Laxers impress in Cornell scrimmage

This time of year, inside is good and outside is bad-- especially for the Penn State men's lacrosse team. In a sport where the players wear shorts, having to play outside during the winter is usually avoided.

So the Nittany Lions opened their season on Saturday with a scrimmage against Cornell. The game was played in the warmer, climate controlled atmosphere of Holuba Hall. Counting on little else than confidence and, as a tool for the coaches to see where their respective teams stand, the Lions won easily, 12-5. And Penn State coach Glenn Thiel liked what he saw.

"We came out ready to go," he said. "I think we have some real nice middies (midfielders), and I think we will be able to have some good units this year."

The Lions were led in scoring by senior tri-captain Greg Jackson, who had two goals and four assists. He was followed by junior midfielder Dave King and sophomore attackman John Chescavage, who both tallied two goals as well.

The game also marked the return of senior tri-captain Tolleison Morriss, who has been out of action since last March when he tore his anterior cruciate ligament against Georgetown. He had spent last spring in rehabilitation and had been working out with the team for fall practice.

"He looks super," Thiel said. "He was ready to go at the end of fall."

Even though everything went well for the Lions on Saturday, there were one or two things Thiel saw that can be worked on before their scrimmage next weekend against Maryland. He said his team shot poorly early in the game but was able to correct that and take charge in the second half.

And Thiel was not the only one pleased with play of the Lions.

"I thought that was the best we've played as a team," King said. "That's the best we've moved the ball and we played well as a team."

Next weekend the Lions were slated to face Michigan State, but that has changed. Last week the Spartan players voted to drop their schedule to save their eligibility.

The change came about because the Michigan State administration decided to drop the team's status from varsity to club at the end of the season. The Lions will now scrimmage Maryland instead.