April 21, 2009
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -
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TODAY'S GAME: The Penn State Nittany Lion men's lacrosse team (7-5, 3-3 ECAC) will host St. Joseph's (5-8*) in its final home game of the 2009 season on Saturday, April 25. Serving as Senior Night for the Nittany Lions, the game will start at 7:30 p.m. on Jeffrey Field.
The Nittany Lions are currently riding a four-game winning streak after last Saturday's 9-4 ECAC Lacrosse League win at Rutgers. Rob Forster led Penn State with a four-goal burst while Chris Hogan checked in with three goals an an assist. Goalie Drew Adams held the Scarlet Knights to only four goals, his fewest goals allowed this season.
With leading scorer Jack Forster out for the season, older brother Rob Forster, sophomore Chris Hogan and freshman Matthew Mackrides are shouldering the offensive load for Penn State. Rob Forster has 29 points off 22 goals and seven assists while Hogan has a team-best 23 goals to go along with three assists for a 26 point total. Mackrides has 22 points off 12 and ten. Adams sports a 7.87 goals against average with a league-leading .655 save percentage and a league-best 182 saves.
As a team, Penn State has a .233 shot on goal mark while holding its foes to a .205 average. The Nittany Lions have 387 ground balls to 383 for its foes and the squad has connected on 12 of 41 extra man chances for a .293 average.
St. Joe's comes in with a 5-8 overall record. The Hawks play Wagner on Wednesday at 4 p.m. (post-press). St. Joe's is coming off a 9-7 win over Marist last weekend. The Hawks are being led by Sean Evans' 32 points off 21 goals and 11 assists. Goalkeeper Erik Hotaling has an 8.29 goals against average with 136 saves and a .574 save percentage.
Penn State will close out the 2009 regular season with an ECAC game at Georgetown on Saturday, May 2, at 12 p.m.
PENN STATE VS. ST. JOE'S: THE SERIES
Penn State leads the all-time series with St. Joe's 2-0. The Nittany Lions won 10-6 in Philadelphia last year and won 12-9 in State College in 2007.
FORSTER AND HOGAN LEAD LIONS TO ECAC ROAD WIN AT RUTGERS
Rob Forster scored four goals and Chris Hogan had four points off three goals and an assist to lead Penn State to an impressive 9-4 ECAC road win at Rutgers on 4/18. The win was Penn State's fourth straight, its first four-game win streak since 2006.
ADAMS HOLDS RUTGERS TO FOUR GOALS IN ROAD WIN
Drew Adams held Rutgers to only four goals in Penn State's 9-4 win at Rutgers on 4/18. The four goal total was a season low in goals against for the senior keeper.
MACKRIDES SCORES GAME WINNER IN OT VS. ST. JOHN'S, EARNS ECAC ROOKIE OF THE WEEK LAURELS
True freshman Matthew Mackrides scored the game-winning goal in Penn State's 12-11 ECAC overtime victory over St. John's on Saturday. Mackrides ended the game with five points off two goals and three assists in helping guide Penn State to its third straight win. Earlier in the week, Mackrides led Penn State with four points in a 9-8 road win at No. 19 Bucknell. Mackrides had two goals and two assists in the victory over the Bison. Mackrides totaled nine points off four goals and five assists in Penn State's 2-0 week.
Jack Forster NETS SIX IN WIN OVER ST. JOHN'S
Red-shirt freshman Jack Forster scored a team season best six goals in Penn State's 12-11 overtime victory over St. John's on 4/11. Forster scored three goals in the first period alone to help the Nittany Lions on to victory.
ADAMS SHUTS DOWN #19 BUCKNELL TO LEAD LIONS TO VICTORY
Senior goalie Drew Adams was superb in Penn State's 9-8 road win at #19 Bucknell on Tuesday, April 7. Adams notched 20 saves, his second straight game with 20 or more saves (he had 24 on April 4 in a win over Hobart).
ADAMS' CAREER DAY VS. HOBART LEADS TO WIN AND PLAYER OF THE WEEK LAURELS
Penn State Nittany Lion lacrosse player Drew Adams (Springfield, Pa.) has been named the ECAC Lacrosse League Defensive Player of the Week. It is Adams' first honor of the year and Penn State's third as a team. Adams was stunning in Penn State's 10-8 win over Hobart on Saturday. The three-time ECAC Goalie of the Year had a career-high 24 saves against 45 Hobart shots (42 on goal). Adams also controlled the Penn State defense with nine ground balls, a season high for the senior.
Rob Forster SPARKS PENN STATE TO 10-8 ECAC WIN OVER HOBART
Senior attackman Rob Forster sparked the Nittany Lions to a 10-8 win over Hobart on April 4. Forster had four points in a critical first period to lead the Nittany Lions to an early 5-2 lead after 15:00 of play. Forster had two goals and two assists in the opening stanza and ended the game with five points off three and two.
Jack Forster's FOUR-POINT SHOWING AT UMASS EARNS HIM SECOND ECAC ROOKIE OF THE WEEK HONOR
Penn State Nittany Lion lacrosse player Jack Forster (Jenkintown, Pa.) has been named ECAC Lacrosse League Rookie of the Week. It is the second such honor for the red-shirt freshman this year. Forster continued his torrid 2009 campaign with two goals and two assists in Penn State's 9-8 loss at UMass on Saturday. Forster's four-point performance was his fourth of the season as of 3/28.
CLOSE LOSSES? HOW ABOUT FOUR OF FIVE!
Four of Penn State's five losses have come by a total of four goals. Yes, four one-goal losses, including two in overtime. Penn State has lost overtime games to Robert MOrris and Fairfield and single-goal games to Loyola and UMass.
Jack Forster NAMED ECAC ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Penn State Nittany Lion lacrosse player Jack Forster (Jenkintown, Pa.) has been named the ECAC Lacrosse League Rookie of the Week, sharing the honor with Loyola's Mike Sawyer. The honor is the first weekly conference honor for Forster. Forster was superb in a 2-0 week for the Nittany Lions. On Tuesday, the freshman scored two goals and had two assists to lead the Nittany Lions to a 10-8 win at No. 20 Villanova. He followed that performance up with a goal and an assist in Penn State's 7-5 win at Vermont on Sunday. Forster now has a team-best 18 points off 11 goals and seven assists.
SHEA SOLID IN WIN AT VERMONT
Middie Brian Shea lead Penn State to a 7-5 win at Vermont on 3/15, the Nittany Lions' third straight win. Shea had two goals and a team-best six ground balls in the effort.
ADAMS SAVES THE DAY IN WIN OVER #20 VILLANOVA
Senior Drew Adams was superb in the net to help lead the Nittany Lions to a 10-8 victory at No. 20 Villanova on 3/10. Adams had 16 saves against a barrage of Wildcat shots and allowed only eight goals to lead Penn State to its second straight win over a ranked opponent.
FORSTER BROTHERS LEAD PENN STATE TO WIN OVER #15 OHIO STATE
Brothers Jack and Rob Forster combined for seven points to lead the Nittany Lion lacrosse team to an impressive 11-5 victory over No. 15 Ohio State on 3/7. Freshman Jack had a game-high four goals while senior Rob had a goal and a team-best two assists in the contest.
ADAMS SHINES IN NET AGAINST #15 OHIO STATE
Senior goalie Drew Adams was superb in Penn State's 11-5 win over 15th-ranked Ohio State on 3/7. Adams, facing 41 shots (22 on goal) had 17 saves to raise his season save total to 56 and lower his GAA to 9.31.
ADAMS A CANDIDATE FOR LOWE'S SENIOR CLASS AWARD
Penn State Nittany Lion lacrosse goalie Drew Adams (Springfield, Pa.) has been named as a candidate for the prestigious 2009 Lowe's Senior CLASS Award. Adams' nomination is the second time he's been nominated for a national post-season award as he is on the Tewaaraton Watch List as well. Thirty NCAA® lacrosse student-athletes who strive to make a difference in their classroom, their communities and on their field of competition were identified as the 2009 candidates for the lacrosse division of the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award. To be eligible for the award, a student-athlete must be classified as an NCAA Division I senior and have notable achievements in four areas of excellence: Classroom, Character, Community, and Competition. The list of 30 student-athletes will be narrowed down to 10 finalists midway through the regular season, and those 10 names will then be placed on the official ballot. The ballots will be distributed through a nationwide voting system to media, coaches and fans, who will select the candidate who best exemplifies excellence in the "Four C's" of Classroom, Character, Community, and Competition. The award winner will be announced and presented with his trophy at the 2009 NCAA® Men's Lacrosse Championship in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
HOGAN NOTCHES HAT TRICK IN LOSS TO LOYOLA
Sophomore Chris Hogan led Penn State with four points in its tough 8-7 loss to No. 16 Loyola on 2/28. Hogan had three goals and an assist to lead the Nittany Lions.
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.
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).