Aug. 28, 2006
Final Stats
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Junior Torrie Albini delivered the Ohio field hockey squad its first victory of the 2006 campaign with a goal at 6:19 of overtime as the Bobcats upset of seventh-ranked Penn State by a final of 2-1 Monday afternoon in University Park, Pa.
Albini (Escondido, Calif.) had a shot to win it five minutes into the extra period, but after her shot from the top of the circle was deflected into the goal, the score was waived off by officials and play continued. Albini would make sure that her next scoring chance counted, however, as she got past two Penn State defenders to set up a one-on-one with goalie Jen Beaumont. Beaumont came out to play the ball, and partially deflected it, but Albini recovered and stuffed the ball in the empty goal to clinch the upset.
"She just buried the ball ... it was a very pretty finish," Ohio Head Coach Neil Macmillan said.
Estienne Coetzee (Bloemfontein, South Africa) opened scoring with her first goal of the season on a rebound at 28:06 in the first period. The goal was her ninth in 22 career games.
Ohio goal keeper Jessie Martin (Louisville, Ky.) did her best to make Coetzee's goal stand, but after holding the Nittany Lions scoreless for more than 55 minutes, Britney Long was able to tie the score at 1-1 when she deflected in a shot of a penalty corner.
"She (Martin) was excellent again today," Macmillan said. "She was aggressive, communicated the whole time and kept us in it in some key areas."
Martin made five saves to earn her first career victory between the pipes at Ohio. Rachelle Coetzee (Bloemfontein, South Africa) took three shots, with one on-goal, and provided the lead pass to Albini to set up the game-winning goal.
The Bobcats managed only three shots on goal - and six shots total - in the game, while Penn State registered six shot on goal among its eight taken. Ohio drew four penalty corners to the Nittany Lions' three.
After falling to No. 4 Old Dominion 6-1 in the season-opener on Sunday, Ohio evened its record at 1-1 with the victory. Defending Big Ten champion Penn State, which entered the season ranked No. 7 in the STX/NHFCA Coaches Poll, dropped to 0-2 with the loss.
"Today we were up against a team that we were able to execute against," Macmillan said. "We matched up very well and it was fortunate that we were able to come out on top."
The win was the first for Macmillan over a ranked team in his second year at the helm of the Ohio program, and among the biggest upsets in the program's history.
"It was a fantastic result," Macmillan said. "We are extremely happy with how we played for vast periods of the game. Penn State was a good team, but we certainly allowed them opportunities and we are very lucky that Jessie (Martin) and our whole defense played well to keep it down to just one goal."
The Bobcats will next be in action this Friday, Sept. 1, when they travel to take on Virginia. The game will get underway in Charlottesville, Va., at 7 p.m.
