By Pat White, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- It has been a season of streaks for the Penn State men's lacrosse (2-3) so far in 2013. The No. 18 Nittany Lions look to get back in the win column with trip to Amherst to face No. 19 UMass (3-3) on Saturday to open CAA conference play.
Penn State is coming off of its third-straight loss against Lehigh last
Saturday. Senior midfielder Travis Crane (Parkville, Md.) said that the team has to put the focus on playing well
in the CAA and not about the national rankings.
"Starting the CAA 1-0 is the focus and to get back on a winning streak," Crane said. "We want to improve all this week and then the result will take care of itself."
CAA play will be critical for the Nittany Lions, and UMass poses the tallest task right from the jump. Not only are the Minutemen reigning CAA conference champions, but they also defeated the Nittany Lions 9-8 in overtime last season in Happy Valley. Senior attacker Jack Forster (Jenkintown, Pa.) said there is a little extra fire coming into the game.
"It's our first CAA game it's a huge game coming up," Forster said. "Especially because [UMass] beat us at home the past two games in overtime. It's a little added motivation."
Head coach Jeff Tambroni isn't changing anything tactically or with personnel for the matchup with UMass. He said the factor missing the recent three-game slide is the ability to make key plays down the stretch.
"It has nothing to do with our effort or our talent," Tambroni said. "It has a lot to do with playing in the moment and with enough discipline, especially when the game gets tight, to provide us an opportunity to win games."
An encouraging sign for Penn State against Lehigh was its resiliency to battle back after trailing 5-1 at halftime. That resiliency to battle back must be on display against a UMass, especially on the defensive end late in games. The Penn State defense has given up 30 goals in the second half compared to 18 in the first.
"We're a resilient group, but we need to focus on finishing games," Crane said. "We put ourselves in positions to be successful. Now it's just about making plays in the moment at the end of games."
UMass is currently on a three-game losing streak, as well. After impressive victories against No. 4 North Carolina and Harvard, the Minutemen face the same challenges as the Nittany Lions.
The UMass offense is feeling the loss of 2012 USILA All-American and CAA Player of the Year senior Will Manny, who was injured in the victory against North Carolina. The diminutive attackman was the catalyst of the Minuteman attack, scoring 44 goals and dishing out 33 helpers in 2012.
The Minutemen score by committee, unlike Penn State's attack-driven offense. Five players have tallied double-digit points, led by senior attackman Kyle Smith with 15 points.
Penn State's attack trio continues to rack up the points, scoring 41 of the team's 54 goals this season. Freshman TJ Sanders (Orillia, Ont.) continues to impress, scoring five goals in each of his last two games. The three-time CAA Rookie of the Week leads Penn State with 18 goals.
"For a freshman he plays with such tremendous poise," Tambroni said of Sanders. "He is an extremely passionate and fiery young man. He is so invested in his teammates with the way he studies the game. Everything he does is about putting our team in a position to win.
On the defensive end, Penn State's experience between the pipes is an advantage. Junior Austin Kaut (Morton, Pa.) continues to look strong for the Nittany Lions, and is now 98 for 105 on clears this season.
UMass boasts freshman Zach Oliveri in net, who hasn't played like a rookie so far this season. The Ronkonkoma, N.Y. native is 21st in the NCAA with a 8.91 goals-against average and fourteenth in save percentage posting a .579.
The two CAA foes are similar in a variety of ways this season. Crane said that the two teams have a mutual respect for one another, and they are both going to come out hard to open up conference play.
"We try and take every game one at a time," Crane said. "When you play a CAA opponent you know it is going to be a dogfight. This being the first game, there is a little bit more incentive to start off 1-0 in the CAA."
Tambroni doesn't want to dub Saturday's matchup as a must-win game because it is still so early in the season. He knows his team can play better, and with more urgency in practice, the success will come.
"We have to keep grinding and that the mindset of the group is that every game is a winnable situation and a 'must win,'" Tambroni said. "I think these guys are competitive as a group and they know what's on the line."
UMass is Penn State's fifth-consecutive ranked opponent. The Minutemen lead the all-time series 10-4. The game will be play on Saturday at 12 p.m. at Garber Field in Amherst, Mass.
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- It has been a season of streaks for the Penn State men's lacrosse (2-3) so far in 2013. The No. 18 Nittany Lions look to get back in the win column with trip to Amherst to face No. 19 UMass (3-3) on Saturday to open CAA conference play.
Penn State is coming off of its third-straight loss against Lehigh last
Saturday. Senior midfielder Travis Crane (Parkville, Md.) said that the team has to put the focus on playing well
in the CAA and not about the national rankings."Starting the CAA 1-0 is the focus and to get back on a winning streak," Crane said. "We want to improve all this week and then the result will take care of itself."
CAA play will be critical for the Nittany Lions, and UMass poses the tallest task right from the jump. Not only are the Minutemen reigning CAA conference champions, but they also defeated the Nittany Lions 9-8 in overtime last season in Happy Valley. Senior attacker Jack Forster (Jenkintown, Pa.) said there is a little extra fire coming into the game.
"It's our first CAA game it's a huge game coming up," Forster said. "Especially because [UMass] beat us at home the past two games in overtime. It's a little added motivation."
Head coach Jeff Tambroni isn't changing anything tactically or with personnel for the matchup with UMass. He said the factor missing the recent three-game slide is the ability to make key plays down the stretch.
"It has nothing to do with our effort or our talent," Tambroni said. "It has a lot to do with playing in the moment and with enough discipline, especially when the game gets tight, to provide us an opportunity to win games."
An encouraging sign for Penn State against Lehigh was its resiliency to battle back after trailing 5-1 at halftime. That resiliency to battle back must be on display against a UMass, especially on the defensive end late in games. The Penn State defense has given up 30 goals in the second half compared to 18 in the first.
"We're a resilient group, but we need to focus on finishing games," Crane said. "We put ourselves in positions to be successful. Now it's just about making plays in the moment at the end of games."
UMass is currently on a three-game losing streak, as well. After impressive victories against No. 4 North Carolina and Harvard, the Minutemen face the same challenges as the Nittany Lions.
The UMass offense is feeling the loss of 2012 USILA All-American and CAA Player of the Year senior Will Manny, who was injured in the victory against North Carolina. The diminutive attackman was the catalyst of the Minuteman attack, scoring 44 goals and dishing out 33 helpers in 2012.
The Minutemen score by committee, unlike Penn State's attack-driven offense. Five players have tallied double-digit points, led by senior attackman Kyle Smith with 15 points.
Penn State's attack trio continues to rack up the points, scoring 41 of the team's 54 goals this season. Freshman TJ Sanders (Orillia, Ont.) continues to impress, scoring five goals in each of his last two games. The three-time CAA Rookie of the Week leads Penn State with 18 goals.
"For a freshman he plays with such tremendous poise," Tambroni said of Sanders. "He is an extremely passionate and fiery young man. He is so invested in his teammates with the way he studies the game. Everything he does is about putting our team in a position to win.
On the defensive end, Penn State's experience between the pipes is an advantage. Junior Austin Kaut (Morton, Pa.) continues to look strong for the Nittany Lions, and is now 98 for 105 on clears this season.
UMass boasts freshman Zach Oliveri in net, who hasn't played like a rookie so far this season. The Ronkonkoma, N.Y. native is 21st in the NCAA with a 8.91 goals-against average and fourteenth in save percentage posting a .579.
The two CAA foes are similar in a variety of ways this season. Crane said that the two teams have a mutual respect for one another, and they are both going to come out hard to open up conference play.
"We try and take every game one at a time," Crane said. "When you play a CAA opponent you know it is going to be a dogfight. This being the first game, there is a little bit more incentive to start off 1-0 in the CAA."
Tambroni doesn't want to dub Saturday's matchup as a must-win game because it is still so early in the season. He knows his team can play better, and with more urgency in practice, the success will come.
"We have to keep grinding and that the mindset of the group is that every game is a winnable situation and a 'must win,'" Tambroni said. "I think these guys are competitive as a group and they know what's on the line."
UMass is Penn State's fifth-consecutive ranked opponent. The Minutemen lead the all-time series 10-4. The game will be play on Saturday at 12 p.m. at Garber Field in Amherst, Mass.
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