STATE COLLEGE — The State College high school field hockey team completed its regular season with a shutout win over Hazleton before a loss to Mid-Penn rival Cumberland Valley.
Against Hazleton on Oct. 14 at home, the Lions sprinted out early with three quick goals in the first period and never looked back in a 6-0 victory.
Penelope Kocher opened the scoring with an unassisted goal just two minutes into the game, and then Brynn Pezalski made it 2-0 three minutes later with another unassisted goal.
Addy Miska, with an assist by Sadie Kocher, made it 3-0 at the 1:56 mark and the Lions were on their way to win No. 8.
The second half was more of the same thanks to a shutout defense and goal keeping with goals from Harper Dare, Emme Antunez, and Felicity Jacobs.
While the Lions were scoring their six goals, the SC defense was allowing just five shots on goal, and goalkeepers Cora Bierly, Calysta Steffie and Audrey Condon did not allow a goal.
The Little Lions could not keep it going the next day in Mechanicsburg, however, as The Cumberland Valley Eagles held off SC, 4-1 in a Mid-Penn Conference matchup.
The Lions were down 2-0 at halftime, but then SC forward Pezalski closed the gap to 2-1 with an unassisted third-period goal. It was Pezalski’s 20th goal of the season, and it brought the Lions to within one possession of tying the game.
But CV had an answer. The Eagles’ Marissa Muza scored on a long shot with just 24 seconds left in the period, and CV was suddenly back in control at 3-1.
The Eagles added another goal in the fourth quarter, and the match ended with a 4-1 win for Cumberland Valley.
State College finished its regular season with a record of 8-9-1, and as of Oct. 19, the Lions were seeded No. 11 in the D3-AAA rankings. Fourteen teams advance to the D3 tournament, and the first-round pairings will be announced after the Oct. 21 qualifying deadline.
As it stands now, the Lions would possibly match up with No. 4 Hempfield (13-3) when the tournament begins.
