Last night the field hockey team made it more clear than ever that Penn is indeed not Penn State.
And the No. 8 Nittany Lions certainly had reason to be proud that they are not Penn. They pounded the Quakers 3-0 for Penn's second consecutive loss and its fifth defeat on the season as Penn State garnered its seventh consecutive win.
As Penn goalie Liz Schlossberg attempted to make sure the litany of Nittany shots were deflected, Penn State goalie Jen Beaumont could have taken a nap.
The Quakers managed only two shots all night and neither was on goal. Margaretha Ehret and Melissa Black each managed a single misplaced second-half shot.
Meanwhile, Penn State toyed with the Quakers in its own backfield. The top-10 squad fired the ball 12 times, seven times on net, and three times they scored.
Shaun Banta scored the first goal for Penn State in the 35th minute off a penalty corner. It was one of eight corners the Nittany Lions would take on the night. Penn only earned four.
Banta tipped in a pass off a penalty corner just three minutes into the second half for her ninth goal of the season. Penn, meanwhile, has only scored six goals all season.
Penn State made sure that the Quakers would have no chance of mounting a comeback by sticking a third goal in the 67th minute. Allison Scola put the game out of reach by knocking in a rebound.
The Quakers have had their offensive challenges this season, but they had never experienced a night like this. In every other contest they had managed at least one shot on goal. This was the least offensive production since they visited Penn State's fellow Big Ten foe Ohio State, and took only three shots, one on goal.
With this latest setback, Schlossberg is watching her senior season slip away. She has already been credited with five losses, but in four of them Penn has failed to score. Regardless of her save percentage, it is difficult to win when your team provides no support. The Quakers have already suffered more shutouts this season than all of last year, when they were 9-8.
The Quakers will try to resume winning on Sunday as they take on Rutgers in New Brunswick, N.J.
