April 4, 2015
9-1, 2-0 Big Ten | 3-7, 0-2 Big Ten |
| 12 | 5 |
| Saturday, April 4 (3 p.m.) | |
Byrd Stadium | College Park, Md.
| POST GAME LINKS |
| Box Score (HTML) | Box Score (PDF) |
| FINAL STATISTICS |
COLLEGE PARK, Md.; April 4, 2015 - The Penn State men's lacrosse team held Maryland to four goals in the final 45 minutes of the contest but lost to No. 3 Maryland 12-5 on Saturday.
Mike Sutton (Sewell, N.J.) rec orded his seventh multi-goal game of the season with a hat trick. TJ Sanders (Orillia, Ontario) scored his 20th of the season with the extra man, while Mike Aronow (Holbrook, N.Y.) netted the first of his career. Nick Aponte (West Islip, N.Y.) posted the Nittany Lions' lone assist.
Maryland (9-1, 2-0 Big Ten) out-shot Penn State (3-7, 0-2 Big Ten) 50-20. Sutton led the team with eight shots. With the extra man, Maryland was 1-for-3 and Penn State went 1-for-2. In the cage, Connor Darcey (Wellesley, Mass.) recorded 14 saves compared to Kyle Bernlohr's 11.
The Terrapins edged the Nittany Lions at the face-off `X', 12-7. Drake Kreinz (Delafield, Wis.) went 5-for-14, and Billy Lombardi (Rochester, N.Y.) posted a 2-3 record. Maryland also won the ground ball battle, 29-18.
The Terrapins showed why the team is ranked third in the nation after a dominating first quarter, taking a 3-0 lead five-and-a-half minutes in. But the Blue and White got on the board with just under eight minutes left in the quarter. Florence sent a pass to Sutton 10 yards ahead after a lengthy possession. Sutton then dodged his defender and put an overhand shot into the cage for the 3-1 score.
But Maryland responded convincingly, going on a 5-0 run to take an 8-1 lead as the frame neared its end.
Penn State was able to cut the Terrapin lead to six when Sutton crashed through a group of defenders and got the shot off before the clock hit 0:00 to make the score 8-2.
The Nittany Lions were able to increase their time of possession in the second quarter and tightened up their defensive play, including a five-save performance by Darcey, to shut out Maryland in the stanza, making way for a third Nittany Lion goal. With 5:07 remaining, Maryland was issued separate push and offside penalties, giving Penn State its first extra man opportunity of the contest. As the pair of Terps prepared to be released, Sanders charged the cage and put the ball past Bernlohr's right side for the 8-3 goal.
The Terrapins scored three unanswered goals to open the second half before Sutton completed the hat trick 4:26 into the fourth quarter. Aponte served up a quick pass to the sophomore, who whipped in the 11-4 tally.
After Maryland netted its 12th of the game at 9:25, the Nittany Lions added one more to the scoring ledger. Sutton powered past a Terrapin to get the shot off, which ricocheted off the post directly into Aronow's stick. The freshman then threw his first career goal into the cage for the final 12-5 score.
The Nittany Lions are back in Maryland visiting Johns Hopkins on Sat., April 11. ÂThe 6 p.m. game will be broadcasted on ESPNU.