Penn State field hockey focuses on strengths, weaknesses for pair of upcoming Ohio State

As Penn State prepares for its upcoming series against Ohio State, coach Char Morett-Curtis’ squad is focusing on what it has done well this season while addressing what needs to be improved upon.

The Nittany Lions struggled at the beginning of the year to get shots off, but that facet of their game has improved as the season has gone on.

During the season’s second contest against Indiana, the blue and white racked up 21 shots. The Nittany Lions swept the Hoosiers over the weekend, and Morett-Curtis was mostly pleased with the effort.

“We were patient, and we kept trying to get the ball into scoring situations,” Morett-Curtis said. “We finally got the ball in the goal Friday, then were able to open things up a little more Sunday.”

Now that Penn State has been getting the shots off, Morett-Curtis said the next step is to turn those shots into goals.

“The forwards are getting better scoring opportunities in the circle,” Morett-Curtis said. “We’re trying to get the perfect shot, where sometimes we just need a shot on goal. Sometimes, you have to receive it and release it.”

Freshman forward Sophia Gladieux is one Nittany Lion who has not had trouble finding the back of the cage this year, as she currently leads the team in goals with nine.

Gladieux frequently puts the ball on her left side and will elect to send a quick reverse shot toward the cage when the opportunity presents itself on offense.

“You don’t know where [the shot] is going, and the release is very quick, which makes it hard to defend,” Morett-Curtis said.

Penn State’s defense, on the other hand, has been relatively consistent this season, allowing only 12 goals on 95 shots.

“I’m really pleased with the defense, since we have not given up a lot of goals this season,” Morett-Curtis said. “Anna [Simon] does a lot in the circle as part of that defense, and Brie [Barraco] has been making key saves to help keep goals off the board.”

The Nittany Lions will take on the Buckeyes in back-to-back games Friday and Saturday. Ohio State held an 0-7 record until it kickstarted a four-game win streak two weeks ago.

Scoring 20 goals during that quartet of contests, the Buckeyes’ front line of forwards should not be underestimated, according to Penn State’s leader.

“They are constantly looking for those forwards, so we’re going to need to be marking tight,” Morett-Curtis said.

According to Morett-Curtiss, one of Penn State’s unique strengths is its team camaraderie and its passion for the game.

“They are close on and off the field, so they know they have each other’s back,” Morett-Curtiss said.

Senior forward Emma Spisak echoed her coach’s sentiment with regard to the team’s tight-knit nature.

“The biggest thing for us is we’re keeping that competitive spirit.” Spisak said. “There are always places to learn and improve, but our energy is always there.”

MORE SPORTS COVERAGE