, the Nittany Lions fell to Johns Hopkins, 12-7,
at Jeffrey Field, dropping their series record versus JHU to 6-3
all-time.
