NCAA title defense ends quickly for Blue Hens in OT field hockey loss to Penn State

Moira Putsch's goal 6:25 into overtime gave Penn State a 2-1 win over Delaware in the first round of the NCAA Field Hockey Tournament at the University of Connecticut in Storrs on Saturday.

No. 7-ranked Delaware (15-5) was the defending NCAA champ.

Greta Nauck tied the game 1-1 on a goal with 5:34 left for Delaware. The junior who was 2016 national player of the year had taken a penalty stroke with 9:26 left that was saved by Penn State goalie Jenny Rizzo.

No. 6-ranked Penn State (17-4) took a 1-0 lead less than two minutes into the second half on a goal by Gini Bramley.

No. 1-ranked and top-seeded UConn (20-0) advanced with a 3-1 win over Boston University in its first-round game earlier Saturday to start the double-header.

Delaware had downed the Nittany Lions, who were then ranked second, 2-0 on Sept. 17 at the Nook in Manheim, Pennsylvania. A week later, the Blue Hens lost 1-0 in overtime at Rullo Stadium to UConn.

Penn State outshot the Hens 17-12. Delaware goalie Emmeline Oltmans made 10 saves to seven for her Penn State counterpart.

Last year, Delaware won its final 19 games, including NCAA Tournament victories over Louisville, top-seeded Duke on the Blue Devils’ home field in the quarterfinals, Princeton in the semifinals and North Carolina in final 3-2 at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia. The Blue Hens, who were ranked eighth nationally entering the NCAA Tournament in 2016, finished 23-2. They graduated four starters from that team.

This year’s NCAA berth was Delaware’s fifth in a row.

Contact Kevin Tresolini at ktresolini@delawareonline.com. Follow on Twitter @kevintresolini.