Penn State field hockey looks to extend its three-game winning streak this weekend against No. 4 Princeton

Ella Gaitan scored two goals in Penn State Field Hockey’s latest home game against Delaware. Photo: Penn State Athletics

Penn State field hockey kept the good vibes rolling last Friday with a 2-1 win over Delaware, and goalkeeper Aby Deverka was right in the middle of it. 

Deverka made nine crucial saves to help the Nittany Lions stretch its winning streak to three games in Happy Valley.  

Penn State is now 3-1, and Delaware is 1-2.   

The game started with very quick altering possessions between the two teams every couple of seconds.  

The first quarter had the audience continuously waiting for one of the teams to start attacking. Comparing stats, the Nittany Lions had a slower start with 0 shots on goal in the first quarter but the Blue Hens had three. 

Delaware didn’t end up scoring until the start of the third quarter on a penalty corner thanks to Alexa Michielson, assisted by Avery Miller and Lily Cosner.  

This was the first goal scored on Deverka since the team's opening game against Virginia.

Deverka said she shook off the goal because she knows her "teammates expected something" of her, and she "expected something" of herself. 

The Nittany Lions continued to rally a minute after Delaware tied up the game 1-1. They earned a penalty corner.  

After a defensive block stopped Penn State’s shot, Ella Gaitan quickly rebounded and scored her second goal of the game with an assist by Chloe D’Hage.  

In the last quarter, the Blue Hens head coach Tara Zollinger changed her approach by taking out goalie Gabby Prentice every now and then to put in another forward, trying to tie up the game before the time expired.  

The Nittany Lions are now on a three-game winning streak with a weeklong break to prepare to host No. 4 Princeton on Sunday, Sept. 13.  

The team is pumped to compete against another ranked team.  

Head coach Hannah Prince said she wants to take advantage of this time by “going back to the drawing board to see what we need to do first” and studying the “adjustments we need to see” regardless of the opponent.  

*Simmie Samra is a student-intern at Penn State University.

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