March 21, 2009
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -
The Penn State Nittany Lion lacrosse team suffered a heart-breaking 5-4 overtime loss to visiting Fairfield in a critical ECAC Lacrosse League game. Fairfield notched the game winning goal in the first overtime period to grab the win in a lower scoring affair.
Fairfield opened up the scoring with a Brent Adams goal with just :08 left in the opening period, the first stanza's only score. Penn State was able to counter with three minutes left in the first half when Jack Forster (Jenkintown, Pa.) scored unassisted with 3:07 left, sending the two teams into the halftime break tied 1-1.
Each team notched one goal in the third period, with Penn State taking its first lead when Chris Hogan (Wyckoff, N.J.) scored at the 5:47 mark. Fairfield countered three minutes later with another Adams goal and the game moved to the fourth period knotted at 2-2.
The offenses finally found their footing in the fourth quarter as Fairfield notched a man-up goal. Logan Rausse took a Max Trunz assist and put the Stags up 3-2 with 10:05 left in the game. The Nittany Lions would score the next two goals, however, and lead 4-3. Colton Vosburgh (Kennett Square, Pa.) scored off a Jack Forster assist with 8:31 left and then Hogan scored off another Jack Forster assist with 5:08 to play.
Fairfield was able to quickly tie the game when John Snellman scored with 4:44 left in the game to tie things up at 4-4. With the defenses holding over the remainder of regulation, action moved into a four-minute overtime and Fairfield got the win when Nick Baglio his way past Penn State goalie Drew Adams (Springfield, Pa.) with just 1:20 left to play, giving Fairfield the 5-4 victory.
Jack Forster led Penn State with a goal and two assists while Hogan had two goals. Adams was superb in the net once again, collecting 13 saves against 18 shots on goal. Fairfield keeper Charlie Cipriano had 12 saves while limiting Penn State to just four goals. Penn State out-shot Fairfield 38-28 and had a 33-27 edge in ground balls. The Nittany Lions won eight of 13 face-offs and were successful on 25 of 26 clears.
Penn State is 3-4, 0-2 in the ECAC while Fairfield is 3-2, 2-0 in the ECAC. The Nittany Lions will trek to Massachusetts next Saturday for a 12 p.m. ECAC game with the Minutemen.
GAME SUMMARY: Penn State 4, Fairfield 5 (OT)
SCORING (Goal-Assist):
1st: FFD 0:08 (Adams)
2nd: PSU 3:07 (J. Forster)
3rd: PSU 5:47 (Hogan), FFD 2:54 (Adams)
4th: FFD 10:05 (Rausse, Trunz), PSU 8:31 (Vosburgh, J. Forster), PSU 5:08 (Hogan, J. Forster), FFD 4:44 (Snellman, Trunz)
OT: FFD 1:20 (Baglio)
GROUNDBALLS: PSU 33, FFD 27 MAN-UP OPPS: PSU 0-1, FFD 1-3
SHOTS (SH-SOG): PSU 38-16, FFD 28-18 -- FACE-OFFS: PSU 8-13, FFD 5-13
GOALIE SUMMARY: PSU Drew Adams (62:40, 13 SV, 5 GA), FFD Charlie Cipriano (62:40, 12 SV, 4 GA)
SCORE BY QUARTERS: 1 2 3 4 OT F
PENN STATE 0 1 1 2 0 4
FAIRFIELD 1 0 1 2 1 5
RECORDS: Penn State 3-4, 0-2 ECAC; Fairfield 3-2, 2-0 ECAC
ATTENDANCE: 613