May 1, 2012
| Game Notes | @GoPSUMLAX
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The No. 2 seed Penn State men's lacrosse team will host third-seeded Drexel in the CAA semifinals on Wednesday night (May 2) at the Penn State Lacrosse Field. Opening faceoff is set at 7 p.m.
Tickets will cost $8 for adults and $5 for students/youth. Students from Penn State and Drexel with a valid student ID will be admitted for free.
With a 5-1 conference mark (9-5 overall), Penn State secured the second seed in the CAA tournament for the second straight year. The Nittany Lions, who made their first CAA tournament appearance in 2011, will look to advance to the championship game for the first time.
In their regular-season finale, the Nittany Lions extended their winning streak to five games with a 9-8 double overtime victory against Hofstra Saturday. Penn State has won five straight games for the first time since 2009 and is in search of its first 10-win season since 1996.
Earlier this season against Drexel, Penn State overcame a four-goal third-quarter deficit as it edged the Dragons, 10-9, at Vidas Field. Senior attackman Jack Forster (Jenkintown) led Penn State with seven points (4g, 3a), while classmate Matthew Mackrides (Newtown Square) added a four-point game (3g, 1a). Sophomore Gavin Ahern (Rockville Centre, N.Y.) tallied the game-winner with 2:45 left in the fourth.
Forster continues to lead the Nittany Lions in points (41) and assists (14), while Mackrides paces the squad in goals (28). The Newtown Square, Pa., native is just one marker away from becoming the fifth Nittany Lion in program history to reach the century mark.
In the cage, sophomore goalkeeper Austin Kaut (Morton) ranks fifth in the NCAA in save percentage (.595) and ninth in goals-against average (7.57). The Morton, Pa., native anchors a Penn State defensive unit that ranks ninth in the nation in scoring defense (7.79).
Drexel (7-7, 4-2 CAA) will enter the contest as the league's No. 3 seed after securing a 4-2 conference mark. The Dragons boast three 20-goal scorers, led by junior attackman Robert Church's 24 markers. Church also leads the squad in assists (18) and points (42), while Aaron Prosser (21) and Brendan Glynn (20) round out the 20-goal scorers.
Senior defenseman Dana Wilber has collected a team-high 16 caused turnovers, and sophomore defenseman Matt Dusek has added 15 to lead Drexel's defensive unit, which ranks 11th in the nation in scoring defense (7.93)
The winner of Wednesday night's matchup will face the winner of the Massachusetts and Towson semifinal in the CAA championship on Saturday (May 5). The league champion will earn the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.