Another Day, Another Rival: Penn State Lacrosse to Take on Ohio State
After suffering their first two losses of the season earlier this month, No. 20 Penn State women’s lacrosse is back on a hot streak.
On Tuesday, the Nittany Lions took down their infamous in-state rivals, the Pitt Panthers, 15-12. Not only was this the team’s fourth straight win, it was the fourth game in a row in which at least one player scored a hat trick, with juniors Kayla Abernathy and Brooke Hoss notching four goals each. In addition, junior captain Kristin O’Neill scored her 100th career goal to bring the lead back to the Nittany Lions in the third quarter.
Penn State’s record now sits at 8-2 overall and 1-0 in the Big Ten.
Coming up this Saturday, the Nittany Lions will take on yet another rival, the Ohio State Buckeyes, for their second Big Ten matchup of the season. In sharp contrast to Penn State, the Buckeyes are currently on a four-game losing streak. Their overall record sits at 4-6 and their conference record at 0-2.
Although they’ve been getting off plenty of shots, they’ve been unable to capitalize on their opportunities. Head coach Amy Bokker also said that the defense has been unorganized on their man-to-man coverage, which she thinks was a significant contributing factor in their recent loss to Colorado.
Despite their less successful season, the Buckeyes’ roster contains multiple standout players. Senior captain Nicole Ferrara is currently leading the team in goals, having scored 24 so far. She has been a dangerous asset to the Buckeyes’ attack for multiple years, and made her presence known in their first game this season when she put up five goals against Robert Morris.
Another important figure in the team’s offense this season is junior Jamie Lasda. With 16 goals and 18 assists this season, she is not only scoring herself, but creating plays in the attacking end to set her teammates up for success.
For the Nittany Lions, O’Neill has been a shining star. As of now, she leads the team with 33 goals and has scored in every game so far this season. She is also an official member of the Tewaaraton Watch List.
In addition to her outstanding performance, Hoss and Abernathy have both stepped up on the field. During Tuesday’s game, Hoss earned her second consecutive hat trick and brought her goal count this season to 15, while Abernathy earned the first hat trick of her career and tied her career-high eight draw controls.
Although their records are very different, both Penn State and Ohio State’s rosters are full of talent. Both teams should be prepared for a good matchup this weekend.
The game will take place at Panzer Stadium this Saturday, March 25 at 2:30 p.m.
Anna Licastro is a first-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact her, email arl5942@psu.edu.
