Feb. 17, 2018
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UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Penn State men's lacrosse team used an impressive faceoff performance from sophomore Gerard Arceri to take down visiting Stony Brook, 15-8, in the first regular season game played in the newly minted Panzer Stadium on a snowy Saturday afternoon.
Arceri finished the game winning 20 of his 27 faceoff attempts, adding 16 ground balls, and three points with two goals and his first career assist.
Penn State also got an impressive performance from junior Kevin Hill as he put in a game-high four goals on just five shots. Sophomore Mac O'Keefe finished three goals, while freshman Bobby Burns, junior Nick Spillane, and sophomore Dylan Foulds all added two points. Burns and Foulds each added one goal and one assist, while Spillane dished out two dimes.
Nick McEvoy, Kevin Fox, Jack Kelly and Chris Sabia all recorded goals as well.
QUARTER BREAKDOWN
1Q || Penn State opened up extremely hot, scoring three goals in the first minutes of action. Off the opening face, Arceri opened things up quickly, winning the face, and dishing the ball to Fox. Fox ran through the Seawolves defense and sniped a shot past the visiting goal just 10-seconds into the action. On the following face saw Arceri again pick up the ground ball. This time is was Arceri who found Mac O'Keefe for the score, with 14:34 on the clock. Kevin Hill would then record back-to-back goals, which were split by the Seawolves first game of the day. Stony Brook would cut it to 4-2 with a goal at the 6:59 mark in the quarter. On a caused turnover by TJ Connellan, on the clear, Bobby Burns would find Nick McEvoy for his first score of the season. Stony Brook tagged another, but on the following face, Arceri would put in his first of the season. Arceri won nine of the 10 faceoffs in the opening period. || Penn State 6-3
2Q || After a combined nine-goal first quarter, the two teams held each other in check in the second quarter. Penn State scored early in the period, as Spillane found Dylan Foulds for the score. Stony Brook tacked on their lone goal of the period with 6:05 left in the game, and Spillane would register his second assist of the quarter when he found Hill for the early hat trick with just three seconds left in the quarter. || Penn State 8-4
3Q || As the snow started to fall, the third quarter would favor the visitors as they outscored Penn State, 2-1, in the period, but the Nittany Lions saw goalie Colby Kneese step up and make five saves in the period. Stony Brook outshot the Nittany Lions, 14-5, in the third. Penn State's lone goal came on Kevin Hill's fourth of the day. || Penn State 9-6
4Q || Despite Stony Brook scoring the first goal of the half, Penn State would ignite their offense in the final period to close out the game handily. Bobby Burns would record his first career goal on a successful clear attempt after no defender slide to cover him. Off the following faceoff win, Arceri would tack on his second of the day, just 11 seconds after Burns' score. Penn State would see Foulds find O'Keefe to make it 12-7 in favor of the Nittany Lions. Chris Sabia would then get his second goal of the season after a successful clear by his fellow defenders. Just a minute later, Stony Brook would put their last of the day in the cage. Penn State would close out the day with Jack Kelly's lone goal on the day, and O'Keefe's third. || PSU 15-8
NOTES
Kevin Hill now has nine goals this season after scoring multiple goals in all three games this season.
Mac O'Keefe registered his second-straight hat trick and now has scored a goal in every one of his collegiate games. He now has 10 goals this season.
Gerard Arceri registered his first career assist and his first career multi-goal game. His 16 ground balls is a career best. He finished with a season-high .741 faceoff winning percentage.
Colby Kneese improves to 2-0 in net. He finished with 10 saves.
Chris Sabia had one career goal prior to this season. He has now scored in back-to-back games. He also added one caused turnover and three ground balls.
Michael Aronow finished with a team-high 2 caused turnovers and added three GBs.