Feb. 14, 2016
By Maria Canales, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. ââ'¬" Despite constant lead changes, the Penn State men's lacrosse team (2-0) was able to spark a scoring streak during the fourth quarter of Saturday's contest to defeat Hobart (0-1), 17-12.
Penn State struck first as senior attack man TJ Sanders found the back of the net for the Nittany Lions. Sanders has seven goals in just two games.
During the first half of the game there were five ties and two lead changes as the Nittany Lions faced off against the Statesmen. At the start of the third, the Nittany Lions led, 7-5. Hobart led, 10-8, after three.
However, the momentum shifted in favor of Penn State as the clock started for the fourth quarter. Despite trailing by as much as three goals, the Nittany Lions were quick to pounce at the opportunity to rally for a win. The Lions outshot Hobart, 16-4, in the final frame en route to a nine-goal period.
"We came out and we knew it was going to be a tough game, but we started off a little slow in the offensive and defensive zones," said sophomore defenseman Mike Aronow. "We kind of figured it out after the second half and in the fourth quarter we really started putting up goals and we really worked together, that's what it came down to."
Aronow explained that the selflessness fellow teammates displayed during the fourth quarter was what allowed the Nittany Lions to score nine goals in the last 15 minutes of the game. The ability of the team to work together, communicate, and set up efficient plays is what Aronow credits to the team's late run of success.
During the fourth quarter, freshman Grant Ament got the Nittany Lions rolling as he scored less than 30 second in. Ament, in just two games, has scored five goals and has had seven assists.
To continue the momentum, Sanders followed suit just 10 seconds later, netting his second of three goals.
The Nittany Lions relentlessly dominated the rest of the fourth quarter. Sophomore Ryan Keenan scored twice, as freshman Kevin Fox, redshirt junior Matt Florence, and junior Dan Craig all found the back of the net once.
Head coach Jeff Tambroni noted how important the faceoff unit was at giving the Nittany Lions' attack men the opportunity to set up plays by winning vital face offs at the end of the game.
"Between the wings, Tommy Wright, Kevin Fox, and our faceoff guys in particular, I thought they just did a really good job of getting the ball up off the ground, getting us possession, and we turned them into goals," said Tambroni.
Junior Billy Lombardi went 23-for-42 at the faceoff "x", while sophomore Josh Wellman went 9-for-16.
Despite an early back-and-fourth between the Nittany Lions and the Statesmen, Penn State was able to light a spark in the fourth quarter to rally and defeat Hobart. Tambroni noted how important finding motivation toward the end of a game is to net necessary goals and get points up on the board.
"That's our goal every time we could out here to play, to make sure that we're playing for a greater purpose which is your teammates," said Tambroni. "It didn't seem like we had a lot of great focus or energy coming in and it was just nice to know that when things weren't going our way and we we're battling some adversity, that these guys could find a way, especially with two captains sitting on the bench here, find a way to collect themselves and find a way to win."