April 27, 2012
| Game Notes | @GoPSUMLAX
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The No. 14/15 Penn State men's lacrosse team will welcome CAA rival Hofstra on Saturday (April 28) for its regular-season finale at the Penn State Lacrosse Field. Opening faceoff for the Senior Day matchup is set at noon.
Prior to the contest, Penn State will recognize its five seniors - goalkeeper Dave Baker (Havertown), attackman Jack Forster (Jenkintown), midfielder Ryan Link (Englewood, Colo.), attackman Matthew Mackrides (Newtown Square) and defenseman Ryan McGarvey (Lower Gwynedd). The quintet have been instrumental in the Nittany Lions' success this year, leading the team to an 8-5 overall record (4-1 CAA) and the program's second straight CAA tournament berth.
Penn State improved to 8-5 and secured the No. 2 seed for the upcoming CAA tournament with a 13-9 victory against Delaware last weekend. Sophomore Shane Sturgis (Downingtown) registered a career-high six points (4g, 2a), while Mackrides, who is tied with Forster for the team lead in goals (25), notched his fourth straight three-goal game. Sophomore midfielder Tom LaCrosse (Canandaigua, N.Y.) also set a career high with three strikes.
The Nittany Lions, who are in the midst of a season-long four-game win streak, boast the nation's 10th ranked defense, allowing 7.77 goals per game. Sophomore goalkeeper and Tewaaraton Award nominee Austin Kaut (Morton) anchors the unit and ranks sixth in the NCAA in save percentage (.592) and 10th in goals-against average (7.61). The Tewaaraton Award is presented to the nation's top collegiate lacrosse player.
In addition to Kaut, Link has helped anchor the defensive unit with 43 ground balls and a team-best 13 caused turnovers, while sophomore long-stick midfielder Kessler Brown (Springfield, Va.) and freshman defenseman Jack Donnelly (Toronto, Ont.) have added 11 caused turnovers each.
Hofstra (6-7, 2-3 CAA) will enter the matchup following its fifth one-goal loss of the season in a 14-13 decision against then-No. 1 Massachusetts. The Pride, who currently sit in fifth place in the CAA, need to defeat Penn State and have Saint Joseph's top Towson to make the four-team tournament.
Junior midfielder Adrian Sorichetti paces the team with 38 points and 14 assists, while sophomore Lance Yapor has scored a team-high 25 goals. Senior Andrew Gvozden has been the Pride's goalie of record in each game and ranks 15th in the NCAA in goals-against average (8.53) and 21st in save percentage (.550).
The Nittany Lions are 5-10 all-time against Hofstra and 1-1 as members of the CAA. Following Saturday's matchup, Penn State will host a CAA semifinal matchup against Drexel on Wednesday (May 2) at 7 p.m.