UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – As the final seconds on the clock ticked down, Shellie Onstead watched her championship hopes slip away with the passing seconds. It was 1980, and Onstead, a transfer from UC Davis, was in her first season playing for Cal field hockey. Onstead and her Golden Bear squad were up 1-0 with less than 10 minutes to go in the AIAW National Championship game, but Penn State had roared back to life, scoring two goals in the final minutes of the contest to take the title.
The Nittany Lions would do it again to the Bears in a regional tournament game two years later, and then another two times in the program's all-time meetings. A fifth-consecutive win over the Bears was all but assured today as No. 14 Penn State led Cal 2-0 in the 65th minute. This time it was the Bears who roared to life as Cal topped Penn State 3-2 in overtime with a golden goal from junior Monica Marrazzo.
The win marked Cal's first victory over Penn State in program history, and Cal's first victory over a top 15 ranked opponent since 2011.
It was a little bit of redemption for head coach Onstead.
“This group is special, in so many ways. I knew it, and now they know it,” she said.
Penn State got off to a fast and dominating start, tallying four shots in the game's first 10 minutes, which were all saved by goalkeeper Kori Griswold (4-2). Freshman Janaye Sakkas sent a shot wide in the 14th minute. It would ultimately be Cal's only shot of the first half as Penn State overpowered the Bears 8-1 in the first 35 minutes.
Despite the Nittany Lions' dominant offensive performance, the game held scoreless through more than 50 minutes until Penn State finally broke through at 52:47 with a goal from Aurelia Meijer. Gini Bramley added another score for Penn State less than four minutes later at 56:31, and the Bears found themselves in a 2-0 hole.
Undeterred by their deficit, Cal's offense fought back and found a bright spot with freshman Melina Moore's goal in the 67th minute as Moore capitalized on an empty cage. With less than three minutes to go, the Bears were relentless, finally finding the equalizer on a deflected ball hit by junior Sydney Earle at 69:17.
Cal held on for the final minute, sending the game into overtime. The teams battled it out equally, each sending forth three shots in overtime, but it was Cal's third, from Marrazzo, which sealed the game for the Bears. Marrazzo hustled for a rebound off sophomore Alie Zimmer's shot and found the cage.
“It was an unreal moment. I was in shock. I couldn't process it all until I turned around and saw my teammates sprinting toward me,” Marrazzo said. “It was an incredible feeling to come back from being down two and finishing it with a golden goal. We ran for each other tonight and it certainly showed.”
Griswold tallied a new career-high 12 saves in the victory.
Cal is now 4-2 in 2015.
On team's performance:
This group is special, in so many ways. I knew it, and now they know it.
Golden Bear Goals
66:17 – Melina Moore (assisted by Janaye Sakkas)
Moore says: It was tipped up in the air and the goalie came out. The ball was in the air and I hit it up over the goalie to the back net.
69:17 – Sydney Earle (assisted by Monica Marrazzo)
Earle says: Monica took a shot at the top of the circle and I was sitting on the post and tipped it between the goalie's legs!
76:49 – Monica Marrazzo
Marrazzo says: Alie did a baseline run, went for a shot and I cleaned it up from the goalie's rebound.
Penn State's Goals
52:47 – Aurelia Meijer
56:31 – Gini Bramley
News & Notes
This was Cal's first victory over Penn State. The Bears are now 1-4 in the all-time series with the Nittany Lions.
The last time Cal beat a Top 15 opponent was in 2011, when the Bears defeated No. 13 Michigan State 4-3 in overtime during opening weekend.
Next Up
The Bears meet Bucknell in a neutral-site matchup at the Penn State Field Hockey Complex on Sunday at 10 a.m. PT.
