Iowa Takes Down No. 12 Penn State in B1G Quarterfinals

COLUMBUS, Ohio — The 10th-ranked University of Iowa field hockey team erased an early deficit with a strong second-half push, defeating No. 12 Penn State, 2-1, on Wednesday afternoon at Buckeye Varsity Field.

Penn State (12-6, 6-2) struck first in the opening quarter when Josephine Purdy scored off an assist from Morgan Snyder at 5:19 to give the Nittany Lions a 1-0 lead.

The Hawkeyes (13-4, 4-4) responded in the second quarter at 26:57 when Fréderique van Cleef found the back of the cage unassisted to tie the match at 1-1.

Iowa broke through in the fourth quarter to take the lead for good when Dionne van Aalsum scored unassisted at 52:48.

The Hawkeyes controlled play offensively, outshooting Penn State 14-2, including a 9-1 advantage in shots on goal, while holding a 2-0 edge in penalty corners. Goalkeeper Julia Claessens anchored the defense to secure the victory.

Of Note
- Van Cleef and van Aalsum each scored their 18th goals of the season.
- Claessens improved to 7-3 in goal.
- Iowa outshot Penn State, 14-2, and held a 2-0 advantage in penalty corners.

Up Next
The Hawkeyes return to action Friday at 3 p.m. (CT) against second-seeded and No. 1-ranked Maryland in the Big Ten Tournament semifinals.