March 26, 2012
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UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The No. 18 Penn State men's lacrosse team will welcome intrastate rival and No. 16 Bucknell on Tuesday (March 27) for a non-conference matchup at the Penn State Lacrosse Field. Opening faceoff is slated at 7 p.m.
The Bison will represent Penn State's seventh ranked opponent of the season. Following Tuesday night's matchup, the Nittany Lions will conclude their non-conference slate Saturday (March 31) when they host No. 12/13 Villanova.
Penn State will enter the contest at 4-4 overall (1-1 CAA) after snapping its three-game skid on Saturday with a 7-3 victory against Saint Joseph's. Against the Hawks, senior Jack Forster (Jenkintown) paced the squad with a hat trick for his first three-goal game since scoring four times against Saint Joseph's in 2011.
Forster, along with classmate Matthew Mackrides (Newtown Square), continues to lead the Nittany Lions offensively. Forster paces the team in points (20) and assists (7), while the pair is tied for first on the squad with 13 goals. Sophomore goalkeeper Austin Kaut (Morton) has compiled a 4-4 record and ranks sixth in the nation in save percentage (.600) and 10th in goals-against average (7.61).
The Penn State defense will be put to the test against a Bucknell squad that sits tied for third in the country in scoring offense with 13.33 goals per game. The Bison (6-3, 2-0 Patriot League) are currently on a six-game winning streak after opening the season at 0-3 and have six players with at least 10 points.
Sophomore attackman Todd Heritage leads the team in goals (26), while senior attackman Billy Eisenreich's 23 assists and 44 points are a team high. Junior goalkeeper Kyle Feeney is 5-3 with a 9.49 goals-against average and .552 save percentage.
The Nittany Lions are 34-11 all-time against Bucknell but have dropped the previous two matchups. The teams have met every year since the 1968 season.