UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Behind a five-run third inning and a complete game, five-hit shutout from junior Greg Welsh on the mound, the Nittany Lions (14-35, 4-19) belted 17 hits en route to a 9-0 victory over Michigan State (32-17, 11-9) on a sun-splashed Friday afternoon at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park.

On a day where all nine Nittany Lions in the lineup tallied hits, sophomore catcher J.C. Coban opened the scoring with an RBI base hit through the middle of the infield in the bottom of the first inning.  However, it was Coban's second RBI single on a sharply hit ball to right field in the top of the third that opened the gates for Penn State's second shutout of the 2013 season.

"There was a big hole up the middle, and all I was trying to do was put the ball up the middle in my first at bat," Coban said.  "It was huge to get contributions from a number of different guys (in the third inning)."

Freshman left fielder James Coates kick-started the big third with a single to left field.  In total, the Lions notched six hits in the third, which included a two-RBI double from senior Matt Paradise just inside the left field line.  An Elliot Searer RBI single to left capped the scoring to make it 6-0.

From there, the junior southpaw on the mound took over.  Welsh tossed his first career complete game performance while yielding just five hits.  He struck out just two and walked one on 102 pitches.  Welsh pitched with great tempo and developed an early rhythm to shut down Michigan State.

"Coach Bell always tells me, and I believe it, too, that I am really good in a fast tempo," Welsh said.  "I'm not really thinking about each pitch to just keep on rolling.  He did a good job in the dugout telling me to just keep it up.  There was a time in the middle of the game where I kind of slowed it down when I was in the stretch, but I picked it up and like working fast."

Michigan State leadoff batter Cam Gibson doubled to open the game.  Welsh then retired the next nine batters before the Spartans led off the fourth inning with a single.  The key to the superb outing for Welsh was his ability to throw strikes.

"Throwing strikes is huge," Welsh said.  "Recently, including myself, the whole staff has really had trouble throwing strikes and giving our defense a chance to make plays.  I was really happy trusting my defense back there and pitching to contact, and they had my back all day."

The Nittany Lions added three more tallies in the bottom of the eighth to put the game out of reach, thanks to an RBI single from Luis Montesinos and a two-RBI single from Zach Ell.

One day after falling 16-1 in the series opener against Michigan State, the Nittany Lions looked like a completely different ball club on Friday.  Seven different players notched at least two hits, led by Coban's three-hit, two-RBI effort at the DH spot.  Friday marked Penn State's largest offensive output in Big Ten play this season with 17 hits and nine runs.

"We're still fighting, and we are still competing," Coban said.  "Greg (Welsh) was battling his butt off out there, so we had to do our job out there, too."

"It was a great win for us, a huge win," Welsh said.

The Nittany Lions and Spartans will again do battle on Saturday in the regular season finale.  Penn State will honor its senior class prior to the 1:05 p.m. first pitch at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park.


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By Michael Renahan, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - After opening the NCAA Tournament with two wins last weekend in Happy Valley, the Penn State Nittany Lions hit the road to take on a familiar foe in the Northwestern Wildcats.

The two teams have met twice this year with Northwestern winning both matchups.

"All bets are off with what happened in the regular season. There is this new energy, people know this could be their last game, so we know Northwestern is going to bring a pretty good fight and we just have to be ready to stay in our own game plan," head coach Missy Doherty said. "They play an aggressive defense, they try to rush our offense and we just have to be patient and in control and have the first step forward."

During the weekend, Penn State showcased a talented offense and a tenacious defense, two things they will need to beat the Wildcats. The Penn State offense was patient and diligent in their attack against both the University of Massachusetts Minutewomen and the Canisius College Golden Griffins.

The Nittany Lions had consistent ball movement on the offensive end, which allowed the cutters to work the field and get the best look possible. The quick feet of the attackers and midfielders opened the field up allowing the feeders to see them as they went to goal.

"I think both Canisius and UMass were really good opponents coming into this game. UMass, they pressure out a lot and we had to be able to handle that pressure. I thought the offense moved the ball much better than they had in the past and started to see each other really well," Doherty said. "It was a good lead up to our next game, but we just have to take care of the ball and do the simple things well and not come out of our game plan.

On the defensive end, Emi Smith had her one of her more solid performances of the 2013 season against UMass and the defense stood tall against two potent offenses. Smith, a freshman, made seven saves, including some crucial free position stops against both teams.

"She's a competitor. She knows that its playoff time and she came up with a great game against UMass and she had a really good game against Northwestern when we took them to overtime," Doherty said. "Like every other young player on the team, she's had some experiences that will be just like our experience on Saturday. When you know what you're kind of in for it takes some of the pressure off and hopefully she will be ready to play."

As a team, they forced bad passes, generated turnovers and, when it mattered most, shut down their opponent. Both Canisius and UMass were on the verge of completing comebacks when the Nittany Lions answered the challenged and pulled out victories.

The Northwestern Wildcats, reigning national champions, boast a quick effective defense that forces offenses out of their original game plan. They do their best to take away cutters and have a very effective goalkeeper in Bridget Bianco.

Bianco, a sophomore, is allowing 7.60 goals per game, good for No. 6 in the nation. Bianco was recently named first-team IWLCA All-West/Midwest Region. She, and the rest of the defense, has limited the Nittany Lions to just 11 goals in the two matchups.

Penn State, however, is ready for the challenge. With attackers like Maggie McCormick, Mackenzie Cyr and Molly Fernandez playing at their best, the Nittany Lions want to score more goals and compete with the defense. The Nittany Lions have one of the most balanced attacks in the conference and will need help from every player again to beat the Wildcats.

"I think, especially playing a team like Northwestern, you have to have a lot of legs. You have to be ready to run. We need a lot of people who are not going to sit back and play it safe, but are going to take some risks," Doherty said. "Thankfully, we have some athletic people on the bench who can come kind of come in and contribute, and you've kind of seen that the last couple games."

Currently, nine Penn State players have 13 goals or more. They are paced by McCormick with 49 goals and Kelly Lechner with 46 goals. Along with those two, the Nittany Lions have relied on the hot hands of Molly Fernandez and Mackenzie Cyr in the offensive end. The two have been crucial this postseason combining for 16 points in the first two games.

McCormick and Lechner both earned IWLCA All-American Honors on Wednesday. McCormick and Lechner were both named to the second team.

Defensively, the Nittany Lions match up well against the Wildcats. With the steady play from seniors Katie Guy and Colleen Shea, and the emergence of junior midfielder Lauren Purvis, Penn State looks to limit an offense that scores around 12 goals a game. Guy, recently named to the IWLCA All-American third team, is No. 10 in the nation with 1.95 caused turnovers a game. The defense continues to improve game and after game and Saturday should be no different.

The Wildcats are led by senior midfielder Erin Fitzgerald and junior midfielder Alyssa Leonard. Fitzgerald has scored over 50 goals this season, while Leonard has 32 of her own and set the school record for draw controls with 120.

On the road this season, the Nittany Lions are 4-5 and have been outscored 114-102. One of the losses, an 11-3 bout against Northwestern. Doherty, however, says the team has to look past its road record.

"I think a game is a game. Our tougher, higher ranked opponents have been on the road this year so it's somewhat reasonable that that's how our record worked out," Doherty said. "The NCAAs, whether you're on the road or at home, just provide a whole new sense of urgency and excitement so no matter where the game is you know it's going to be a good game."

The last time the Nittany Lions were in the quarterfinals they had their season ended by Florida, 15-2, in 2012. The team is looking to advance to the semi-finals for the first time since 1999.  Game time is set for 8 p.m. in Evanston.

"I think they're excited," Doherty said. "Our young players have gotten a lot of experience because of the schedule we played. It's nice to feel that we know what we're in for and we just have to be ready to execute."

"This is a team where we realize we're one of the top teams in the country and we're going to play like that," McCormick said after the UMass win. "We expect to go to the Final Four, that's our goal, and we're going to do everything we can to get there." 

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - A new era of Big Ten football will begin on Sept. 13, 2014, and the Nittany Lions will be a part of it.

Penn State is slated to travel to Rutgers on that date to compete against the Scarlet Knights in their first game as a member of the Big Ten Conference.  The conference released the 2014 schedule on Thursday, which also includes Maryland for the first time.

In 2014, the Big Ten will split into East - Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, Penn State and Rutgers - and West - Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, Northwestern, Purdue and Wisconsin - divisions with the arrival of Maryland and Rutgers.

Penn State will play each of its division foes every season, along with two schools from the West division in 2014 and 2015.  Beginning in 2016, the Big Ten will play nine conference games, which means Penn State will play the other six teams in the East division and three schools from the West division.

As for 2014, the Lions are slated to host Northwestern (Sept. 27), Ohio State (Oct. 25), Maryland (Nov. 1) and Michigan State (Nov. 29).  In addition to Rutgers (Sept. 13), Penn State will travel to Michigan (Oct. 11), Indiana (Nov. 8) and Illinois (Nov. 22) for road games.

Because the game had been scheduled prior to Rutgers joining the Big Ten, the Lions' trip to New Jersey will lead to both teams opening conference play two weeks prior to everyone else.

Penn State joined the Big Ten in 1993.  Since then, the Nittany Lions have played their conference opener on the road 14 times and at home nine times.  With the 2014 opener slated for a road game at Rutgers, it will mark Penn State's fifth-straight season and ninth in the previous 11 years of playing its conference opener away from home.

Michigan State returns to Penn State's schedule after three seasons off.  The Spartans and Nittany Lions will collide during the final week of the regular season, just as they did during Penn State's initial 18 seasons in the Big Ten.

Additionally, Penn State will be in Michigan Stadium for the first time since 2009 when it travels to Ann Arbor on Oct. 11, 2014.

As for the newest Big Ten members, Maryland will be making its first trip to Beaver Stadium since 1992.  Penn State has hosted the Terps 21 times (21-0).  The Lions will be traveling to Piscataway for only the fourth time in program history (3-0).  Penn State's last trip there came in 1955.

The 2013 season begins in MetLife Stadium on Aug. 31 when the Nittany Lions meet Syracuse in the season-opener.


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By Kyle Lucas, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Penn State women's track and field team wrapped up the outdoor regular season last weekend capturing its fourth Big Ten title and vaulting several athletes into this week's national rankings.

The women's team captured the title with 133 points, 13 points ahead of second place finisher Illinois.

Redshirt junior Mahagony Jones played a huge role in helping the women capture the Big Ten crown, bringing in 18 points. Jones sprinted to an event victory in the 100 meters in a personal best of 11.32. Her win secured 10 team points. She then followed it up with a second place finish in the 200 meters, clocking in at 23.37, good for another eight points.

Jones is back in the national rankings for the first time since week three when she came in at No. 22 in the 200. This week she is ranked No. 14 nationally in the 100 meters and No. 2 in the Big Ten. In the 200 meters she comes in at No. 17 and No. 2.

Hurdler Evonne Britton had an outstanding performance, claiming her first Big Ten victory in the 100-meter hurdles. The redshirt juniors' time of 13.13 was a new season best. Britton ranks No. 1 in the Big Ten and No. 16 nationally.

Senior Natalie Bower continued her strong season in the steeplechase bringing in six points in her third place finish. Bower ran the race in 10:12.42, a season-best time. Bower is now the third ranked steeplechaser in the Big Ten and No. 19 in the nation.

Junior Laura Loht improved her rank at the Big Ten championships during her second place performance. Loht launched a throw of 168-9, good for No. 13 in the nation and No. 2 in the Big Ten, just behind team mate Lauren Kenney.

On the men's side javelin thrower Michael Shuey improved his rank nationally. Shuey's toss of 227-11 landed him in third place at the Big Ten championships and now has him at No. 24 in the nation.

In the team standings the men's team slipped two spots from last week and are now ranked No. 13. Despite the strong showing, the women's team has yet to crack the top 25, sitting just outside at No. 27. 

Men's Rankings

Women's Rankings

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - With just four games left in their season, the Penn State baseball team took to the Medlar Field at Lubrano Park turf and claimed a, 7-4, victory over Villanova on Tuesday, but after the game some reflection from a pair of seniors put the final weekend of the season into perspective.

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It looked like the Lions were headed for another game hampered by mistakes, with two, first inning errors leading to three unearned runs for the Wildcats.

However, Starting pitcher Patton Taylor and reliever Blake Estep shut down Villanova's offense for the next seven innings and gave their offense the time needed to mount the comeback.

"[Falling behind early] has been plaguing us all year long," said head coach Robbie Wine, "but Patton [Taylor] pitched well after the first inning and gave us a chance to win. We've been getting hits all year long, but it is about defense and pitching and tonight we held up."

Taylor threw six innings and allowed three runs - zero earned - on five hits and struck out a career-best seven batters to pick up the win and Estep posted his first career save with three innings of one-run relief work.

Elliott Searer and Tyler Kendall each plated a pair of RBIs, while J.C. Coban, Alex Farkes and Luis Montesinos all drove in one run in the victory.

Montesinos and Searer are two of the nine seniors that will be honors prior to the Nittany Lions final game of the season on Saturday, May 18 against Michigan State. The eight players and one manager will close out their careers with a lot to be proud of and many memories according to head coach Robbie Wine.

"[Our seniors] have been a part of some really exciting times and they've taken advantage of an opportunity to get a great education," said Wine. "I hope when they look back they remember the friendships and all of the good times they've had."

It's always nice to close out your season on your home field and Penn State gets to play in one of the nicest facilities in college baseball.

Medlar Field at Lubrano Park is nestled among the majority of the PSU athletic facilities and gives players and fans a breathtaking view of the mountains in center field. The seniors talked not only about the amenities, but also the playing surface.

The common areas and locker rooms were a highlight for Montesinos, while both he and Searer bragged about the playing surface. Both infielders were complementary of the efforts of the grounds crew and mentioned that the surface was one of the main reasons they chose Penn State.

"The grounds crew does an outstanding job getting this field ready for us every year," said Searer. "Most people don't know it, but those guys do an amazing job making sure it's one of the best fields in college baseball. We see a lot of other parks and being able to play here on a surface that is second-to-none has been incredible."

When asked what they will remember most, both players responded quickly.

"It all starts with the guys I came in with and all of these guys that are in this locker room right now," said Searer. "The memories of the times I have shared with these guys, the friendships and the time spent with these guys is something I will always remember."

Montesinos also recalled his first career start against Lamar during the second week of his freshman season. He was 0-for-2 with a walk, but still gets a smile on his face when talking about his first taste of college baseball and the friendships he's made.

"One big things I will take with me is how close I am with all of my teammates," said Montesinos. "Playing with this team has been awesome and this is a great group of guys."

Underclassmen don't always take the advice of those who've come before them, but the seniors say they will try to impart the age-old testimonial upon the younger Nittany Lions as they depart to enjoy their time and soak everything in.

"It's kind of cliché, but being a Penn State student-athlete is something very special," said Searer. "You're able to compete on a national level and not many people get a chance to play in a great facility like [Medlar Field] and get an education that is highly regarded around the world."

One thing that the entire senior class looks forward to is continuing the momentum built over the last week and ending the season on a high note.

"We just want to come out swinging," said Montesinos. "We hit the ball well last weekend and we came out and kept it going [Tuesday] versus Villanova. Hopefully we can go out there and get three wins against Michigan State."

--NITTANY LIONS--

By Michael Renahan, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Nittany Lions are winning and winning together.

Penn State advanced to the quarterfinals of the NCAA tournament for the second straight year with a win over University of Massachusetts Sunday at the Penn State Lacrosse field. The team has been nationally-ranked the entire season, earned a share of their conference championship, and never lost at home.

It has not been easy, but they've done it with class. They've done it with style. They've done it together.

They now hit the road and travel to Evanston to take on the Northwestern Wildcats for the right to advance to the semifinals of the NCAA Tournament. The tough season has the team ready for whatever challenges the Wildcats could throw at them.

Penn State had a long way to go to get to this point. They started the season with only three seniors, and a core of mostly freshman and sophomores. Team synergy was the biggest question mark for the Nittany Lions heading into the season, one they have answered time and time again.

They never once blinked or backed down against an opponent. Instead, they lowered their shoulders and put their best on the line every game.

As a team, the Nittany Lions have scored 266 goals this year on 567 shots. They have shared the ball well this year assisting on 115 of those 266 goals. The 115 assists are second best in the American Lacrosse Conference to only 117 by Florida. They wait for one another to get the right pass and get the right shot. After every game, any individual star player immediately gives credit to their teammates for their successes that day.

It's not just one Nittany Lion setting the tone; it's every player on the roster. Each Penn State Nittany Lion brings her own style and her own flare to the team. They are a direct reflection of their coaches and of one another. The toughness, the grit, the desire and the determination can be seen in all the players.

Before each home game, the Nittany Lions arrive at the field in the classic Penn State blue buses. The entire State College area is well aware when the team is about to take the field as they honk their horn dozens of times in preparation. Once they get to the field, they are met by the soundtrack to their season, the classic songs that have become a staple in their pre-game ritual.

Amidst the smiles and laughter is a sense of determination and focus. While they have fun warming up to the music, each player is constantly rooting their teammates on and making sure they're ready go. "Let's go State" can be heard around 100 times before games.

The chants do not stop after pre-game warm-ups. Throughout the entire 60 minute match, the team is yelling out plays, supporting their teammates and working as one to keep the energy high. After every goal the bench explodes and the faces light up.

Penn State leads the ALC with nine players scoring 13 goals or more.  Of those nine, six have 30 points or more, creating a balanced attack for the Nittany Lions. Maggie McCormick paces the team with 84 points. The sophomore attacker has been a dominant force at the attack for Penn State and has given defenses fits all season long. She has worked very well fellow attacker junior Mackenzie Cyr, who has 66 points of her own.

The midfield has been controlled by sophomore Kelly Lechner, who scored three goals in the team's win on Sunday. She has more than doubled her goals from freshman year and has been one of the best two way players on the field. After Lechner, Tatum Coffey, Molly Fernandez and Jenna Mosketti fill the stat sheet with 38, 36 and 32 points, respectively.

Altogether 14 Nittany Lions have registered a point this season. It is not just offensively that Penn State has showcased its teamwork and desire to win for another one. On the defensive end, Penn State works just as hard.

With each interception or forced turnover, the bench lights up as if someone scored a goal. The coaches yell in support, the fans yell in support and the team keeps on working hard. They play for one another, they play to win, and they play as a team.

The Nittany Lions will continue to utilize their teamwork as they prepare for a quarterfinal matchup against ALC foe Northwestern. Game time is set for 8 p.m. in Evanston on Saturday. 

--NITTANY LIONS--

By Michael Renahan, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Penn State Nittany Lions just keep winning at home.

On a cold windy Sunday in State College, the Nittany Lion women's lacrosse team battled hard in the second round of the NCAA Tournament to beat the University of Massachusetts Minutewomen, 12-9.

Attackers Maggie McCormick and Mackenzie Cyr led the charge for the Nittany Lions. McCormick and Cyr both had six points for Penn State as they fed off one other to work over the normally sound Massachusetts defense.  It was Cyr's second six-point performance of the weekend.

The Nittany Lions controlled the pace of the game for virtually the entire 60 minutes. Despite a late Minutewomen run to cut the lead down to two with 19 minutes to go, the Nittany Lions never showed any signs they were worried and stuck to the game plan to get the victory.

Penn State started off with the hot hand opening up a 4-1 lead with just over 20 minutes left in the first half. McCormick scored three of the team's first four goals taking beautiful feeds from Mackenzie Cyr and beating goalkeeper Jamie Schiloski with quick low shots.

The Minutewomen tested the Nittany Lion defense early, scoring two in a row to bring the lead back to one. Penn State then locked all doors and windows and started shutting down a very potent Massachusetts attack. Emi Smith had a stellar first half stopping four shots and leading the defense perfectly.

"I don't think today's game was different than any other game I've played," Smith said. "I just did the same exact thing I do every day and I think the difference between today and every other game was I told myself, 'I'm playing for the seniors' and I don't want to let them down and I want them to go further in this championship."

The Nittany Lions entered halftime up by four after Tatum Coffey took a clear attempt and sprinted to goal beating Schiloski with a quick to the right corner. Penn State found itself in a similar situation to Friday's game against Canisius.  The Nittany Lions entered the half up on Canisius only to allow a quick comeback from the Golden Griffins. On Sunday, the team started the second half with a new fire and mindset intensity to not let the Minutewomen back in the game.

Penn State came out firing after the whistle to start the second half. McCormick took another perfect lead pass from Mackenzie Cyr to beat Schiloski in the low left corner.  Massachusetts matched the Nittany Lions' intensity level scoring three goals in a row to battle back into the game. The teams were in a classic NCAA showdown with neither one backing down.

Penn State was struggling to clear the ball creating easy interceptions and takeaways for the Minutewomen middies. The turnovers were giving Massachusetts an opportunity to steal momentum. Doherty used a timeout perfectly to calm down her team and let them regain focus. After the timeout, the Nittany Lions took the field ready to execute.

"That's all about excitement. I think that the defense was doing a really good job of getting open and they were working hard," Smith said. "You know sometimes bad passes happen and I think I can just do better in practices next week."

"I think the biggest part of that, and the reason why we were so successful, is Emi was in a position because of how she played and how our defense played to make some good clears in critical situations. That was the key to the game and the 'D' came up with some awesome stops and even if we had an error or two, we got the ball back again. I think maybe Emi wanted a couple more shots today she was really feeling it," Doherty said with a smile.

The Minutewomen looked to be poised to take control back from the Nittany Lions, but Molly Fernandez had other ideas. The senior attacker did not want to see her season come into question, and instead, she scored two goals within a minute and a half to widen the gap.

"We were just doing what we usually do. I'm just cutting in the middle, I'm working hard and fortunately Mackenzie [Cyr] hit me with a great pass that first shot and we were just doing what we usually do," Fernandez said.  "Just trying to stay consistent and score the goal." 

As Fernandez scored, the Nittany Lions exploded on the sidelines. The senior fighting for her team and season inspired the rest of the team to take their play up a notch and take down Massachusetts.

"[The two goals] were huge and Molly did a great job of figuring out their defense," Doherty said. "I think we were pushing a little bit too much in from the top and running right into their pressure and Molly started to figure out the holes they were leaving to be open and a credit to her for figuring that out and coming up with some really important goals."

While Fernandez recognizes that her Penn State career could be over with a loss, she understands how important these wins are for the program and not just for her and her fellow seniors.

"I don't think it's playing for the seniors, I think it's playing for our program," Fernandez said. "I mean we want to go really far in this tournament and make a name for Penn State and it's a whole team win not just for the seniors. It's great."

The normally fast-paced Nittany Lion offense had a different day offensively. They showcased their ability to play patient and to wait for the right shot. When they got the shot they wanted, the team took complete advantage and beat the goalkeeper time and time again.

"[Being patient] ended up a being part of the game plan," Doherty said. "I think we wanted to move their defense. Their defense does a really good job of stopping your one vs. one challenge, so we had to get the ball moving. We did a great job finding Molly in the middle there to end the game and get some really great goals."

"Molly was our sneaky little cutter getting in there and getting open to finish out the game. But, overall, we wanted to be aggressive, I think towards the end of the game they did a great job of just keeping tempo," Doherty said.  "We were still going to goal, they knew we could shoot; they just did a great job of being smart with the possessions." 

This isn't the first time they Nittany Lions have had to adjust to a new opponent. They have faced faster and slower teams than the Minutewomen in 2013. One of the highlights of Penn State's schedule is how many different teams they see, according to Doherty.

"I think our whole season we have had every single type of game. You use any type of game as a learning lesson. I think to be in NCAAs, and to hopefully compete for championships, you need to be consistent across the board," Doherty said. "You don't go thru in any round if you know you're not ready to do that and luckily the girls stepped it up even more in the second half."

Kelly Lechner had another solid game for Penn State. The sophomore midfielder followed up her two goal performance against Canisius with three goals and an assist against Massachusetts. Lechner also played a crucial role helping the defense shut down the Minutewomen offense.

This is the first time the teams have met since 2001 with Penn State winning both games. The win advances the Nittany Lions to the quarterfinals where they will meet American Lacrosse Conference foe Northwestern. The Wildcats and Penn State have met twice this season with Northwestern winning both matchups.

The win gives the team a 9-0 record at home this season. They also won back-to-back NCAA games for the first time since 1999. Game time is set for 8 p.m. in Evanston next Saturday.

"Well we're really unfamiliar with them, it's going to be hard to figure them out" Doherty said jokingly. "They're the reigning champions and they do a great job of bringing it crunch time and playing smart and playing effective. We have a lot of great competitors on our team, were familiar with them, obviously, but we have to be ready for anything. We have to be ready to play a smart game, an aggressive game and we have to be ready to work hard, for sure." 

By Michael Renahan, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Penn State Nittany Lions beat the Canisius College Golden Griffins, 14-13, in a down to the wire game Friday night at the Penn State Lacrosse Field.

The Griffins brought the Penn State lead down to just one with 12 seconds remaining but were unable to score a final goal against the tenacious Nittany Lion defense. The Lions never once looked worried or nervous; they just remained focused and finished off the game.

As the rain fell and the Nittany Lions celebrated the hard-fought victory, it was clear to see how much this game meant to them. A loss would mean their season was over; instead they now get to move forward and play again Sunday with hopes of advancing to the quarterfinals, a spot where they were knocked out just a year ago.

"Any game could be your last game, so you don't want to end your season on a loss," junior attacker Mackenzie Cyr said.

Cyr recorded a hat trick, her sixth of the season, and assisted on three more goals. She is now second on the team in assists with 30.

The Nittany Lions got terrific play from their young star players. Freshmen and sophomore players accounted for nine of the team's 14 goals. Sophomores Maggie McCormick and Kelly Lechner both scored two goals while freshmen Jenna Mosketti and Ally Heavens also scored two of their own in the victory.

"This whole experience and this whole year have been great. We've achieved things that we didn't think we would. Every game has been sort of a battle, and we're definitely battle tested, and a big reason for that is our young players coming through, and our older players leading them," head coach Missy Doherty said. "It's been a good mix and we're glad that people stepped up. It was good to see them step up."

Canisius head coach Scott Teeter referred to the Nittany Lions as a "very quick tempo [team] and they got some big scorers."

All in all, the Nittany Lions had seven players score a goal in the win, six of which had two goals or more.

Penn State started the night extremely hot. Attacker Molly Fernandez beat Griffin goalkeeper Kayla Scully just 18 seconds into the matchup with a blistering high right corner shot. The goal set a tone for Penn State as the team went on to open a 4-1 lead with a little over 17 minutes remaining in the first half.

The Nittany Lions made an emphasis to pound the ball in the offensive zone to generate more and more shots. They used quick passes and hit their cutters perfectly to open the lead. The offense looked to be unstoppable in the early going, but Canisius rebounded quickly.

The Griffins scored two quick goals in a row to bring the game within one. Morgan Leonard, the team's top scorer, beat freshman Emi Smith in the top right corner. Lindsey Morgan then notched her first goal of the game, 36 of the season, beating Smith with a low shot.

Penn State had a quick group huddle and looked determined to stop the Canisius offense. The team would prove it could keep up with the fast paced offense holding them scoreless for five minutes while Ally Heavens scored a goal to widen the gap to 5-3. Colleen Shea proved her toughness numerous times taking several charges from the Griffins and always getting back up.

Shea quietly had a solid game helping contain a very effective Canisius offense. She has played a major role in shutting down top scorers and will continue to do so as the team advances.

Penn State and Canisius were locked at 5-5 with one minute to go before the end of the first half when Lechner took a feed from Mackenzie Cyr and beat Scully. The goal gave a major boost to the confidence of the Nittany Lions as they entered halftime up by one. Penn State played hard in the first half and knew they had to come out strong in the second to beat the surprising Griffins. Canisius had given them fits all afternoon and Penn State was slowly figuring out how to get past them.  

Canisius, however, continued to play strong against the battle tested Nittany Lions. They came out and scored two quick goals to start the second half. Penn State appeared to be re-energized once they lost the lead and came firing back scoring four in a row. Canisius held their only lead for a mere 31 seconds.

"I think when it was back and forth a lot and I think when we come into those minor situations, we always want to come up with [new energy] and come up with the draws and the little plays and that's what our team is all about," Heavens said.

"I think we want to play consistent the whole game regardless of how the game is going and going back and forth. Thankfully, our girls make big plays when it matters so we always know when it's close or when we take a big lead or they take a big lead, that we just have to keep playing well," Doherty said.  "We just wanted to come back in and start doing the simple things well and finish on the simple shots and thankfully the girls did a good job of battling back and winning the game."

Penn State then opened up their scoring with stellar lockdown defense leading to fast-break opportunities for the offense. The team scored three goals to widen the gap, including Fernandez's second goal of the night on a terrific free position opportunity. The second goal marked 100 goals for Fernandez's career, an incredible accomplishment for the senior.

As a defense, the Nittany Lions played hard. The game was much more physical than the team had experienced this season, but they rose to the occasion every time. Assistant coach Amy Altig seemed pleased with the way her team played defense. The coach consistently applauded the strong play from the sidelines. The Griffins, who only lost five games all season, also use their quickness to beat defenses. Penn State's defense matched the speed and intensity the Griffins brought.

Despite the Griffins bringing it within one with 12 seconds left, the team finished strong as a whole. Emi Smith played solid again at home. She recorded four saves in the victory, including a few big free position stops to preserve the lead. Penn State forced Canisius into nine turnovers throughout the game. The Nittany Lions also showcased their dominance off the draw by grabbing 22 to the Griffin's seven.

The draw had been a focal point of the team's practice during the week, and to see it executed so well was pleasing to Doherty.

"Like I said, Kate Guy did awesome on the draw today," Doherty said.  "The girls on the circle did really well coming up with the loose balls and the possessions and it was a focus for us this week at practice and they really did a great job of that."  

The Nittany Lions now turn their attention to the University of Massachusetts for a 1 p.m. showdown on Sunday. Massachusetts is coming off a 14-10 victory over the University of Connecticut Huskies. The Minutewomen match up well against the Nittany Lions across the board. Two junior attackers, Sam Rush and Katie Ferris, lead the charge for the team. Together they have scored 108 goals and led one of the most explosive offenses in the nation. Ferris ranks No. 37 in the nation with 2.76 goals per game while Rush ranks No. 8 in the nation with 3.21 goals per game. The Nittany Lions will face the challenge to slow down an offense that scores around 15 goals a game if they want to win. On the other end of the field, the Minutewomen will most likely start sophomore Jamie Schiloski in goal. Schiloski and the rest of the defensive unit have been solid this season.

"We're happy to walk away with a win. It was a really hard fought game," Doherty said.  "I think in the first half we didn't quite put away our shots the way we would have liked and Canisius did a good job of continuing to fight the whole game, and work hard and make the game close, and luckily we pulled away with the win."

By Kyle Lucas, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Penn State's track and field teams had a quite weekend in the national rankings with only a three athletes improving their rank while hosting the Jim Thorpe Open last Friday.

Sophomore thrower Darrell Hill improved on his Big Ten lead in the shot put with a new personal record. Hill bested the competition with a toss of 62-9.25. Hill will head into the Big Ten Championships this weekend as the No. 1 competitor for the title. He currently sits at No. 4 nationally.

Jon Hendershot's outstanding performance at the Jim Thorpe Open has him sitting at No. 3 in the Big Ten. The junior tied a longstanding school record when he cleared the bar at 7-3.25. His jump lands him at No. 10 nationally.

On the women's side junior Laura Loht improved her standing in the javelin. Loht hit a season best 166-3 in the event. She remains the No. 2 ranked thrower in the Big Ten, behind teammate Lauren Kenny, but now has jumped from No. 22 to No.12 nationally.

In the team standings, the men jumped two spots from last week to come in at No. 11.  Both teams are in Columbus set to kick off the Big Ten Championships later today.


Men's Rankings as of May 8, 2013

Women's Rankings

By Michael Renahan, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - This weekend the Penn State Lacrosse Field will be home to four teams as they battle in the opening rounds of the NCAA Women's Lacrosse Tournament. The home team, the Penn State Nittany Lions, will square off against the Canisius College Griffins on Friday. Following that game, the University of Connecticut Huskies will face off against the University of Massachusetts Minutewomen.

This is the first time opening round action is being played in Happy Valley since 2005. The four teams together went a combined 56-16 on their way to scoring 962 goals against their opponents. The Nittany Lions, the Griffins and Minutewomen all were crowned champions of their respective conferences, while the Huskies fell to Syracuse in the BIGEAST semifinals. The four will all need two wins to get out of Happy Valley and move onto the NCAA quarterfinals.

University of Connecticut Huskies
This is the first time in the program's history the Huskies have made it to the NCAA Tournament. They won 13 games this season, including a 7-0 record at home. Huskies head coach Katie Woods called the NCAA bid an "amazing accomplishment." Woods was named the BIG EAST Coach of the Year after leading the program to a record-high 13 wins. The Huskies have the BIG EAST midfielder of the year in junior Lauren Kahn. Kahn has registered 38 goals and 28 assists for a team high 61 points. She has registered 60 draw controls and 31 caused turnovers, both team highs. The Huskies advanced to the BIG EAST semifinals before losing to top-seeded Syracuse, 19-6. The Huskies use a fast pace offense where they use their speed in hopes of outrunning and outworking their opponents. They take quick and smart shots to beat opposing goaltenders. The Huskies have a marquee win against No. 9 Notre Dame and have competed hard against No. 5 Syracuse and No. 11 Loyola (Md.). Next to the American Lacrosse Conference, the BIG EAST has been recognized as an incredibly tough conference with five teams in the NCAAs.

University Of Massachusetts Minutewomen
This is the seventh time the Minutewomen have reached the NCAAs, and third season in a row. The Minutewomen were the first team to win the NCAA sponsored championship back in 1982. Massachusetts is coming off its fifth straight Atlantic Ten championship last week scoring nine in a row to beat Duquesne, 14-7. The Minutewomen have one of the most prolific offenses in the tournament. They are led by two junior attackers in Katie Ferris and Sam Rush. Ferris has 47 goals and 23 assists on the season for a team high 70 points. She helps control the pace of the game for Massachusetts and is one of the best feeders in the country. She currently ranks No. 37 in the nation averaging 2.76 goals per game. Ferris has connected with the team's top scorer Sam Rush on several occasions leading to her scoring 61 goals this season. The 61 goals are the third highest in the country this season behind only 63 from Louisville's Nikki Boltja and Stony Brook's Demmianne Cook who scored 86.  Rush has been the face of a dominant offense. She ranks No. 8 in the nation with 3.21 goals per game and has controlled the ball very well for the Minutewomen. Massachusetts, like the Huskies and Nittany Lions, has also gone undefeated this season at home.

Canisius College Golden Griffins
The Golden Griffins enter the tournament after winning their third straight MAAC Conference championship. They are the first team in MAAC conference history to win three championships in a row. The Golden Griffins also boast a highly effective offense as they prepare to try to match the intensity of the Penn State Nittany Lions. They have scored 233 goals this season and average just fewer than 13 per game. Seven players have scored ten or more goals for the Griffins, including four with over 35 goals. Canisius is paced by Morgan Leonard. The senior attacker has scored 56 goals this season, good for No. 10 in the nation. Much like Massachusetts, the Griffins have a solid two person attack. Behind Leonard is sophomore attacker Tori Quinn who leads Canisius with 74 points. She has been a tremendous feeder for the Golden Griffins and helped propel Leonard to her elite goal scorer status. The Griffins also have one of division one's best goaltenders. Sophomore Kayla Scully is currently ranked No. 5 in the nation allowing just 7.38 goals per game. The team has quick feet on defense and slides very well to help counteract whatever offense they are up against. This is the first time the Golden Griffins and Nittany Lions will face off in women's lacrosse. The Griffins are led by head coach Scott Teeter, an alumnus of the college.

The Penn State Nittany Lions
The host of this weekend is the No. 7 seeded Penn State Nittany Lions. The Nittany Lions are led by third year head coach Missy Doherty. The team has had their best season under Doherty going 12-6 and winning all seven of their home games. The Nitany Lions boast a balanced attack with eight players scoring 15 goals or more on the season. Penn State has one of the youngest teams in the tournament with only three seniors, and a core of freshman and sophomores. The Nittany Lions are led by sophomore attacker Maggie McCormick. McCormick has had a stellar sophomore campaign scoring 43 goals, assisting on 33 others for a team high 76 points. Along with McCormick, junior attacker Mackenzie Cyr has also had an exceptional season with 27 goals and 27 assists. Cyr has scored a point in 27 straight games and has been one of the best feeders on the field for the Nittany Lions. She is calm, collected and confident on the offensive end of the field and has been hitting her cutters with beautiful passes every game. Kelly Lechner has also had a stellar season for the Nittany Lions. She has registered 41 goals for Penn State, a career high. The Nittany Lions have improved their defense significantly since the start of the season. Katie Guy is ranked No. 12 in the nation with 35 caused turnovers on the season, an average of 1.94 per game. Emi Smith has had success at home and should have continued success against Canisius on Friday. The Nittany Lions advanced to the quarterfinals last season before Florida ousted them. This is the first time Penn State has hosted NCAA games since 2005.

In order to advance to the quarterfinals, one of these teams will have to win two games in Happy Valley. There is no double elimination this weekend, it's one and done. All four have prolific offenses and score a lot of goals every game setting up what is sure to be an exciting weekend. The Nittany Lions and Golden Griffins will open the weekend with a 4 p.m. start on Friday, while the Huskies and Minutewomen will play at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday. The winners of those two games will play at 1 p.m. on Sunday for the right to advance to the quarterfinals.