It was a classic standoff vs. Fairfield, the kind you see in a Western, where the Penn State men's lacrosse team held its finger close to the trigger, waiting for the perfect movement to fire off a shot.

The Nittany Lions have had the happy trigger most of the season, attacking defenses with more than 35 shots per game. In an 11-10 loss to Stony Brook on March 18, Penn State shot off 48 rounds to the Seawolves' 33.

But with the number of players in the midfield still low, and pressure on the defenders still high, the approach had to change.

"We weren't playing with poise and we weren't playing with a lot of focus," Penn State senior defenseman Keith Benjamin said.

Last week when preparing for the Stags, Penn State focused on the little things. The offense took its time, passed the ball inside then outside, back and forth until finally someone took the shot. After an 11-6 win over the Stags on Saturday, the strategy worked.

Caution could no longer be thrown to the wind. Especially when Benjamin, tri-captain and lead communicator on the defense, was on the sideline with a high ankle sprain.

Penn State ripped 26 attempts towards Stags goalie Mike Kruger. Fairfield left fewer bullets in the chamber with 28 shots during the game.

"We played a little bit more of a controlled style," Penn State men's lacrosse head coach Glenn Thiel said. "With the injury situation, we were getting a little low on bodies."

Penn State assistant coach Guy Van Arsdale, who controls the defensive strategy, needed the offense to take its time so that the defenders on the other side could take a moment to collect themselves after an offensive attack.

The purpose was not to slow down the game, but to let the seconds tick off the clock before a shot was taken and make sure it was the right one.

"I wouldn't term it as a slow down," Van Arsdale said. "We were more deliberate in what we were doing."

In the end, the Lions made their shots count.

Penn State senior attacker John Eremus capitalized with four goals and an assist. All together the team amassed a 39.2 shooting percentage, 10 full points above the Lions' season average of 29.2 percent. There was also a fresh group of defensemen, who had the opportunity to take a front-row seat to the attackers' and midfielders' passing game.

"All week in practice, we kept stressing [to] make the next look," Eremus said.

Benjamin saw junior Matt Mulqueen playing down closer to the cage during the game, where Benjamin usually resides. Freshman John Stuckey continued to make his instant impact on the defensive unit.

Solid defensive plays led to offensive opportunities. The Lions utilized those chances by thinking instead of firing wildly into the night. They knew when to draw.

"We kept stressing to our kids -- not try and make the big play," Van Arsdale said.

"But the right play."