Feb. 24, 2009
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -
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TODAY'S GAME:
The Penn State Nittany Lion men's lacrosse team (0-2, 0-0 ECAC) begins its final season of play in the ECAC Lacrosse League by welcoming defending conference champion Loyola (1-1, 0-0 ECAC) to Holuba Hall on Saturday, Feb. 28. Action between the Nittany Lions and No. 16 Loyola begins at 1 p.m.
The Nittany Lions are coming off a tough 13-8 loss at home to No. 8 Notre Dame last Sunday. Penn State battled back from an early 3-0 deficit to nearly tie the game in the fourth quarter. But a late Irish run allowed Notre Dame to get out of Holuba Hall with the win. Chris Hogan and Jack Forster each led Penn State with two goals apiece while Chris Mulqueen had three assists. Goalie Drew Adams had 16 saves against 42 Notre Dame shots.
Jack Forster leads Penn State with seven points through the season's first two games. Forster has three goals and a team-best four assists. Chris Hogan has six points off a team-best six goals. Senior Rob Forster has five points off four and one. Adams has a 12.00 goals against average with 27 saves. As a team, Penn State has a .735 clear percentage while its foes have a .769 mark. The Nittany Lions have 84 ground balls to 87 for their opponents.
Loyola is coming off an 11-8 win over neighbor Towson last weekend. The 1-1 Greyhounds are bing led by ECAC Player of the Week Collin Finnerty. Finnerty has a league-leading 10 points off eight goals and two assist through two games this year. Greyhound keeper Jake Hagelin has a 9.00 goals against average with a league-best 14.00 save per game mark.
The Nittany Lions close out an early three-game home stand by welcoming No. 18 Ohio State to Holuba Hall on Saturday, March 7, for a 1 p.m. contest.
PENN STATE VS. LOYOLA: THE SERIES
Penn State holds a 27-21-1 lead in this long-time rivalry. Loyola has won the last three contests, including a 7-4 victory last season. Penn State's last win over the Greyhounds was a 16-14 victory on March 5, 2005.
MULQUEEN NOTCHES THREE ASSISTS IN NOTRE DAME GAME
Chris Mulqueen had a team-best three assists to lead Penn State in the Nittany Lions' tough 13-8 loss to Notre Dame on Feb. 22.
ADAMS NAMED TO TEWARAATON WATCH LIST
Penn State Nittany Lion men's lacrosse player Drew Adams (Springfield, Pa.) has been named to the 2009 Tewaaraton Award Watch List. Adams is among the select few in line for college lacrosse's Player of the Year award. It is the second year the Penn Stater has been included on the list. The Tewaaraton Award is given by the Tewaaraton Award Foundation, in conjunction with the University Club of Washington, D.C. The organization formally established the Trophy in 2000. Today, it is recognized as the pre-eminent lacrosse award, honoring the top male and female athletes in the United States. Essentially, it is the lacrosse equivalent of the Heisman Trophy. Adams is a three-time ECAC Goalie of the Year and a three-time All-ECAC Selection. He was also named ECAC Rookie of the Year. This year's co-captain, Adams has started in all 41 games to date during his Penn State career. He sports a goals against average below 8.00 for his career and has collected nearly 500 saves. Adams has been an Honorable Mention All-American twice during his stellar Nittany Lion career. This year's award will be presented on Thursday, May 28.
A HEALTHY HOGAN MAKES A SOLID RETURN AT RMU
Sophomore Chris Hogan, healthy after battling injuries in 2008, made a solid return to action in Penn State's season opener at Robert Morris. Hogan had four goals to lead the Nittany Lions.
FRESHMEN MAKE FINE DEBUT AT RMU
Two of Penn State's offensive forces in its 2009 season opener at Robert Morris were freshmen. Red-shirt freshman Jack Forster led Penn State with three assists, added a goal and was the co-leader with four points. True freshman Matthew Mackrides had an assist and two goals for three points as well.
FACE-OFFS STILL A STRONG SUIT FOR NITTANY LIONS
Penn State, which sported the ECAC's top face-off unit last year, has picked up right where it left off in 2009. The Nittany Lions won 15 of 25 for a .600 clip. Joe Britt has won 16 of 23 for a .696 average while Charley Henneghan has won nine of 14 for a .643 clip.
Nittany Lion Lacrosse Team Names Drew Adams and Matt Warner Co-Captains for 2009 Season
The Penn State Nittany Lion lacrosse team has named seniors Drew Adams (Springfield, Pa.) and Matt Warner (Geneva, N.Y.) as team captains for the 2009 season. Each player is a four-year letterman for head coach Glenn Thiel's squad. The team's captains were selected by voting amongst the squad. Adams has won the ECAC Goalie of the Year Award for three straight seasons and is a three-time first team All-ECAC selection. In 2006, he was named ECAC Rookie of the Year and has earned honorable mention All-America laurels as well. In three years, Adams has started in each of the 40 games he has played and has collected 482 saves, which is sixth all-time at Penn State and less than 100 from the school record. He also has a sub-8.00 goals against average for his career. Warner has played in all 40 of his games as a Nittany Lion, including emerging as a starter last year. He has eight points for his career, including five assists last season. Warner had 23 ground balls in 2008 and has 54 for his career.
Nittany Lion Lacrosse Players Adams and Mackrides Earn ECAC Lacrosse Pre-Season Honors
Penn State Nittany Lion lacrosse players Drew Adams (Springfield, Pa.) and Matthew Mackrides (Newtown Square, Pa.) have each earned ECAC Lacrosse League pre-season laurels. The conference announced the 2009 Preseason All-ECAC Team earlier this week. Adams, a senior goalie on this year's team, was named the 2009 Preseason ECAC Defensive Player of the Year and was selected to the 2009 Pre-Season All-ECAC Team. Adams has been a first-team All-ECAC pick in each of his first three seasons at Penn State and has won ECAC Goalie of the Year laurels for three straight years. He has also been a two-time Honorable Mention All-American. Mackrides was named the 2009 ECAC Preseason Rookie of the Year. The younger brother of former Nittany Lion stand-out Andrew Mackrides, Matthew brings a long list of accolades with him as he embarks upon his freshman campaign at Penn State. He was a two-time high school All-American at Malvern Prep and earned all-state honors for three seasons. He was also a member of the USA Under-19 team that won the 2008 World Championships this past summer.
Nittany Lion Lacrosse Team Rallying Behind Relay for Life
The Penn State Nittany Lion men's lacrosse team is well into it's year-long endeavor to make a difference in the lives of cancer victims as it participates in this year's Relay for Life. Relay for Life is 24-hour event set to take place this April, but the fundraising for the event occurs all year long. The men's lacrosse team, under the guidance of head coach Glenn Thiel and assistant coaches Guy VanArsdale and Travis Johnson, raised nearly $1,500 this past summer raffling off lacrosse equipment during its highly-successful summer camps. The team is currently involved in the distribution of fliers throughout the campus and the State College community to raise awareness for the event and to drive future fundraising efforts. The team is already making plans for activities this winter and spring. A touch football or three-on-three basketball tournament is in the works as well. The team plans to host and run the event on its own. Friends and family of Penn State's men's lacrosse team will also be receiving a newsletter that will encourage them to pledge donations to a specific player, based on points or saves in a game. Relay for Life has become well known for its yearly tributes to all those affected by cancer. Each year, the event is used to honor people battling the disease and celebrating those who have won their fight. There is an annual Luminaria Ceremony to remember those whose battles were lost. The national slogan is Celebrate, Remember, Fight Back. This year, Relay for Life is celebrating its 25th Year of Hope and its fifth year of Penn State Pride. The 2009 event will run from 5 p.m. on April 17 to 5 p.m. on April 18 on the fields located off Orchard Road. The Penn State Relay for Life website can be accessed at www.psurelay.org , where interested parties can find all the information they need to get involved as well as links to www.RelayForLife.org (the organization's national website) and www.cancer.org (the American Cancer Society's national site).