UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Penn State Women’s lacrosse opens the 2025 conference slate when the team hosts No. 5 Maryland on Thursday afternoon.
First draw between Penn State and the Terrapins is set for 1 p.m. (ET) at Panzer Stadium.
Game Info
Who: Penn State vs. No. 5 Maryland
What: White Out
Where: University Park, Pa. – Panzer Stadium
When: Wednesday, March 13 at 1 p.m. (ET)
Free Admission
Parking
Spectators can park in the Jordan East or Stadium West lots. Fans can pay for parking using the Honk app. QR codes for the download link can be found at the entrance to each lot.
Nittany Lions vs. Maryland
Maryland holds a large 44-18-1 margin over Penn State in a series that dates back to 1973. Thought the edge in the series favors the Terrapins, Penn State has won the four of the last five meetings, including upsets when Maryland was nationally ranked No. 7 and No. 9 in 2021, No. 10 in 2023, and No. 4 in 2024.
This is just the second meeting since both teams joined the Big Ten (2015) where one of the two has not been ranked in the Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association poll. The other time came in the 2022 season where No. 9 Maryland took a 13-6 win.
Scouting the Terrapins
Maryland dropped its season opener to then-ranked No. 6 Syracuse, and since has rattled off four straight wins, most recently besting No. 13 James Madison in a road trip.
The Terrapins rank top 20 on a national level at the draw (19th), scoring defense (18th), and clearing percentage (sixth). The Terps successfully clear on 93.6 percent of their attempts.
In wins this season, Maryland allows on average seven goals per game and have only allowed double-digit scoring by an opponent twice in five outings.
Last Time Out
Princeton survived an early back-and-forth effort by PSU, going on to secure a 16-7 decision over the Nittany Lions in the pouring rain. Penn State kept it a one-goal game until less than seven minutes remained in the first half, but a three-goal run for the Tigers sparked an 11-3 stretch for Princeton that spanned from 6:06 in the second quarter through the end of the game.
Senior Brooke Hoss and junior Emma Kelly lead the PSU scoring with two goals apiece. Payton Wainman also dished to assists to match the leading scorers in points. Senior Lauren Saltz, junior Erika Ho, and freshman Ellie Wisch all tallied on goal on the game. Kelly and junior Lauren Tinson each recorded a pair of caused turnovers.
Preseason Nods
In the Big Ten preseason poll, the Nittany Lions were picked to finish fifth.
Senior captain Ellie Hollin has been raking in the preseason recognitions. The defender has been named a consensus preseason first-team All-American and earned a spot on the Tewaaraton watch list.
Hollin also earned nod from the conference offices, being named a Big Ten Player to Watch. She joined sophomores Sydney Manning and Kelly MacKinney on the list.
Getting Younger
Where the Nittany Lions returned 29-of-33 players from 2023 to 2024 roster, the 2025 roster boasts 24 sophomores and freshmen by class eligibility.
Manning and MacKinney highlight the group after their breakout seasons in 2024.
MacKinney returns as the fourth-leading scorer from last year. The then-freshmen posted 39 points on 14 goals and 25 assists. The attacker ranked in top ten in the conference and led the team with her assist total and assist per game mark (1.32).
Manning was named the 2024 Big Ten Freshman of the Year last season. The then-freshman has started 16 games in her rookie campaign, making 100 saves. She also scooped up 24 ground balls. The netminder made 15 save in the upset victories over No. 1 Northwestern and No. 4 Maryland in 2024.
Fresh Faces
Penn State adds 12 freshmen to the 2024 roster: Dakota Cristo, Arden Jansen, Alexa Kairis, Brooke Lattanzi, Brooke Long, Allie Meyer, Meggie Rezza, Porter Rhoades, Ava Stummer, Victoria Tomonto, Grace Tullock, and Ellie Wisch.
In addition to the rookies, Penn State added transfers Lily Strohecker (Navy) and Delaney Radin (Florida).
On the Lookout
- Delaney Radin is eight points away from 25 on her career.
- Erika Ho need six goals to tally 25 on the season. She is just four points shy of 25.
- Ellie Hollin is four caused turnovers away from 75 on her career.
- Kelly MacKinney is eight assists away from 50 in her career.
- Sydney Manning is 10 saves away from 150 in her career.
Up Next
The Nittany Lions embark on a three-game road stretch beginning at No. 3 Northwestern on Sunday, March 16. First draw between the B1G foes is set for 2 p.m. at Lanny and Sharon Martin Stadium in Evanston, Illinois.