The Penn State field hockey team lost its first game of the season and scored more goals in the first half than it has all season -- all in one weekend.

In the Big Ten opener for both teams, No. 5 Michigan State (8-1, 1-0) gave No. 6 Penn State (8-1, 1-1) its first loss of the season, 3-0, on Friday. The Nittany Lions, led by Heather Conroy's second hat trick of the season, rebounded yesterday to crush Indiana (2-7, 0-1) 6-1.

Against MSU, the Lions were shut out for the first time this season, despite keeping the game even throughout the first half. The first half was an entirely midfield game with neither team getting the ball into the other team's circle for most of the half.

"We had not played such a fast-paced game like that to this point in the season, so we had to adjust to their speed," Penn State field hockey coach Char Morett said.

Morett said the team was unable to finish their plays inside the 25-yard line. The team had several opportunities to score, especially on corners, but was unable to convert. Junior forward Timarie Legel recorded a team-high four shots.

"They came at us with a lot of speed," senior back Kelly Concini said. "We had our chances, they had their chances. They capitalized on their chances and we didn't."

Yesterday, Penn State scored five goals in the first half. The previous high at halftime for the Lions was in the first game of the season, when they held a 4-0 lead over Lafayette. Conroy, a junior midfielder, contributed to the first-half lead by scoring all three of her goals in the first half. She also added two assists on a Jill Martz penalty corner goal and a Legel goal.

Concini pointed to Conroy and Martz's ability to time their shots perfectly in the corner situations in helping the Lions convert on their corners. Conroy's strong, accurate shots, which she consistently buries in the back of the cage, also contribute.

"I think the offense is really starting to come together and work together and start to find each other in the circle," Concini said. "We're getting the corners and we're getting the shots off the corners."

The Lions' early lead allowed Morett to give her starters rest and bring in some of the younger players. The second half saw starts by sophomore forward Mary Schaefer, freshman forward Natalie Berrena, sophomore forward Karin Grap and freshman back Bekah Hostetler.

"It's exciting to see [bench players] get in the game," Morett said. "It's nice to see them go in and provide the same type of intensity that the starters do."

Grap quickly made her presence known by scoring her fifth goal of the season, off a Timarie Legel assist, early in the second half.

Kayla Bashore tallied Indiana's only goal of the game, late in the second half, after a Penn State defensive breakdown at midfield.