UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – No. 7 Penn State men’s lacrosse prevailed in the opener to its 2026 campaign, overcoming deficit in the first half to defeat Colgate, 18-14 in Holuba Hall. The Nittany Lions outscored the Raiders in every quarter enroute to the win to move to 1-0 on the season. Colgate dropped to 0-1 after the Week 0 contest.
Hunter Aquino set new career-highs with five goals on 15 shots, leading an offensive core that had 10 different goal scorers. The 2025 Big Ten Freshman of the Year added an assist to total six points and scooped two groundballs. Redshirt-senior Michael Faraone, after missing all of 2025 due to injury, recorded his first career hat trick in the season opener. Junior Kyle Lehman added three goals and two assists to round out the hat trick recipients. Other goalscorers included freshman Jack Iannantuno, sophomore Chase Robertson, redshirt-freshman Andrew Beard, redshirt-senior Luke Walstrum, junior Brendan Leary, senior Patrick Carragher, and junior Ryan DiRocco.
Reid Gills played the grit game for the Nittany Lions, leading Penn State with seven groundballs, while fellow faceoff Colby Baldwin added six more and caused one of the Blue & White’s 11 forced turnovers. The two also combined to win 24 out of 35 faceoffs. Redshirt-freshman Hayes Schreiner picked up the win in relief, recording four saves.
FIRST QUARTER – 3-2 Penn State
• Penn State took the opening faceoff and found the net early when Luke Walstrum scored less than one minute into the game. Following an unsuccessful clear from Colgate, Hunter Aquino doubled Penn State’s lead with an unassisted goal at 12:29.
• Each side recorded one penalty but neither team could convert on the extra-man opportunity. Aquino converted a ground ball into his second goal at 6:29 to push the lead to three
• Colgate’s first goal came after a successful clear before Hunter Drouin cut the deficit to one with just over a minute left in the first frame. The Raiders’ ensuing shot hit the crossbar to keep the Nittany Lions ahead, and Aquino’s last shot of the frame sailed wide as time expired.
SECOND QUARTER - 10-8 Penn State
• A Penn State turnover after the initial faceoff led to Quinn Spillett tying the game at 12:59 for Colgate, the first of three straight goals for the Raiders. Andy Croddick and Freddy Fowler found the scoresheet as well, prompting a Penn State timeout and Schreiner taking over duties in net from freshman Preston Hawkins.
• Aquino’s productive afternoon continued when he found senior defenseman Michael Faraone to cut the Raiders’ lead to one. Gills then won the ensuing faceoff, and his dish complete the hat trick at 11:14 for Aquino, levelling the match at five.
• Andrew Beard’s first-career goal gave Penn State the lead before Faraone added his second at 9:09. Colgate took the faceoff win and Drouin gained one back on the man-up following a penalty on the Nittany Lions.
• Kyle Lehman found the net for Penn State to pull back out to an 8-6 lead. The Nittany Lions poured on when Ryan Dirocco spun around the net and added a goal at the 4:30 mark.
• Colgate answered with a score to keep the game in reach before both squads traded on more tally, including Faraone’s third of the afternoon with just over a minute left.
THIRD QUARTER – 16-12, Penn State
• The second half began with one wide shot and some solid defense from both sides, each blocking one shot. The Raiders found the net first in the new half, scoring at less than three minutes into the frame. Penn State regained its two-goal lead when Jack Iannantuno recorded his first career goal.
• Chase Robertson found the top corner for his first Penn State goal on the ensuing possession. A Colgate shot hit off the crossbar and a successful clear for the Nittany Lions led to Patrick Carragher adding a goal at 9:49 to push the lead out to 13-9.
• An Iannantuno penalty led to the Raiders recording several shots on their next man-up opportunity before Casey Quinson added a goal at 7:03. Penn State won the ensuing faceoff, and Lehman scored his second of the game. Each team turned the ball over before Quinson recorded his third.
• Two Penn State goals from Walstrum and Aquino extended the home team’s lead to five. Unsettled play followed, with both teams recording a combined five turnovers until Colgate scored the frame’s last goal with fifteen seconds remaining in the quarter.
FOURTH QUARTER – 18-14, Penn State
• Penn State took the opening faceoff, but a quick shot saved by the Raiders’ net minder let to a Colgate clear. The PSU defense held strong, forcing a Raiders clock violation on the ensuing possession.
• Alex Ross forced the turnover and vacuumed the groundball at 10:46 to get Penn State off to the races on offense. It was Aquino who reaped the benefits, recording his fifth score of the game with 9:34 to go. Fowler added a goal for Colgate to get back within four less than a minute later.
• The Raiders could not crack the Penn State defense for much of the frame, committing four turnovers and mustering just three shots over a near-six-minute span. Andrew Heubeck’s goal got Colgate within three at 2:57 to help stave off the drought.
• Colby Baldwin won the following faceoff for Penn State and Lehman cashed in a Beard assist for his third goal. Neither team recorded a shot the rest of the way as Penn State Iced the Victory.
POST GAME NOTES
• Penn State improved to 17-10 all-time in the series, extending its win streak to three games.
• Aquino now has seven goals in three career games against the Raiders after scoring two in the 2025 season opener.
• Penn State’s .686 winning percentage on faceoffs was its best since it recorded a .750 winning percentage in the NCAA Tournament First Round last season, also against Colgate.
• Faraone’s hat trick marked his first game with a goal since April 2, 2023, a Nittany Lions win over Ohio State.
UP NEXT
PSU will wrap up its two-game homestand to begin the season on Saturday, February 7 against Villanova, while Colgate continues its season Sunday, February 8 with a visit to Virginia.
FOLLOW THE NITTANY LIONS
Visit GoPSUSports.com for more information on Penn State men’s lacrosse. Fans can keep up to date with the Nittany Lion men’s lacrosse team on X and Instagram @PennStateMLAX, in addition to the team’s Facebook page at /PennStateMensLacrosse.