UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Take an inside look at some of the Blue-White festivities in and around Beaver Stadium on gameday.






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By Chelsea Howard, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - With eight months of training behind them, the Nittany Lions came ready to compete against the best athletes in the country on Friday night in Rec Hall as they host the 2013 NCAA championships.

Penn State came away as the top finisher in the second session with an overall team average score of 436.90 and will advance to finals tomorrow night where a national champion team will be named. However, they will go into Saturday night just behind Michigan who finished the first session with an average of 443.850.

Finishing with the top overall team average score on four out of the six events, the Nittany Lions improved on still rings (75.20), parallel bars (72.80), and high bar (72.45), but went down slightly from their previous average on the pommel horse (72.30). In this session, Stanford had top team scores on Floor (74.10) and Vault (73.60).

Reaching their first goal for this weekend, head coach Randy Jepson is content with the results of their first appearance in the 2013 NCAA competition.

"We're pleased to be able to advance," Jepson said. "That was the goal of today. We have another day and so we will recover and come to battle tomorrow."

With energy high for the Nittany Lions, their first rotation started with the parallel bars where senior Felix Aronovich had the highest score of the session. His score of 15.05 was the only score above 15.00 for the night. He used the cheering from the crowd to help him compete.

"It's fun, they're a really good crowd," Aronovich said. "They bring a lot of warm atmosphere making it unique and just awesome."

The momentum continued as the Nittany Lions headed to the high bar and took the top team average of 72.45, which was 0.50 above Michigan. Wasef Burbar has been a top scorer all season in this event and didn't let the pressure of NCAAs stop him as he led the team with a score of 15.20.

On their third rotation, freshman Trevor Howard was the highest performer for the Nittany Lions with Craig Hernandez close behind him. After the floor event, Jepson took Alexis Torres out of the line-up for the still rings.

"[Torres] was dizzy after floor so we took him out and wanted to make sure he was okay," Jepson said.

Fortunately this team has depth giving Nihir Kothari his first opportunity to compete this season. He's coming off of a torn ACL injury that happened in October. Despite not competing all year and taking into consideration that two weeks ago was the first time he practiced dismounts, Kothari proved he was a determined competitor that wasn't going to give up. He finished in the mix of top gymnast's on the still rings.

"I'm really proud of Nihir Kothari," Jepson said. "We told him to prepare like your going to compete. Those are the kind of kids who have made up the program over the past couple of years and pour their heart and soul into it.  I was happy he was able to help push the team over the top."

With a year of experience behind him, Hernandez started his second NCAA Championships on a high note. After floor, Penn State had a bye giving Hernandez extra time before he took to the pommel horse.

His mentality before hand led him to another outstanding performance for the Nittany Lions where he finished with a 15.40 to contribute to their average team score of 72.30, finishing 1.5 points above all of the other teams.

"I just thought about hitting it like I know I can," Hernandez said. "I've been doing it in practice for a long time and I go out there and compete trying to do the best that I can do. That's all I did today."

Finishing the night on the vault, the Nittany Lions didn't let their momentum slow down as they pulled away from Stanford during their last rotation. The fans kept Rec Hall alive with cheers as they learned Penn State would advance as the top team from the second session.

"[The atmosphere] was great. They were really responsive and I'm looking forward to tomorrow night," Jepson said.  "Anything can happen so hopefully we're prepared to go."

Even though Michigan finished Friday night with a slight lead going into the team finals, Jepson is only focused on his team.

"That was today and tomorrow is new life so anything can happen," Jepson said. "We have to be prepared to go no matter what. You have to focus on yourself and can't worry about where everyone else is. We want to do the best we possibly can. If that's enough - great, if not we've done as much as we possibly can."

Closing out another strong season, the Nittany Lions will enter Rec Hall on Saturday night hoping to win their first national title since 2007 and their 13^th title in school history. Competition to find out who will be the 2013 NCAA championship team begins at 7 p.m. 

Blue-White Weekend Central | Stadium Bag Advisory | Spring Practice Coverage

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Head coach Bill O'Brien and the Nittany Lion football squad will wrap up spring drills on Saturday afternoon (Noon on BTN) at the annual Blue-White Game inside Beaver Stadium, marking the culmination of a productive spring practice season.

The Nittany Lions made good progress on both sides of the ball and on special teams during spring drills.  Saturday marks one final opportunity for the coaching staff to evaluate the team before the start of training camp in August.

The 2013 Blue-White Game will have again have a unique look with an intriguing scoring system that rewards a variety of plays on both sides of the ball.  Coach O'Brien will be calling the offensive plays, while new defensive coordinator John Butler will call the shots for the defense.

Football is back in the stadium.  Welcome to Blue-White Gameday.

What to Watch For:

Scoring System
Fans will again see the unique scoring system used in 2012 to determine a winner at the Blue-White Game.  As has been the case throughout spring practice, the defense will wear blue jerseys, the offense will wear white and the quarterbacks will be in red.  Red jerseys designate no contact during the game.

While standard scoring for touchdowns, field goals and PATs will remain the same, each unit will accumulate points for certain things.  Here is a breakdown of the scoring.

Offense
Touchdown = 6 pts
Field Goal = 3 pts
Big play (15+ yard play) = 2 pts
Two Consecutive First Downs = 2 pts
PAT = 1 pt

Defense
Touchdown = 7 pts
Turnover (Unless TD) = 6 pts
Sack = 4 pts
Tackle for loss = 2 pts
Three-and-Out = 1 pt


A Look at the Offense
Penn State fans will get their first look at the 2013 version of the Nittany Lion offense on Saturday afternoon.  Coach O'Brien will handle all of the playcalling duties during the Blue-White Game for the white squad.  As has been the case throughout spring practice, sophomores Steven Bench and Tyler Ferguson will split reps at the quarterback position.  Both players have progressed throughout the spring, and both have exhibited the ability to make plays for the offense.

Leading the corps of running backs is junior Zach Zwinak, who finished with 1,00 yards in 2012.  Bill Belton (toe) has missed some time this spring, but has put together a superb offseason.  Newcomer Akeel Lynch, who redshirted last season is poised to play a significant role in the running game.

Big Ten Receiver of the Year Allen Robinson headlines a talented group of wide outs.  Robinson has practiced at a very high level this spring.  Junior Alex Kenney and sophomore Matt Zanellato, along with talented freshman Eugene Lewis, are receivers to keep an eye on at the Blue-White Game.

The pool of talent at the tight end position will make it one of Penn State's strongest units in 2013.  All-Big Ten honoree Kyle Carter (limited to no contact during spring drills), senior Matt Lehman, sophomore Jesse James, redshirt freshman Brent Wilkerson and newcomer Adam Breneman will all play a central role in Penn State's offense.

In the trenches, All-Big Ten guard John Urschel will anchor the first unit.  Senior Ty Howle has been superb at the center position during the spring.  Junior Miles Dieffenbach returns at left guard, while senior Adam Gress, sophomore Donovan Smith and senior Eric Shrive are among the rotation at the tackle positions.  Sophomore Angelo Mangiro will likely see time at guard, along with snaps at center.

Overall, Coach O'Brien indicated earlier this week that the play calling will be relatively simple at the Blue-White Game.  Do not expect a full glimpse of the expanded playbook, but Penn State will be looking to have some fun on offense, and Coach O'Brien wants to see the group play with good tempo.


A Look at the Defense
Defensive coordinator John Butler wants his defensive unit to play with aggressiveness.  Spring practice has featured blitzing from a wide variety of places on defense.  The players love the aggressive approach to the defensive scheme.  Additionally, the Nittany Lions will again show multiple looks pre-snap before moving into the defensive call for each play.

Anticipate seeing a wide range of talent line up along the defensive line on Saturday.  DaQuan Jones is the most experienced interior defensive lineman.  Jones has been limited this spring (back), but will play a central role in the Nittany Lion defense in the fall.  Newcomer Austin Johnson has impressed the coaching staff during spring drills at the other tackle position.  Additionally, junior Kyle Baublitz, senior Nate Cadogan and redshirt freshman Brian Gaia are players to keep an eye on in the middle.  Big Ten Freshman of the Year Deion Barnes headlines the returning players at defensive end.  Junior C.J. Olaniyan has taken a big step forward during spring practice at the other defensive end spot.  Also, look for junior Brad Bars and Anthony Zettel line up in the rotation.

At linebacker, senior Glenn Carson is the leader of the starting trio.  Junior Mike Hull has played at a high level throughout spring practice.  Hull is poised for a strong fall season for the Nittany Lions.  Redshirt freshman Nyeem Wartman is the third linebacker in the starting rotation for the defense.  Wartman has improved each time he has stepped onto the field.

In the secondary, Penn State has been able to experiment with more things due to increased depth this spring.  Key returnees include Adrian Amos, Malcolm Willis and Stephen Obeng-Agyapong.  Junior Ryan Keiser has put together a very strong spring at safety.  Sophomores Da'Quan Davis and Jordan Lucas, along with Trevor Williams, who moved from receiver to cornerback prior to spring drills, have all played well at corner this spring.  Penn State's depth at all four spots in the defensive backfield will enable the Lions to play with nickel and dime coverage packages in the fall.  Keep an eye on that for Saturday.

With the scoring system in place, the Blue team will be looking to get into the backfield often on Saturday.  Sacks and tackles for a loss will be rewarded for four points and two points, respectively.  Aggressive play on defense often leads to turnover opportunities, as well.  On Saturday, fumbles and interceptions will be six points for the defense.  Keep that in mind.


Numbers to Watch For
Below is a list of players who are either new to significant playing time or veterans who have really stood out during the spring practice season.

Read our New Faces to Watch Feature at the Blue-White Game Here

#4 Adrian Amos - Amos got stronger and faster during the offseason.  A versatile player, the junior can play all four positions in the secondary and will be one of Penn State's top defensive players.

#8 Allen Robinson - The Big Ten Receiver of the Year took a significant step forward in the offseason, and he has been outstanding during spring practice.  Robinson worked to improve his route running in the offseason.

#18 Deion Barnes - Barnes set out to become a better run stopper during the offseason.  The long, athletic defensive end has made plays for the defense throughout spring practice.

#21 Trevor Williams - After playing receiver in 2012, Williams appears to have found a home at cornerback this spring.  Williams has improved each day, and he has become a consistent player for the Nittany Lion defense.

#23 Ryan Keiser - Among the most improved players during spring practice, Keiser has given the secondary a big boost during spring practice.

#43 Mike Hull - Simply put, Hull has been one of Penn State's top players during spring practice.  Always around the football, the junior looks poised for a breakout season at linebacker.

#60 Ty Howle - Howle has waited for the opportunity to anchor the Nittany Lion offensive line, and he will do so with John Urschel in 2013.  The senior is a physical player with a high football IQ.

#80 Matt Zanellato - Zanellato took big steps in becoming a more consistent player during the offseason, and he has provided crisp route running and a reliable pair of hands throughout spring practice.

#86 C.J. Olaniyan - Like Keiser and Zanellato, Olaniyan is among the most improved players for the Nittany Lions.  A physical player with good quickness, the junior has been a consistent player on the defensive line this spring.

#97 Sam Ficken - After making his last 10 field goal attempts to end 2012, Ficken got stronger and changed his step procedure (2 1/2 to 2) during the offseason.  It has led to a consistent spring for the junior kicker.

It has been competitive all spring long between the offense and the defense.  Saturday's game will pit the two units against one another, and it will be very fun to watch.  The scoring system will again make things very interesting to track and follow.

The game will start at noon with a few reps for the special teams units before the offense and defense take the field.  The carnival and entertainment stage will open at 10 a.m. on Saturday, as well. 

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By Pat White, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - With its sights set on the No. 1 seed in the CAA Championship, the No. 9 Penn State men's lacrosse team (9-3, 4-0 CAA) prepares for a tough road matchup with Delaware (5-8, 1-3 CAA) on Saturday night.

A Nittany Lion win would solidify at least a share in the programs first CAA Title. Head coach Jeff Tambroni said it would be a huge lift for the program heading toward the postseason.

"It is a compliment to the progression of the entire season knowing we have to go through the CAA, which we have a ton of respect for and for each team that competes in it," Tambroni said. "That is a compliment to our guys and their efforts."

Both teams put their respective winning streaks on the line on Saturday with Penn State winning seven-straight and Delaware riding a three-game streak.

Penn State has been dominant on the road so far this season with a record of 5-0. They have won 10 road contests in a row dating back to last season. Delaware has struggled at home this season (1-5), but is honoring their senior night.

Tambroni discards the history of the two teams and isn't gauging the game by Penn State two game winning streak against the Blue Hens. Tambroni hopes the road success continues.

"I'm hopeful when we get back on the road our guys will settle back in," Tambroni said. "It doesn't get any easier no matter what history may indicate. We have to remain urgent in our preparation and our play and that will dictate 60 minutes of our performance on game day."

Junior attacker Shane Sturgis (Downingtown, Pa.) attributes the road success to a very structured schedule that makes preparation more smoothly. The road gives the team a chance to bond and stay focused as a unit.

"Coach [Tambroni] just emphasizes on preparing each week," Sturgis said. "We travel like professions so that it is like a business trip and we try to do that to our best ability."

While road games have treated the Nittany Lions well, clinching the No. 1 seed in the CAA Championship would be a huge boost for the team. Junior midfielder Tom LaCrosse (Canandaigua, N.Y.) said getting the first seed is the primary objective right now.

"Being the first seed would definitely be nice, mainly because we would be home," LaCrosse said. "That would allow us to stay here. It's over finals week so it would be easier on the mind not having to travel and worry about finals. It would be nice to play in front of the home crowd."

Tambroni is still searching for consistency in all areas of the field as the season winds down. He stressed diligence to his team during film sessions to learn from past mistakes in preparation for Delaware. LaCrosse feels prepared with the game plan and said it's up to the players to execute on the field.

"The coaches always have so much film that it makes it easy for us," LaCrosse said. "They show us every little bit of Delaware and that helps us not have to think too much. They prepare us to come out on the field and play our best."

Tambroni knows that his team could face Delaware again in the CAA Championships and is stressing preparation, not only for Saturday, but beyond. He said that staying sharp during practice and improving every day is crucial at this point of the season.

"We have a chance now to play one of these teams knowing we are in the tournament," said Tambroni. "If we aren't getting better every day, someone else is. The key is to look back, look and learn and hopefully show that on the field."

Delaware relies heavily on its offense that averages 9.23 goals per game. For Penn State to be successful, the defense has to continue its strong play of late. Penn State is allowing just 5.28 goals per game during its seven game winning streak.

The offense also must continue its success. The Nittany Lions are averaging 9.71 goals per game in their last seven games. Freshman TJ Sanders (Orillia, Ont.) was honored as CAA Co-Player and Rookie of the Week for his five goal output against Towson last week. The impressive freshman leads the team with 33 goals and is the catalyst for the Penn State offense. Sanders and the offense look to continue that success against a Blue Hens defense that surrenders 9.31 goals per game.

Sturgis said that the offense found synergy from the start of the season and that chemistry is the key ingredient to their success.

"We just have chemistry as an offense," Sturgis said. "Everyone moves the ball well, gets open and no one is selfish."

Tambroni isn't putting too much stock in the Nittany Lions current winning streak when assessing Delaware. He said they are a dangerous team and that his team must earn a win in a hostile environment.

"Wins don't just carry over to the following week," Tambroni said. "It's going to be important to work as hard, if not harder, this week than we have in past weeks knowing what's on the line this week for both teams."

Penn State and Delaware will face off at 7 p.m. on Saturday night at Delaware Stadium.

By Kelsey Detweiler, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - After months of hard work and well-fought volleyball, the Nittany Lions are heading into their final weekend of regular season play.

Penn State plays host to two final conference opponents, welcoming Rutgers-Newark and NJIT to Rec Hall this weekend. Looking back through the season, here are a few numbers that stick out where Mark Pavlik and his team are concerned.

7: As celebrated on April 5^th against Lees-McRae, seven total senior will leave the Penn State program as the end of this season. Those include athletes Tom Comfort, Ian Hendries, Kyle Mars, Matt Kapusta, Scott Keggereis and Nick Turko, along with their senior manager Corey Hobson.

16: One week from today, it will be the 16th-straight time that the Penn State program has hosted the EIVA Championships in Rec Hall. The Lions have welcomed conference opponents into their gym for the beginning of postseason play since 1998.

19: Penn State has won 19 of the 26 matches that it has played in the 2013 season. Eleven of those were won in just three sets, five were won in four and just three matches were taken in five full sets of play.

29: As of 10 days ago, the Nittany Lions clinched their 29^th EIVA Championship title. With a conference best 11-1 record and two more EIVA matches left to go, the title also makes Penn State the top-seed heading into the EIVA Championships.

61: He may just be a freshman, but Matt Seifert has made a lot of noise this season at the net. The rookie holds a team-high 61 blocks in just 26 matches played. The next best defender at the net is his teammate and senior Nick Turko with 51.

94: Through 26 total matches, the Nittany Lions have played a collective 94 sets of collegiate volleyball so far. They have out-scored their opponents 1,192 to 1,007, and have dominated in close matches.

222: His jersey number is three but all he's seeing is a lot of twos. Starting libero and redshirt sophomore Connor Curry has recorded 222 digs through 26 matches, holding down the back-row and keeping opposing servers off-balance set after set.

305: Aaron Russell made noise as a freshman, but he has come completely out of his shell in his sophomore season. The younger Russell leads the Lions with 305 recorded kills, and averages 3.47 kills per set on the outside.

1,011: In his first season controlling the offense, redshirt freshman Taylor Hammond has tallied more than 1,000 assists and distributed the ball seemingly well. Hammond's numbers are not only a team-best but also the highest in the conference, edging next-best Javier Perez of George Mason who has recorded 966.

Coming down the homestretch, the Lions know the opponents that they have to face and defeat in order to reach the NCAA Championships. They control their own destiny. 

By Kelsey Detweiler, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Most of the spectators who had stayed for the second game of Wednesday evening's doubleheader at Beard Field weren't even back in their seats before Cassidy Bell broke her second homerun record this season.

The senior lefty popped the second pitch of the game over the left field wall for her 18^th home run of the season and 35^th in four years with the team, making her the newest leader in career home runs as a Nittany Lion. The record of 34 blasts was previously held by Shannon Salsburg, who graduated from Penn State in 1998.

Less than a week ago, Bell also broke the record of homeruns in a single season. But she said that for some reason or another, this one was a bit sweeter.

"I knew I was one hit away and I knew I had tied it so after I hit that one, I was I knew that one was out," said Bell. "The single season is great but this one is career, all four years, and I feel like that is a greater accomplish. This one was the bigger one."

The Lions' head coach Robin Petrini has been with the program since 1997 and said that she remembers Salsburg, the former record holder. But as good as Salsburg was, Petrini said that Bell is just seeing the ball that much better.

"I was here for the tail-end of that young lady's career and she hit a lot of home runs," said Petrini. "But Cassidy is hitting them, I mean it's constant. She's getting all of the ball."

Bell's big one to start the second contest of the day didn't spark a victory however, as the Lions dropped a 12-3 decision to Purdue in the final game of the day.

Penn State did get a team-win in the first half of the doubleheader against the Boilermakers, stealing game one by a score of 8-4. Freshman lefty Macy Jones threw all seven innings out of the circle to increase her numbers to 129.1 innings pitched and ten wins on the season.

But what literally brought in the runs for the Lions in the first contest were the smart at-bats at the plate. After the game, Petrini explained how her team warms up offensively by hitting a deflated basketball off of a tee to enhance their power.

"I think that we're just driving the ball really well," said Petrini. "I'm a big proponent of driving the basketball and everyone hit the basketball prior to the game. When you hit it far you get an immediate feedback of what your swing looks like and we looked good."

In the win, Penn State tallied 11 hits and six doubles, which came from five different athletes. As a leadoff, Bell said that it was nice to see such a strong line-up show up to play.

"Hits are contagious so if we can keep stringing the hits along and keep switching places I think that's great," said Bell. "That was a great team win. It showed just how great our character is as a team."

Next up, the Lions continue Big Ten play and welcome Northwestern to Beard Field in a three-game series that begins on Friday.

By Kyle Lucas, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa - The Penn State track and field team had another successful weekend on the road with six athletes, four on the men's team and two on the women's, cracking the top 25 national rankings. 

Darrell Hill catapulted his way into the top 10 shot putters in the nation. The sophomore locked up an event victory with his toss of 62-07.26. Not only was Hill's throw a new personal best, but it was nearly four feet longer than the second place finisher. He is currently ranked No. 6 in the nation and No. 1 in the Big Ten.

Senior Sean Reilly set a new personal best in the high jump en route to winning the event. Reilly's jump of 7-2.25 puts him fourth all time in Penn State history. It was also good enough for a No. 12 ranking nationally and No. 3 in the Big Ten.

Redshirt junior Mahagony Jones had an outstanding weekend for the women. Jones was able to secure an event victory in a loaded 100-meters field. Her time of 11.55 is a new personal best.  Jones came away with a second place finish in the 200 meters. She was just edged out by the events returning national champion, Kimberlyn Duncan. Jones ran the 200 meters in 23.43. Jones is currently ranked No.22 nationally and third in the Big Ten.

Natalie Bower jumps into the rankings at No. 24 after a strong weekend at Bucknell's Bison Outdoor Classic. The senior clocked a season best in of 10:16.79 in the 3,000-meter steeplechase. Bower secured the victory easily, finishing 10 seconds before the second place runner.

After last weekend's action the men's team is ranked No. 15, moving up four spots from last week's No.19 rank. The women's team has cracked the top 25 for the first time this season coming in at No. 25.

Men's Rankings as of April 15, 2013

Women's Rankings

*First appearance in the rankings  

By Michael Renahan, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - There might not be a better way to describe the Penn State Nittany Lions at home than unstoppable. Through their seven games at home this season, the team showcased their youth, talent, speed, efficiency and offensive prowess by winning each game.  

The Nittany Lions recorded marquee wins against top-tier programs such as Florida and Ohio State on their home turf this season, and for good reason.

When at home, Penn State has outshot their seven opponents 215-138, leading to them outscoring those same opponents, 123-64. As a unit, they have scored on over 57 percent of their shots on home turf.

With a 19-10 victory over the Lafayette Leopards Wednesday night, the Nittany Lions completed a perfect season at home going 7-0, the best home record under coach Missy Doherty since her arrival three years ago.

This is the 13^th time the Nittany Lions have recorded a perfect record at home, the first time since 1991.

"It feels great [to be undefeated at home]. It's a great accomplishment to our team, and a credit to the girls. They've worked really hard and it's really fun to have some big wins at home, so I'm just really proud of them," Doherty said.

As the sun set and the field lights came on against Lafayette, the Nittany Lions came to life. The team went on a 5-0 run to end the first half and came out after halftime firing. They tacked on eight more goals in the second half, including three from senior attacker Molly Fernandez.  Penn State had five players score three goals or more in the win.

Sophomore midfielder Kelly Lechner registered her fourth hat trick of the season by beating two Lafayette goalkeepers with low corner shots. The goals gave Penn State control of the game heading into the second half.  Lechner has played a crucial role in controlling the tempo of the game for the Nittany Lions. She leads the team in draw controls with 37, and has scored a career-high 25 goals this season.

Along with Lechner, midfielder Ally Heavens returned to her scoring form against Lafayette. Last Saturday against Ohio State Heavens was matched up with the Buckeye's leading scorer and shut her down.  Wednesday night, the freshman registered a hat trick for the Nittany Lions and was a major contributor to the offensive onslaught.

"It felt good to be back on offense. I love that Missy gave me the role to take on last game, and now I know she has confidence in me to go on offense, so do all of my teammates, so that was fun to play," Heavens said. 

Heavens has been part of a group of freshman and sophomore players that have accounted for 142 of the teams 192 goals this season. Six freshmen and sophomores have already scored 11 goals or more in 2013, including sophomore attacker Maggie McCormick, who leads all scorers with 36 goals.

"Mackenzie and Maggie, our feeders, they really don't get a lot of credit [for our success] because they feed to us. That's one of the big things of our offense, is we have a lot of good feeders and we have a lot of speed from up-top cutting and they don't get a lot of credit that they should, because that's how we get our goals," Heavens said.

Assistant coach Brooke Matthews, who joined the Penn State staff at the beginning of this season, has also noticed the younger players stepping up.  The former Northwestern Wildcat knows all about scoring as she registered 88 goals during her career. Matthews says she likes what she sees from the team's youth so far.

"[The freshmen and sophomores] have been awesome. They have been fearless in there, they have definitely been a threat to cage, which is awesome. I don't think of them as freshman or sophomores anymore, they're already sophomores and juniors in my head. That's the fortunate part about this season, they've already played a whole season so [they're] a little more grown up," Matthews said.

Another key contributor to the game was sophomore midfielder Tatum Coffey. Coffey, named an Inside Lacrosse preseason second team All-American, added her 21^st goal of the season in the victory.

Prior to the game, Coffey took a stick to the ribs in a warm-up drill, but returned to the game just a few minutes into the first half. Coffey and Doherty both say she is fine and will be ready to play the remainder of Penn State's games.

"It felt great [to score a goal]. [I was] a little shaken up and rattled going into the game, my team just has my back and they pursued," Coffey said. "I just think we worked the ball, took our time, I mean sometimes we want to rush the fast break and we really just need to calm down and see the open people and take those opportunities," Coffey said.

Junior attacker Mackenzie Cyr extended her point-scoring streak to 21 games adding a goal and a career-high four assists. Cyr has been a crucial leader on and off the field for the Nittany Lions this season. She ranks eighth all-time in the program's history with 67 assists.

In the victory, the Nittany Lions also continued their strong second-half defensive effort.  They limited the Leopards to just four goals on eight shots while forcing Lafayette into eight turnovers. As a team, Penn State has forced its opponents into 107 turnovers at home this season.

Penn State now turns its attention to American Lacrosse Conference foe Johns Hopkins. The Blue Jays, currently ranked No. 19, will face the Nittany Lions riding a two-game winning streak. Hopkins has won nine games this season and is currently fourth in the ALC with a 1-2 record. Penn State lost to Johns Hopkins in the first round of the ALC tournament the last time these two teams met.

"I think with the games we have left, there is really no time to have woes. [Johns] Hopkins is our next opponent, they're always a huge rival for us. It's a big game, our last conference game, so it won't be hard to get the energy up for that game," Doherty said.

This is Penn State's first away game after spending the last three at home. Game time is set for noon on Sunday.