Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 2/9/25 – From Press Releases
Matt Traynor (Malvern Prep) had four goals and two assists and Penn State broke open a 4-4 game with an 11-1 surge to end the game today as the Nittany Lions whipped host Villanova, 15-5, spoiling the Wildcats’ opener.
Kyle Lehman (Wissahickon) added two goals and an assist as well as two groundballs and a caused turnover, while Ryan DiRocco (Haverford School) scored twice and scooped a groundball. Ethan Long scored twice, Hunter Aquino (Academy of the New Church) and Jack Aimon each had a goal and an assist and Luke Walstrum (Council Rock North) scored once.
Also for the Nittany Lions, Mark McKeon (Radnor/Hill School) had a caused turnover, Lucca DiBartolomeo (Malvern Prep) had a groundball, and Brendan Leary (Haverford School) had a groundball,
For Villanova, Luke Raymond had a goal and an assist, Colin Michener (Penn Charter) scored once, Brett Mallee (La Salle) had two groundballs and a caused turnover and Nick Lucchesi (Radnor) had a groundball.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Villanova opened the second half with a goal by Matt Licata off a spin move and score to narrow the Penn State lead to 4-3 with 11:56 left in the third quarter. With 8:34 left in the quarter, Mack Prbylski netted a long-distance goal from the point to tie the game up at 4-4.
But then Penn State’s attack took over.
Penn State closed the quarter with four unanswered goals, starting with a goal by DiRocco as he launched the shot from the slot to put Penn State back in the lead 5-4.
With 1:31 left in the third quarter. Aimone scored in front of the Villanova netminder to put Penn State ahead 6-4.
DiRocco soon followed with 30 seconds left in the quarter as he scored while battling a defender in front to put Penn State ahead 7-4. Long closed out the quarter with a goal on the run to put Penn State ahead 8-4 with 15 second left in the third quarter.
The Nittany Lions continued their scoring rush in the fourth quarter as Traynor tallied his hat-trick with a goal coming with 13:23 in the quarter as he banked a goal from beyond the circle to put Penn State ahead 9-4.
Lehman continued the Penn State attack with a goal coming with 11:36 left in the fourth quarter as he dove and scored to put Penn State ahead 10-4. With 11:10 left in the quarter, Hobbs scored from beyond the arc to put the Nittany Lions ahead 11-4. Aquino scored coming with 7:54 left in the game on the wraparound to put Penn State ahead 12-4.
Traynor ran by the entire Villanova defense and scored his fourth goal of the game on the run to put Penn State ahead 13-4 with 7:14 left in the game. David Link scored the last goal for the Wildcats with 5:49 left in the quarter as he leapt and scored to cut the Penn State lead to 13-5. With 5:36 left in the quarter, Colby Baldwin scooped and scored off the faceoff win to put Penn State ahead 14-5 and Walstrum capped off the Penn State attack with a goal coming with 3:57 left in the quarter as he buried the goal while diving in front of the goalie.
