March 31, 2017
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The No. 2 Penn State men's lacrosse team (9-0) opens its Big Ten slate on Sunday evening, welcoming No. 5 Ohio State (9-1) to Happy Valley, as the two teams will go head-to-head April 2, at 7 p.m. The game is set to air on the Big Ten Network, with Dean Linke and Mark Dixon on the call.
FOLLOW ALONG
In addition to watching in person or on the Big Ten Network, fans can follow all the action with the Big Ten Network's live stream, live stats and additional live coverage on Twitter (@PennStateMLAX).
ATTENDING PENN STATE LACROSSE FIELD
Admission and parking for men's lacrosse regular season events are free. Fans are reminded that there is a no bag policy in place.
GAMEDAY PROMOTIONS
Fans are encouraged to wear white to the game to "White Out The Hill." Additionally, students are invited to a pregame tailgate, beginning at 6:30 p.m. near the Lacrosse Field scoreboard. Three students will be chosen to attempt the "Perfect Shot" with a chance to win $10,000.
PENN STATE DEFEATS CLEVELAND STATE
Penn State won its ninth consecutive game on March 25, taking down Cleveland State, 15-8.
- With the win over Cleveland State, Penn State went undefeated in the non-conference slate for the first time in program history at a perfect 9-0 mark. Penn State first became a conference member in 2000 when the team joined the ECAC before transitioning to the CAA and eventually the Big Ten.
- With the win, Penn State remained one of two undefeated squads nationally at 9-0. Hofstra (8-0) is the only other undefeated program nationally.
- With nine wins on the 2017 season, Penn State achieved its 14th season ever winning nine or more games and has won nine or more for the third time in head coach Jeff Tambroni's seven-year tenure. Penn State's nine wins have been the most in a single season since 2013, when the team went 12-5 and made the first round of the NCAA tournament.
- The starting attack trio of Grant Ament, Nick Aponte and Mac O'Keefe combined for 11 goals and four assists in the game. Ament (4g, 2a) led the team in goals and assists. O'Keefe (4g) matched Ament's goal total while Aponte (3g, 2a) and sophomore midfielder Nick Spillane (2a) co-led the team in helpers along side Ament.
- Sophomore attackman Jimmy Nowoswiat and redshirt-senior midfielder Drake Kreinz logged their first goal and assist of the season, respectively. Freshman attackman Conor Smith logged his first career assist in the game as well.
- Of the 42 players on Penn State's roster, 36 saw playing time against Cleveland State.
NITTANY LIONS STILL UNBEATEN
Penn State is in the midst of a historic streak opening the 2017 season.
- Following Penn State's win over Cleveland State, the Nittany Lions continue the best start in program history at 9-0. Prior to the 2017 season the best record to begin a season at Penn State was 7-0, achieved by the 1992 team.
- With a win against Ohio State on Sunday, Penn State would tie the program record for consecutive wins in a season with 10-straight, set by 2013 team. It would also mark just the seventh season in which a Penn State team has won 10 or more games.
O'KEEFE TABBED B1G CO-FOTW
Following Penn State's 15-8 win over Cleveland State on March 25, attackman Mac O'Keefe was named Big Ten Co-Freshman of the Week on March 28 by the league office.
- O'Keefe logged the award after a four-goal performance against Cleveland State.
- The outing marked his sixth game of the 2017 season in which he logged three or more goals.
- O'Keefe has earned five Big Ten Freshman of the Week awards this season, more than any other player in Penn State men's lacrosse history. The previous record was held by sophomore attackman Grant Ament, who earned four during the 2016 season.
- O'Keefe leads the country in goals scored with 34 total in nine contests. O'Keefe's 3.78 goals per game rank second nationally.
CREATOR'S TROPHY BATTLE BEGINS
As the Nittany Lions begin the Big Ten slate on April 2, the hunt for the Creator's Trophy begins again. The trophy was created in 2012 by the then three Big Ten schools that sponsored men's lacrosse in Penn State, Michigan and Ohio State.
- The team to win both of its games against the other two teams claims the Creator's Trophy for the season. If a three-way 1-1 record occurs, the team who last won the title retains the trophy.
- Penn State has captured three of five titles, winning the award in 2012, 2014 and 2016.
- The night prior to each of the three games, the home institution hosts the visitor for a "rivalry" dinner.
ARCERI ON TEWAARATON WATCH LIST
In addition to senior Nick Aponte, freshman faceoff specialist Gerard Arceri was named to the Tewaaraton Award watch list on March 16.
- At this point in the season, Arceri continues to be one of the most dominant faceoff men in the Division I game. Arceri has won 155 faceoffs to date, with his 69.2-percent clip ranking second nationally. The rookie also ranks second in Division 1 in groundballs per game, averaging 9.78 per outing.
- Arceri is one of just two freshmen on the watch list so far, with the other being Virginia freshman Dox Aitken, who played club lacrosse with sophomores Grant Ament and Chris Sabia.
OFFENSE AMONG NATION'S BEST
Nine games into the 2017 season, the Nittany Lion offense continues to be one of the best in the nation statistically.
- Penn State ranks second in the country statistically in shooting percentage as of March 27, firing the ball at a .379 clip. Four players in Grant Ament (.488, 13th), Mac O'Keefe (.436, 30th), Kevin Hill (.393, 52nd) and Nick Spillane (.371, 71st) all rank in the top 75 nationally.
- Of the over 70 Division I programs, Penn State finds itself also ranked among the top five in the country in scoring offense (fourth, 15.33 goals per game), points per game (third, 24.44) and assists per game (fifth, 9.11). Penn State leads the Big Ten in all four previously mentioned statistical categories.
- Penn State has five offensive players ranked nationally among the top 150 in either points per game, goals per game or assists per game. Ament (4.33 ppg, 2.33 gpg, 2.00 apg) is the lone player to rank among the top 150 in all three categories, ranking 17th nationally in points per game and assists per game while coming in at No. 38 in the nation in goals per game. O'Keefe (4.22 ppg, 3.78 gpg) ranks top 20 in both goals per game and points per game, while Nick Aponte (3.44 ppg, 2.00 apg) and Spillane (2.44 ppg, 1.00 apg) are both top 150 in points per game and assists per game. Ryan Keenan ranks in the top 100 nationally in assists per game averaging 1.11 per contest.
ATTACK LINE AMONG LEADERS IN D1
Penn State's attack unit has been especially impressive so far, with the three attackmen starters of Grant Ament, Nick Aponte and Mac O'Keefe being one of the most potent units in Division I statistically.
- Ament and O'Keefe both rank among the top 20 nationally in points per game. Ament comes in at No. 17, good for second in the Big Ten, while O'Keefe ranks No. 20 in the country and third in the Big Ten. Ament and Aponte are both top-20 in assists per game, with their 2.00 assist/game average ranking 17th overall nationally and second in the Big Ten.
- The trio of Ament, Aponte and O'Keefe have accounted for 49.3% of Penn State's goals, 48.7% of Penn State's assists and 49.1% of the team's total points.
- As a unit, Penn State's starting attack line has produced the third most points among starting attack lines. The Nittany Lion trio ranks third in total goals, sixth in total assists and fourth in points per game (Chart on page four of game notes).
LIONS DOMINANT AT THE FACEOFF "X"
Penn State's success on the offensive end has stemmed from stellar play at the faceoff "x", creating opportunities for the offense to thrive.
- Penn State ranks second in the country in faceoff win percentage (.694) and seventh in groundballs per game (34.33) following nine games. The faceoff percentage leads the Big Ten while the groundball figures rank second in the league.
- Freshman midfielder and faceoff man Gerard Arceri ranks second nationally in faceoff percentage (.688) and groundballs per game (9.78). Both figures lead the Big Ten as well.
B1G IN A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN
As a league, the Big Ten has been off to a hot start and looks to be one of the top conferences in the nation once again.
Through the league's non-conference play, with the exception of Maryland's rescheduled game against Albany, as a conference Big Ten teams went a combined 44-8, with its .846 win percentage the top among all Division I programs (Chart on page five of game notes).
O'KEEFE ON PACE TO SET NEW RECORDS
Freshman attackman Mac O'Keefe continues a hot stretch offensively, notching an astounding 34 goals through the first nine games.
- With four goals against Cleveland State, O'Keefe passed Penn State's single-player high for goals from last season, as senior attackman Nick Aponte logged 30 in 2016.
- O'Keefe currently ranks second among freshman goal scorers during the Jeff Tambroni era, only behind former attackman TJ Sanders' rookie campaign, when he scored 44 in the 2013 season.
- O'Keefe's 34 goals rank third most in a single season in Jeff Tambroni's seven-season tenure at Penn State. The 34-goal mark is six short of cracking the program's top-10 single season leaderboard (Chart on page five of game notes).
O'KEEFE, ARCERI NAMED TOP 10 IN INSIDE LACROSSE'S EARLY SEASON FRESHMAN RANKINGS
On March 15, Inside Lacrosse announced its early season rankings of freshmen nationally, with attackman Mac O'Keefe and midfielder Gerard Arceri both making the top 10.
- O'Keefe came in at No. 3 in Inside Lacrosse's rankings. The rookie leads the country in goals scored (34) and averages 3.78 per game, second best in the country.
- Arceri ranked sixth among Division I's top freshman players. The faceoff specialist currently leads the Big Ten in both groundballs per game (9.78) and faceoff percentage (.688). Arceri's groundball figures and 68.8 percent success rate on faceoffs rank second nationally. The rookie leads freshmen nationally in both categories.
APONTE, AMENT STREAKING
At this point in the 2017 season, senior attackman Nick Aponte holds one of the longest statistical streaks in the country.
- After logging three goals and two assists against Cleveland State, Aponte has recorded at least one point in each of his last 41 contests, dating back to April 5, 2014.
- Aponte's streak is good for eighth in the country. Denver senior Connor Cannizarro lead the country with 49 consecutive games registering at least one point, dating back to Apr. 19, 2014.
- Sophomore attackman Grant Ament joined the exclusive group of players nationally with a scoring streak of 20 or more consecutive games following his three assist performance against Penn. The Doylestown, Pennsylvania, native is on a 24-game streak entering the game against Ohio State, good for 22nd nationally (Chart on page five of game notes).
SCOUTING THE BUCKEYES
Sunday marks a top-five showdown as Penn State hosts Ohio State (9-1). The Buckeyes are coming off their lone loss of the season, a 12-7 setback to now top-ranked Notre Dame after upsetting then-No. 1 Denver, 16-7.
- Ohio State's offense is led by senior Eric Fannell and freshman Tre Leclaire. Fannell (14-17-31) leads the team in points and assists, while Leclaire (22-6-28) is the team's goals leader. Leclaire enters the Penn State game following a four-goal performance against Notre Dame, good for Co-Freshman of the Week with Penn State's Mac O'Keefe.
- Penn State will have an interesting challenge to face at the faceoff 'x', as the Nittany Lions face a Buckeye faceoff unit which has won 60.9 % of its battles at the dot this season. The unit is led by senior Jake Withers, who ranks sixth nationally in faceoff win percentage. The win percentage is second in the league to only the Nittany Lions' own Gerard Arceri.
- Buckeye goaltender Tom Carey will likely make an impact as he enters as the league's leader in goals against average (6.44), which ranks second best in the country. He also ranks in the top 10 nationally in save percentage (.581) and second in the Big Ten.
- Last time against the Buckeyes: Penn State won the last match up against the Buckeyes, 6-5 at Ohio Stadium. Grant Ament led Penn State with two points on a pair of assists, while six Nittany Lions scored including the game-winner coming from Matt Florence with 1:41 left to go in the fourth. Will Schriener led the Nittany Lions in goal with 15 saves.
PENN STATE IN THE NATIONAL RANKINGS
Penn State rose again this week in the national polls, coming in as a consensus top-2 selection.
- With its No. 2 ranking in the USILA coaches poll, Penn State is ranked within the top five for the fifth consecutive week. four weeks prior marked the first time since March 10, 2014, that the team had cracked the top five when the team climbed to fifth in the national rankings.
- Penn State has now been ranked in 13 consecutive USILA coaches polls, the last time being unranked being March 21, 2016.
- The Nittany Lions reached first place in a poll for the second time this season, coming in at No. 1 in the US Lacrosse/Nike poll last week. The Nittany Lions earned eight first place votes in the USILA coaches poll and received 11 in the Maverik Media poll.
APONTE ON TEWAARATON WATCH LIST
After a strong start to the 2017 season, senior attackman Nick Aponte was one of 50 players nationally to be named to the Tewaaraton Award Watch List on February 28.
- Aponte currently ranks third on Penn State in points, tallying 31 on 13 goals and 18 assists. His assist figures tie for the best on the team, while his 13 goals rank tied for third.
- Aponte was named to the Watch List for the second straight season. He ranks tied for third on Penn State in points this season after leading the Nittany Lions in goals (30) last season.
- Players not named to the initial lists have several opportunities to play their way into a spot as the season progresses. Watch list additions, if applicable, will be announced on March 16 and April 6.
- On April 27, the field will be narrowed to 25 men's and 25 women's nominees. Nominees can be players on the watch lists or players not on the watch lists, effectively allowing for a third round of additions.
HOGAN CLAIMS SUPER BOWL LI RING
Penn State men's lacrosse finds itself in the headlines in late January following a breakout performance from former Nittany Lion midfield standout and current New England Patriots wide receiver Chris Hogan.
- Hogan played four seasons as a midfielder for Penn State, in which he registered 57 goals and 14 assists for 71 career points.
- Hogan sustained an injury three games into his sophomore season (2008) in which he scored a pair of goals. Hogan was granted a medical redshirt, which he chose to use at Monmouth University after graduating from Penn State, where he played wide receiver and defensive back for the Hawks.
- Hogan's breakout performance came during the AFC Championship game in which he pulled in nine catches for 180 yards and a pair of touchdowns. His 180 receiving yards were a franchise postseason single game record. He recorded four catches for 57 yards in the Patriots 34-28 OT win over the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl LI.
- Hogan is the only member of Penn State men's lacrosse to ever play in the NFL or win a Super Bowl. Thirty-nine total Nittany Lions have now claimed 56 Super Bowl rings, with Hogan being the most recent player to do so.
ARCERI, O'KEEFE AND WRIGHT COMPETE WITH TEAM USA
Freshmen Gerard Arceri and Mac O'Keefe and sophomore Tommy Wright represented Team USA over the summer of 2016 as a part of the 27-man U19 roster.
- The Penn State trio earned the gold medals with the team, marking Team USA's eighth U19 world championship. O'Keefe scored a team-high two goals and added an assist. Arceri saw time, but Wright was sidelined with an injury for USA's 13-12 win over Canada.
- Penn State was also represented by associate head coach Peter Toner, who served as an assistant coach for the USA U19 team. Head coach Jeff Tambroni serves as an assistant for the USA national team, while assistant coach Chris Doctor served as an assistant for the Iroquois national team from 2013-14.
- Four players on Penn State's current roster have played for the USA U19 team. Redshirt senior Matt Florence played with the USA U19 team in 2012 en route to the team's seventh world championship with a 10-8 win vs. Canada.
For up to date coverage of Penn State Men's Lacrosse, follow the team on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.