Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 5/27/23
from Press Release and Staff Report
The Penn State men’s lacrosse team embarks on its second NCAA tournament national semifinal matchup in program history as it meets No. 1-seeded Duke on Saturday today at noon in Philly’s Lincoln Financial Field.
HOW TO FOLLOW – NCAA Men’s Lacrosse Championships
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at Lincoln Financial Field
DI Semifinals
Saturday, May 27
No. 1 Duke vs. No. 5 Penn State, noon on ESPN2
No. 2 Virginia vs. No. 3 Notre Dame, 2:30 p.m. on ESPN2
DII Championship
Sunday, May 28
No. 5 Lenoir-Rhyne vs. No. 2 Mercyhurst, 1 p.m. on NCAA.com
DIII Championship
Sunday, May 28
Tufts vs. Salisbury, 4 p.m. on NCAA.com
D1 Championship
Monday, May 29, 1 p.m. on ESPN
PENN STATE-DUKE SERIES HISTORY
Duke currently leads the series 9-0 with the last matchup coming on March 20, 2010 when the Nittany Lions fell to the Blue Devils 20-11.
SCOUTING DUKE
Duke enters the match with a 15-2 overall record as it defeated Michigan in the semifinal round of the NCAA tournament 15-8 on Friday, May 20.
Leading the Blue Devils is Brennan O’Neill, who leads the team in points with 91 off 51 goals and 40 assists.
In net stands William Helm, who has played and started in 17 games this season. He currently tallies a save percentage of .524 and a GAA of 10.58.
HOW THEY GOT HERE
In the quarterfinals, the Nittany Lions defeated Army West Point 10-9 after a game-winning goal by Kevin Winkoff to halt a comeback by Army. Graduate student TJ Malone (Haverford School) was the main offensive presence on the field scoring four goals while Jake Morin tallied three assists.
Penn State was coming off a massive 13-12 comeback victory over Princeton in the first round of the NCAA tournament. With 9:20 remaining in the second quarter, Penn State trailed 7-1 to the Tigers before going on an 11-2 scoring run to regain the lead to 12-9 in the beginning of the fourth quarter.
The Nittany Lion defense held the Tigers to just three more goals while Penn State added one more to seal the victory. Sophomore Ethan Long led the way with a single-game high five goals while Malone was the lead point-getter with six off two goals and four assists.
Sophomore goalie Jack Fracyon tied a program record in single-game saves in an NCAA tournament game with 16 which aided strongly in the Nittany Lions victory.
The Penn State/Philly Connection
See Feature story on TJ Malone on Phillylacrosse.com
Philly players on Penn State roster
POS, SIZE, NO, NAME, YR, HOMETOWN, HS
ATT 5’11” 180 lbs 7 TJ Malone, Graduate Student West Chester, Pa. The Haverford School – 2023 stats: 33G, 32 assists
ATT 5’11” 170 lbs 8 Jeb Brenfleck Redshirt Sophomore Philadelphia, Pa. Academy of the New Church 2023 stats: 5 goals
DEF 5’9″ 175 lbs 11 Brett Funk Graduate Student Medford, N.J. Shawnee
ATT 5’11” 175 lbs 12 Will Peden Sophomore Downingtown, Pa. Malvern Prep
A/M 5’10” 185 lbs 16 Jack Traynor Graduate Student Downingtown, Pa. Malvern Prep 2023 stats: 31 Goals, 16 assists
ATT 5’10” 180 lbs 21 Luke Walstrum Redshirt Freshman Newtown, Pa. Council Rock North
MID 6’2″ 190 lbs 22 Matt Traynor Sophomore Downingtown, Pa. Malvern Prep 2023 stats: 30 goals, 7 assists
MID 5’11” 190 lbs 23 Mac Costin Senior Haverford, Pa. The Haverford School 2023 stats: 15 goals, 4 assists
DEF 6’0″ 190 lbs 28 Will Costin Freshman Haverford, Pa. The Haverford School
MID 5’9″ 180 lbs 29 Mark McKeon Freshman Wayne, Pa. The Hill School/Radnor
ATT 5’8″ 180 lbs 35 Jake Morin Junior Garnet Valley, Pa. Garnet Valley 2023 stats: 10 goals, 11 assists
M 5’11” 180 lbs 40 Luke Scarpello Freshman Shamong, N.J. St. Augustine Prep
LSM 6’2″ 175 lbs 42 Ryan O’Connor Freshman Springfield, Pa. Springfield-Delco 2023 stats: 22 GB, 8 CT
LSM/D 6’2″ 205 lbs 44 Pup Buono Sophomore Wayne, Pa. Malvern Prep 2023 stats: 13 GB, 7 CT
FO 5’8″ 155 lbs 52 Richie Hughson Sophomore Kennett Square, Pa. Kennett
FRACYON ON FIRE
Sophomore goalie Jack Fracyon allowed a program record low nine goals in an NCAA Tournament game giving up just nine goals in the quarterfinal round.
The reigning Big Ten Specialist of the Year has kept the Nittany Lions in the tournament as both games played so far have been decided by one goal.
Fracyon sits tied for fifth in program history in most saves in a single season with 210 while he has recorded 11 wins and save percentage of .572.
DUKE/PHILLY CONNECTION
Duke 6-3, 215-pounder freshman DEF Henry Bard (Lower Merion) has played in 13 games and has six groundballs and two caused turnovers. Bard was a Phillylacrosse.com Co-Player of the Year in 2022.
LAST BIG TEN TEAM REMAINING
Penn State sits as the lone Big Ten team left in the NCAA tournament following Johns Hopkins loss to Notre Dame in the quarterfinal round.
The Nittany Lions were slotted to finish fifth in the conference overall in the Big Ten preseason poll.
Penn State also captured the Big Ten regular season title for the second time in program history after its win against Rutgers on April 21.