It’s been three days, but the bitter taste of a 4-3 double-overtime loss against No. 5 Penn State still lingers for the field hockey team.
Leading 3-1 with ten minutes remaining, MSU (7-8 overall, 3-1 Big Ten) looked set to defeat the Nittany Lions and secure the best Big Ten record in the conference.
But a questionable yellow card was handed to senior captain and midfielder Kristen Henn, taking her out of the match.
Without Henn anchoring the defense, Penn State took advantage by scoring two goals in the remaining minutes.
After two overtimes, the Nittany Lions went on to win by outscoring the Spartans 2-1 in a penalty shootout.
“You can reflect back and say ‘woulda, coulda, shoulda.’ — if she hadn’t got the card, had got the card,” head coach Helen Knull said. “There were warnings earlier about a card coming, and we got it.”
It’s a missed opportunity for a field hockey team that was looking to make a statement after catching fire late in the season.
A win over Penn State would have put them closer to securing a Big Ten championship.
“I think we collapsed a little bit,” said junior forward Allie Ahern. “The calls were going against us. We let that get into our heads. We should have pushed through it, because it’s important. We could have been Big Ten champs if we won that game, which we (then) would have (only) had to win one more.”
It’s possible MSU would have won if not for the yellow card handed to Henn. The game ended in a loss, but the Spartans still proved themselves as a player in the Big Ten on Saturday.
“We knew going into that game everybody would have to be playing their best game to really be a contender against Penn State,” said senior goalkeeper Molly Cassidy, who had 12 saves in the loss. “And I think we did that. But at the end of the day, that game wasn’t decided in 70 minutes. It had to take 70-plus, and they won out.”
The Spartans won’t have time to dwell on the loss with a home game against Central Michigan today at 3 p.m.
Junior forward Abby Barker said the Penn State game will provide extra motivation against Central Michigan, who the Spartans share a small rivalry with.
“Definitely going to be a tough game just like any Big Ten game,” Barker said. “The loss at Penn State will give us the motivation to keep fighting and give us a victory.”
Knull said after the tough loss, the quick turnaround will allow field hockey to regain focus.
“I know everyone is still raw (from the loss),” Knull said. “Tomorrow, we’re playing a feisty Central Michigan team. We always have competitive games against them. (They’re a) competitive team, but we’ll be ready for them.”
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