Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 5/5/09
Two players from Penn have been named the Co-Players of the Week in the Ivy League for their efforts in a season-ending 11-10 victory over Army Saturday.
Senior attack Craig Andrzejewski and senior goalkeeper Greg Murray (West Chester East) shared the award.
Andrzejewski had a spectacular game offensively for the Quakers, scoring three goals and dishing off four assists. The seven-point game was a season-high for the senior, and gave him 142 career points which puts him ninth on the Quakers’ all-time list. Andrzejewski also finished his career with 63 career assists, which is ninth all-time at Penn, and 79 goals which is 12th all-time.
Murray closed out his collegiate career in spectacular fashion, coming up with a career-best 17 saves. Murray began the season as the starter, but was supplanted midway through the year. Last weekend, he got the start on senior day at home, but was forced to come out due to illness and dehydration early in the third quarter. However, on Saturday he again got the start and this time he went the distance.
Penn State’s Forster, Adams, Mackrides sweep ECAC awards
Penn State swept three awards for the ECAC as it closed its season in style Saturday by defeating Georgetown, 12-11, in double overtime to finish the year. Senior goalie Drew Adams (Springfield-Delco), senior attack Rob Forster (La Salle), and freshman attack Matthew Mackrides (Malvern Prep) were each honored in Penn State’s final week in the ECAC Lacrosse League.
Adams was named Defensive Player of the Week (along with UMass’ Doc Schneider) after closing out an amazing collegiate career by turning back a 54-shot barrage in Penn State’s win at GU. Adams collected 19 saves in the game, including two in each extra period, to lead the Nittany Lions to their sixth straight win to close out the 2009 campaign. Adams ends the year with a 7.96 goals against average and 212 saves. The 212 saves is the fourth-most in school history and give Adams 694 career saves, by far the most in Penn State history.
Forster was named Offensive Player of the Week (along with UMass’ Tim Balise) after closing his Penn State career with an outstanding five-point effort in the GU win. Forster had four goals and an assist, including the game winner with less than a minute left in the second extra period. Forster ends the season as Penn State’s leading scorer with 35 points off 26 goals and nine assists. He leaves PSU with 96 career points.
Mackrides earned his second ECAC Rookie of the Week award after finishing outstanding freshman campaign by scoring a goal and dishing off two assists (including the game-winner in overtime) in the road win. Mackrides three-point effort allows him to end the 2009 season with 28 points off 15 goals and a team-best 13 assists.
Penn State ended the 2009 season riding a six-game win streak and posted a 9-5 record. The team’s 4-3 mark in its final campaign in the ECAC Lacrosse League was good enough for third place. Penn State ended the year ranked No. 16 in the final USILA Coaches Poll. The Nittany Lions will join the Colonial Athletic Association in men’s lacrosse in 2010.
