May 4, 2016
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UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - No. 17 Penn State men's lacrosse (8-6, 2-3) is set to make its second consecutive appearance in the Big Ten Tournament semifinals as the No. 4 seed, taking on top-seeded, No. 3 Maryland Thursday, May 5 at 5:30 p.m. at Johns Hopkins' Homewood Field in Baltimore, Maryland. The matchup will broadcast live on Big Ten Network with Joe Beninati and Mark Dixon on the call.
SETTING THE SCENE
- The Nittany Lions closed out the 2016 regular season with a 14-9 win against Michigan last weekend to earn a berth to the Big Ten Tournament and capture the Creator's Trophy. A total of six Nittany Lions found the scoring column in the win, led by multi-goal outings from four of the six. TJ Sanders, Nick Aponte and Grant Ament powered the offense, combining for eight goals and nine assists.
- Penn State and Maryland are meeting for the first time as Big Ten Tournament opponents with the Terrapins having claimed a close 11-10 win in OT in the regular season meeting at home at the Penn State Lacrosse Field.
- Four Nittany Lions earned Big Ten post season awards. Nick Aponte highlights the group as a unanimous First-Team All-Big Ten selection, while freshman Grant Ament and sophomore Mike Aronow earned All-Big Ten Honorable Mention honors. Senior James Chakey rounded out the group Penn State's Sportsmanship Award selection.
- Nick Aponte and Grant Ament garnered Big Ten Weekly Awards this week, following the win against Michigan. Aponte earns his first career Big Ten weekly award, named Co-Offensive Player of the Week after a five-point (4g/1a) performance, while Ament garnered his second consecutive Big Ten Freshman of the Week nod after leading the team with a seven-point outing (1g/6a).
- The matchup against the Terps marks Penn State's seventh meeting aginst an opponent ranked within the Top 20 at gametime. Four of the final five games of the regular season were all against teams ranked within the Top 20.
A CLOSER LOOK AT THE TERRAPINS
SCOUTING MARYLAND
Big Ten regular season champion Maryland enters the matchup at 12-2 on the year, having posted a 5-0 mark in conference play. The Terps recently posted a program record with seven members of the team earning Big Ten postseason awards. Maryland led the conference with three First Team All-Big Ten honors.
| Last Three vs. Maryland |
| 4/10/2016 | L, 11-10 OT | H |
| 4/4/2015 | L, 12-5 | A |
| 5/14/2005 | L, 14-10 | N |
SERIES HISTORY vs. MARYLAND
The Terrapins hold a 37-2 advantage in the all-time series against the Nittany Lions, including a 2-0 mark in Big Ten play. Penn State dropped a close 11-10 OT decision to the Terps earlier this season. The Nittany Lions and Maryland will meet in the Big Ten Tournament for the first time. The OT loss was the first of two for the Nittany Lions, who lost to then-No. 17 Johns Hopkins 12-11 in extra time the following week.
LAST TIME OUT: vs. MARYLAND - APRIL 10, 2016
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - No. 14 Penn State came up short in a close 11-10 overtime loss against No. 5 Maryland.
Junior Mike Sutton led a group of six Nittany Lion goal-scorers with his second hat trick of the season. Junior Nick Aponte and freshman Grant Ament followed close behind with two goals apiece. Aponte also led the team with two assists for a team-high four points. Senior TJ Sanders, sophomore Ryan Keenan and freshman Kevin Hill all tallied one goal each.
Sophomore goalie Will Schreiner recorded eight saves, while also totaling a team-high three ground balls. Junior Peter Triolo had two ground balls, while also causing one turnover. Sophomore Mike Aronow also finished with one caused turnover.
BIG TEN TOURNAMENT SNIPPETS
2016 marks the second year of the Big Ten Men's Lacrosse Tournament. Featuring four of the six Big Ten conference teams, the two-day event features back-to-back semifinal games Thursday, May 5 with the winners of each matchup advancing to the championship Saturday, May 7.
Last year, top-seeded Johns Hopkins captured the title in the inaugural Big Ten Tournament, defeating No. 3 seed Ohio State, 13-6. The fourth-seeded Nittany Lions dropped a 14-9 decision to the Blue Jays in the semifinals.
The Big Ten Network will broadcast both semifinal games, while the championship game will broadcast live on ESPN2.
ALL- BIG TEN NITTANY LIONS
Four Nittany Lions earned Big Ten post season awards. Nick Aponte highlights the group as a unanimous First-Team All-Big Ten selection, while freshman Grant Ament and sophomore Mike Aronow earned All-Big Ten Honorable Mention honors. Senior James Chakey rounded out the group as Penn State's Sportsmanship Award selection. Aponte is Penn State's first First-Team All-Big Ten selection in program history.
APONTE NAMED TEWAARATON NOMINEE
Junior Nick Aponte has been selected as a nominee for the 2016 Tewaaraton Award, as announced by the organization. Aponte is one of 25 members on the men's list, which features student-athletes from 16 different programs from around the country. Aponte is the first Nittany Lion to be named a Tewaaraton Award nominee since goalie Austin Kaut, who was named to the list in 2012 and 2013.
AMENT, APONTE EARN B1G WEEKLY HONORS
Both Nick Aponte and Grant Ament garnered Big Ten Weekly Awards this week, following Penn State's 14-9 win against Michigan. Aponte earns his first career Big Ten weekly award, named Co-Offensive Player of the Week after a five-point (4g/1a) performance against Michigan last week. Ament garnered his second consecutive Big Ten Freshman of the Week nod after leading the team with a seven-point outing against Michigan, posting a career-high six assists to go along with one goal and a personal-best four ground balls.
NOT FINISHED JUST YET
Penn State men's lacrosse paid tribute to its 2016 senior class, featuring James Burke, James Chakey, Ryan Guittare, Tommy O'Neill, TJ Sanders, John Von Nessen and Connor Darcey (posthumously) prior to its senior day win against Michigan in the regular season finale. Across four years, the 2016 senior class has earned 32 wins and has been a part of some of the most historic moments in Penn State lacrosse history ahead of this weekend's 2016 Big Ten Tournament.
In the 100th season of Penn State Lacrosse, they made their first appearance in the NCAA Tournament since 2005 and set a program record with a 12-win season. 2015 brought another history moment as these seniors ushered in the inaugural season of Big Ten men's lacrosse, while also earning berth to the first Big Ten Tournament. Most recently, the 2016 seniors helped make more history, defeating No. 1 Denver to mark the first program victory over a top-ranked opponent.
CREATOR'S TROPHY CLAIMED
Penn State, Michigan and Ohio State compete for The Creator's Trophy, an annual award presented when a team is 2-0 against one of the other programs. In its fifth year, the trophy was created to honor the rivalries among the first three Big Ten lacrosse schools at the time Michigan added the sport in 2012. After defeating Ohio State and Michigan, PSU captured its third Creator's Trophy. PSU won the 2012 and 2014 titles, while OSU earned the trophy in 2013 and 2015.
BALANCING THE OFFENSE
Penn State has a total of eight Nittany Lions with at least 10 goals on the year, with five of the 10 having posted at least 15 this season. Led by senior Nick Aponte's 26 goals, PSU has been helped out by at least six different goal scorers in all but one game this season.
HELPING OUT
Having notched at least five assists in all but three games this season, Penn State is averaging 7.29 assists per game, which ranks 10th nationally and second in the Big Ten conference.
Penn State's starting attack unit with Nick Aponte, TJ Sanders and Grant Ament features a trio with double figure assists and goals. With one assist in all but three games this season, Aponte has totaled 19 helpers. Leading the team with 34 assists, Ament's averaging 2.43 per game, which ranks fourth nationally and second in the conference.
GOALS GALORE
Penn State is outscoring its opponents 169-148 on the year, with a scoring offense that's ranked 14th nationally, averaging 12.07 goals per game. Penn State's .347 shot percentage is also slotted seventh nationally and first in the conference.
Penn State has scored at least 10 goals in nine of 14 games this season, at 6-3 in outings with 10 or more goals. The Nittany Lions are also out-scoring their opponents in the first, second and third quarter, out-scoring foes 45-34 in the first.
Penn State scored 37 goals in just the first two games of the season, marking the most amount of goals in the first two games of the season in program history. The 37 goals were the most since Penn State scored 36 in the first two games of the 1987 season and the first 30-plus scoring through two games since the Nittany Lions had 33 goals in 2013.
FRESH CONTRIBUTIONS
Through 14 games, the Nittany Lion newcomers have continued to make their mark, contributing 45 goals and 43 assists for nearly 33 percent of the team's total point scoring this year. At least one freshman has scored in all 14 games this season for the Nittany Lions, with six rookies posting at least two goals on the year.
Grant Ament highlights the talented newcomer group with at least two goals in eight of the last 11 games, netting two in the win against No. 1 Denver and against No. 5 Maryland. Against Hobart, Ament recorded his first collegiate hat trick, while also tallying a pair of assists for a team-high five points. On the defensive end, Chris Sabia has started all 13 games and is tied for second on the team with nine caused turnovers.
All 16 Nittany Lion rookies saw action in Penn State's 2016 season-opening victory against Robert Morris. Making the most of their debuts, a total of six newcomers combined for seven goals and six assists. Trevor Scollins also saw action in goal, notching two saves in 10:50 seconds between the pipes.
SANDERS NEARING ANOTHER MILESTONE
With a team-high four goals in Penn State's win against Robert Morris, senior TJ Sanders notched his 100th career goal to join an elite group as just the seventh Nittany Lion all-time to amass 100 career goals. As the first Nittany Lion to hit the mark since Jack Forster in 2013, he needs four more goals to tie for first all-time. Sanders has scored at least two goals in all but five games this season and is one of two Nittany Lions in program history to notch 120 goals.
FINDING MOMENTUM AT ATTACK
Penn State's starting attack unit consisting of veterans TJ Sanders and Nick Aponte and freshman Grant Ament has combined for 72 goals and 66 assists, for just about 50 percent of the team's total point-scoring this year.
With each member of the trio having posted at least 40 points or more on the year, Ament leads the way with 53 points, while Aponte is second with 45. Ament and Aponte have registered at least 19 goals and assists apiece, serving as a duo that can successfully distribute and finish.
In Big Ten games, they produced 27 goals and 21 assists for 48 of the team's 86 points.. Aponte recently matched a career-mark three times with four goals in the last three games, while Sanders had a hat trick against Michigan.
UP NEXT
Should the Nittany Lions defeat top-seeded Maryland, they will advance to the Big Ten championship game for the first time in program history. Penn State would meet the winner of the No. 2 Rutgers/No. 3 Johns Hopkins semifinal Saturday, May 7.
| SEASON NOTES |
BIG TEN NETWORK ANNOUNCES 2016 TV SLATE
Penn State men's lacrosse is set for six appearances live on national television during the 2016 season, as announced by the Big Ten conference this morning. The Big Ten Network has announced that it will broadcast more than 65 men's and women's lacrosse games in 2016, while also providing live coverage of both the 2016 Big Ten Men's and Women's Lacrosse Tournaments. Including two showings on ESPNU, all of Penn State's Big Ten conference matchups will appear on TV during the 2016 season.
PSU PICKED FOURTH IN B1G COACHES POLL
Penn State has been voted fourth in the 2016 Big Ten Preseason Coaches' Poll with Nittany Lions redshirt juniors Matt Florence, Drake Kreinz and senior TJ Sanders named Penn State's Players to Watch. Johns Hopkins claimed the top spot in the 2016 poll with a unanimous selection from the league's head coaches. Maryland and Ohio State rounded out the top three at spots two and three, respectively. Michigan and Rutgers were selected fifth and sixth.
BIG TEN PRESEASON PLAYERS TO WATCH
Redshirt seniors Matt Florence and Drake Kreinz and senior TJ Sanders earned Penn State Big Ten Preseason Player to Watch honors. The preseason nod is the second straight for Kreinz and Sanders, who both earned 2015 Player to Watch honors prior to the inaugural season of Big Ten lacrosse. Florence earns his first career Big Ten preseason honor, having capped off the season with Big Ten All-Tournament team honors. A 2015 Academic All-Big Ten selection, Kreinz served once again as Penn State's top faceoff specialist in 2015, playing in 13 of 14 games. A USILA All-America honorable mention, Sanders returns as one of the Nittany Lions' top offensive contributors in 2016, having earned both All-Big Ten honorable mention distinction and Academic All-Big Ten awards last year.
TRIO TO LEAD AS 2016 CAPTAINS
A trio of midfielders will lead the team during its 2016 campaign. Seniors Tommy O'Neill and James Burke and redshirt junior Drake Kreinz have been voted as captains. The process for choosing captains has remained unchanged for years and Jeff Tambroni is confident in the system he has in place.
"There are a number of different factors going into the captains process," Tambroni said. "One is a consensus vote from last year's team, we want to get exiting seniors, graduating seniors opinions on who they believe will lead this team most effectively."
After the team vote, Tambroni and fellow assistant coaches evaluate upperclassmen during the fall semester before making a final decision. Penn State men's lacrosse has experimented with the number of captains the team has every year. In 2014 three seniors led the team but in 2015 the task fell solely on senior Kyle Zittel.
TAMBRONI SIGNS 11 TO NLI
Jeff Tambroni has announced the signing of 11 newcomers to National Letters of Intent during the early signing period. From U.S. Lacrosse All-Americans and MVPs to state champions and honor roll athletes, this year's class features a talented group poised to join the Nittany Lions in 2016.
Gerard Arceri (Saint James, N.Y.), Nick Cardile (West Grove, Pa.), TJ Connellan (Cazenovia, N.Y.), Colby Kneese (Dallas, Texas), Nick McEvoy (Bethesda, Md.), Mac O'Keefe (Syosset, N.Y.), Kane Randolph (Annapolis, Md.), Jack Rusboldt (Richmond, Va.), Mitch Schaefer (Canandaigua, N.Y.), Conor Smith (West Islip, N.Y.) and Barrett Sutley (Stevenson, Md.) are all set to arrive in Happy Valley.
Three of the signees are ranked within Inside Lacrosse's list of top 25 recruits with Arceri ranked No. 11, O'Keefe tabbed No. 23 and McEvoy slotted No. 25.