Third-Quarter Explosion Powers Penn State Past Lock Haven, 8-0
By: Matt Flanagan | SportzWire | August 30, 2026 | Photo courtesy Jake Speicher
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State field hockey broke open a close game with a dominant second-half performance Sunday afternoon, rolling past Lock Haven, 8-0, at the Penn State Field Hockey Complex.
The victory marked the first of the season for the Nittany Lions and the first at Penn State for new head coach Hannah Prince.
Penn State controlled much of the opening quarter but was unable to capitalize. The Nittany Lions generated six shots and a penalty corner during the period, while Lock Haven goalkeeper Quinty van Luijk made four saves to keep the game scoreless.
The Nittany Lions finally broke through early in the second quarter when Olivia Marthins scored an unassisted goal. It was Marthins’ second goal of the young season and sent Penn State into halftime with a 1-0 advantage.
That narrow lead quickly disappeared after the break.
Penn State erupted for five goals during the third quarter, turning a competitive game into a runaway victory. Sienna Dunn started the surge by converting a penalty stroke, and freshman Chloe D’Hage followed with her second goal of the season off an assist from Lara Pyle.
Hope Russo extended the lead five minutes later with Lilly Holmes providing the assist.
Joji Purdy then struck twice off penalty corners, finding the upper corner on both opportunities. Cam Standish handled the insert and Dunn provided the stop on each of Purdy’s goals as Penn State carried a commanding 6-0 advantage into the final quarter.
The Nittany Lions continued to apply pressure in the fourth. Natalie Freeman scored early in the period before Ella Gaitan completed the scoring midway through the quarter off a penalty-corner setup assisted by Pyle and Kerry O’Donnell.
Purdy led Penn State with two goals, while Dunn finished with a goal and two assists. D’Hage added a goal and an assist, and Marthins, Russo, Freeman and Gaitan each found the back of the cage.
Penn State was equally impressive defensively. Goalkeeper Aby Deverka recorded three saves to secure the shutout, while the Nittany Lions limited Lock Haven to six shots and four penalty corners. Lock Haven did not register a shot during the fourth quarter.
The victory moved Penn State to 1-1 following a narrow 4-3 overtime loss to No. 5 Virginia in Friday’s season opener. It was also the second consecutive meeting in which the Nittany Lions defeated Lock Haven by an 8-0 score.
Penn State will continue its season-opening six-game homestand when it hosts Villanova on Friday, Sept. 4, at 3 p.m. The Nittany Lions will then welcome Delaware on Sunday, Sept. 6, at noon.
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