Laxers get back on track, win over UMBC

Going into Saturday's game at No. 17 University of Maryland Baltimore County, the No. 25 Penn State men's lacrosse team had not lost three games in a row since the beginning of the 1993 season.

The current Nittany Lion squad, however, seemed destined to repeat that ignominious feat following a pair of lopsided losses against No. 9 Georgetown and No. 1 Princeton.

But against UMBC (4-2), destiny took a backseat, as Penn State (3-3) cruised to an 11-5 win.

"We played as well as we have all year," Penn State coach Glenn Thiel said. "It was totally different than the way we have played before. Everyone was on the same level."

Without the services of Chad Henry, the graduated senior who scored an astounding nine goals against Penn State in last year's meeting, the Retrievers looked to attacker Chris Turner to provide much of the offense. Last season, Turner finished with 20 goals and 29 assists.

Against the Lions, though, Turner was stymied for much of the game by Penn State defender Andy Germain, who held the UMBC star scoreless.

"I was able to get into him and take him out of his game," Germain said. "I was able to push him around, and he just wasn't able to do what he wanted to do."

Facing little threat on the defensive end, Penn State was able to settle into its offensive game plan early. The Lions surged to a 3-0 lead in the first quarter and led 6-3 at halftime. The second half was little more than a technicality as Penn State went on to win its first game since a March 12 win against Yale.

Lion attacker John Chescavage led all scorers with four goals. Penn State midfielders Chris Schiller and Adam Pitarra notched two goals apiece. For UMBC, Dan Morohl led the way with two goals.

Chescavage said the much maligned Penn State midfield played a crucial part of the win.

"I attribute much of it to the midfielders," he said. "They ran really well in transition and got us the ball to where we were able to finish."

The Lions, who were reeling just a few days ago, now have refocused their efforts after a challenge from their coach and Saturday's win.

"He (Thiel) talked to us and said none of us were performing to the level of what's expected. We all saw that as a calling," Chescavage said. "Everybody's excited now. This has lifted our confidence."

With a Saturday game against Stony Brook at Jeffrey Field, Penn State has a week to raise that confidence to even greater heights. It's a confidence that will be greatly needed if the Lions are to have any chance of being invited to the NCAA tournament.

"We've got to win all the rest," Chescavage said. "It starts Saturday."