UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The No. 5 Penn State men's lacrosse team took down Penn, 15-14, in the first game in the new Panzer Stadium on Saturday, March 2.
In a back-and-forth game, it was senior midfielder Nick Spillane who was able to stick the dagger in the back of the net to secure the win for the Blue & White.
Redshirt junior attackman Grant Ament found Spillane with 2:39 left to play in the game, and Spillane took the jump shot that found its way to the back of Penn's net, tying the game at 14-all.
Off the ensuing faceoff, Penn would find itself with the win and possession but redshirt junior Tommy Wright caused a Penn turnover and defensive middie Brian Townsend scooped up the groundball and charged into the Nittany Lions' offensive side of the field. The Nittany Lions called a timeout with 2:18 left of the clock.
Out of the timeout, Penn State was able to get the ball in Spillane's stick, and the senior middie sniped a rocket of a shot that found the back of the cage and gave Penn State the lead with 2:01 left to play.
A huge save by junior Colby Kneese with a minute left sealed the deal, and the Nittany Lions were able to come away with the 15-14 win.
Penn State say Spillane, junior Mac O'Keefe, redshirt junior Dylan Foulds, and sophomore Jack Kelly all record hat-tricks, while Ament, sophomore Cole Willard, and freshman TJ Malone each added one goal.
Ament led with a total of six points as he added five assists on the day, Spillane, O'Keefe, redshirt freshman Dan Reaume, and freshman Jack Traynor all tacked on an assist apiece.
Kneese recorded 11 saves on the day and three groundballs.
Gerard Arceri went 17-31 on the face, and scooped up a team-high eight groundballs. Chris Sabia added six groundballs and a caused turnover, while Wright finished the game with two caused turnovers and four groundballs.
Penn State hits the road for the Crown Classic in Charlotte, N.C., where they will play No. 3 Cornell on Friday, March 8 at 8 p.m., and then will play Jacksonville at 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, March 10.
