Senior laxer Keenan looks for breakthrough season, playoffs

By CHRIS ANTONACCI
Collegian Staff Writer

Perhaps no one knows more about the Penn State lacrosse team's struggles than Kevin Keenan.

Keenan has been the man in the cage for the past three seasons -- three seasons for which the Lions have been on the outside looking in on the playoffs. But Keenan is determined not to let the playoffs elude him and his team this year.

"This is the best team that we have had in the four teams that we have had since I have been up here," he said.

Keenan knows the stakes are high this season. This is Keenan's last chance to qualify for the playoffs and make a run for the national championship. But he apparently has stepped off on the wrong foot, at least in his mind.

"I have to step it up a little bit," Keenan said. "I haven't played particularly well in the scrimmages, I am not particularly happy with my play."

But he has come out resiliently, nonetheless.

In the Lions' scrimmage with Gettysburg, a member of the upper echelon of Div. III schools, Keenan fought hard, aggressively making saves left and right.

He has a new fire brewing within him, and it is this fire that has landed him in the captain's role for this season. Obviously, Keenan is one of the first people Lions coach Glenn Thiel will look to for leadership.

"Keenan's always emotional," Thiel said. "But he is a goalie, and he kind of has to be to survive."

No kidding.

It is Keenan who faces an onslaught of 100-mile-per-hour shots, with only a chest pad and semi-permeable chest pad as protection.

But Keenan wants to do more than merely survive. He wants to make the playoffs -- badly.

It all starts this weekend, when Penn State hosts Notre Dame at 1 p.m. Saturday in Holuba Hall. This game means the world to the Springfield native. Last season, Keenan allowed 10 first-half goals and was bounced from the game in favor of then-freshman Matt Vallone.

But Keenan bounced back. He allowed a mere four goals against Villanova the next time out, making eight saves. On the year, he allowed 10.08 goals per game for a .54 save percentage.

In spite of his gritty performance last season, it fell short of his sensational sophomore season, his best to date as a Lion. Then, he notched a .615 save percentage, allowing 9.3 goals against.

But Keenan never takes any credit. He acknowledges his success comes with the play of his defense.

Neither do his teammates. Apparently, this year's motto is all about teamwork. After all, the goal remains the same -- playoffs or bust.

"You don't win lacrosse games because of one player," attacker Kevin Haggerty said. "We have a senior-led defense. I think we have a really solid team this year on both ends of the field."