Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 5/4/17
From Press Release
The ninth-ranked Penn State men’s lacrosse team (12-3, 3-2 Big Ten) faced a tough, two-goal setback in the semifinal round of the Big Ten tournament, falling 8-6 to the top-ranked Maryland Terrapins (11-3, 4-1 Big Ten) at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium Thursday evening.
Despite outshooting the Terrapins, Penn State scored six goals on 35 total shots.
Maryland senior Jon Garino (Episcopal Academy) won 6 of 11 face-offs for the Terps.
For Penn State, freshman attackman Mac O’Keefe and sophomore midfielder Kevin Hill paced the Nittany Lions with two goals apiece. O’Keefe now sits two goals shy of the program record in single-season goals, while Hill logged his fifth multi-goal game of the season.
Senior attackman Nick Aponte and classmate Dan Craig each tallied a goal as well. Aponte, senior midfielder Matt Florence and sophomore attackman Grant Ament each logged assists during the 60 minutes as well.
Craig’s goal was his second man-up score of the season, while one of Hill’s goals came during an extra man opportunity as well. Hill leads Penn State with seven extra-man goals.
Senior midfielder Billy Lombardi anchored the faceoff ‘x’ for Penn State, going 9-of-18 at the dot.
The Nittany Lions defense led to 11 miscues from the Terrapins. Rookie goalie Colby Kneese made five saves in the loss.
A likely NCAA tournament at-large bid recipient, the Nittany Lions will find out their postseason fate on Sunday, May 7, at 9 p.m. on the NCAA men’s lacrosse tournament selection show, airing on ESNPU. The show will be hosted by Anish Shroff, Quint Kessenich and Paul Carcaterra.
CAA semifinals: Towson 8, Drexel 4
Drexel had its 2017 season come to a close with an loss at Towson, in the CAA semifinals. The Tigers will advance to play the winner of the Hofstra-UMass game in the CAA title game on Saturday afternoon. Drexel ends the year with a 6-8 record.
The Tigers (9-4), who entered the game ranked seventh in the nation in scoring defense, held the Drexel offense in check for most of the night. Towson dominated possession, winning 14 of the 16 face-offs. Drexel was able to stay into the game in large part to its defense and the goalkeeping of Jimmy Joe Granito. The senior from New Canaan, Conn. showed why he was a First Team All-CAA pick as he turned aside 18 shots. The 18 saves were the most ever for a Drexel goalie in a CAA Tournament game.
Marshal King led the Dragons offense with two goals and an assist. Mike Lynch had the same for Towson, while Tyler Young and Tyler Konen each scored twice.
Big East semifinals – Providence 10, Villanova 7
The Wildcats dropped their BIG EAST semi-final game to Providence in Rhode Island Thursday night. The Wildcats concluded the season with a 9-6 overall record and 4-1 in BIG EAST play.
Jake Froccaro got the Wildcats on the board first just over a minute in with the assist credited to Christian Cuccinello. Next it was junior Danny Seibel who was able to score the unassisted goal and put Villanova up 2-0 early. Seconds later the Friars were able to score right after winning the faceoff to get themselves within one. Providence netted the next to tie the game up at two at the 9:13 mark.
The Wildcats answered back scoring back-to-back goals. The first goal was by Seibel assisted by Devin McNamara the next was Cuccinello with the dish credited to Jack Curran. Villanova lead 4-2 at the end of one.
Providence dominated the second quarter limiting the Wildcats to only four shots and scoring four themselves. The first goal was scored by Ryan Schaffer during an EMO at 14:39 the next three came in the final 39 seconds. The Friars led at halftime 6-4.
Sean Leahey was able to score just over a minute into the second half to put the Friars up by three but the Wildcat defense locked in and didn’t allow another goal that quarter. Jake Frocccaro was able to end the Wildcats scoring drought at the 6:21 mark to bring the game back within two.
The Wildcats and Friars went back and forth in the final quarter, Schaffer scored the first for Providence. Next it was Cuccinello who brought the game back within two but Leahey found the back of the net again for the Friars. McNamara score what would be the final Wildcat goal on a dish from Curran. Providence’s Schaffer would score the final goal of the game to make the final 10-7.
Nick Testa played all 60 minutes in goal and had 11 saves on the day and five ground balls. Jake Froccaro and Connor Kirst both had four ground balls and overall the Wildcats went 9-for-19 from the faceoff X.
Curran ended the season with 46 goals, a new single season record. He also ends his Villanova career fourth all-time in career points with 182, fifth in goals with 110, and sixth in assists with 72. Dan Willis, finished seventh in program history in saves with 371 while defenseman Danny Sweeny is 10th in caused turnovers with 30. Curran and Jake Froccaro are tied for most goals scored in a single game, both netted eight. Curran this season against St. John’s and Jake Froccaro last season at Penn State.