By the looks of the fans packed three-deep at the Penn State men's lacrosse game Saturday, it was hard to remember that the game was only a meaningless scrimmage.

The excitement surrounding the No. 17 Nittany Lions' upcoming season was reflected by the scores of people at Holuba Hall eager to see a game that didn't even count. However, the excitement of the crowd didn't match the excitement of freshman midfielder Chris Hogan.

"All fall, I've been playing the same guys, so I was pumped to go out and play some different people," Hogan said. "I definitely was nervous for the first scrimmage, but it was a lot of fun just to play someone different, just to get out there and [do] what we've been practicing all fall and just put it to work."

Hogan played an integral part of the Lion's 8-3 victory against Lehigh Saturday, leading the team with three goals. Two of his goals came in the second quarter, helping Penn State jump out to a 4-0 halftime lead. He also took a team-leading six shots, five of them on goal.

His teammates are not merely impressed by his stats from the first game of the year. To add to a shot that can reach 100 mph, according to fellow midfielder Pat Heim, Hogan also brings a tough physical presence to the midfield. Listed at 6-foot-3, 199 pounds, his teammates are excited about the potential Hogan has to develop into a major threat even beyond Saturday's scrimmage.

"He's one of the biggest parts of offense," Heim said. "The kid can score. He can run. He can defend. He's adjusting well to the speed of the game because he's such a true athlete. He still needs to work on some things, but everybody does. It's early in the season, but he'll only get better. Having him out there just really, really helps to take the pressure off me in the midfield knowing we have a kid out there who's so dangerous."

Hogan was one of only two freshmen in the starting lineup. Heim said that the seniors in the midfield have taken Hogan "under their wing" and helped him adjust to the college level. Penn State head coach Glenn Thiel has said the transition from high school to college is not always easy, but Hogan has fit right into the Lions' offense and already made an impact.

"He's a big, fast, strong kid, so he's more than a freshman," Thiel said. "He's going to be a kid we count on."

The Lions are not only excited about Hogan's potential, but the team's potential for success as a whole. Even with their three main attackers, sophomore Rob Forster, senior Brian Boyle and junior Bubba Scott not in the lineup for the scrimmage due to injuries, the offense managed eight goals. After entering preseason with a goal to reach the Final Four, the offense appeared ready to take on the season ahead.

"The past couple of weeks the offense has been working really well," Hogan said. "It's starting to click and today we put that to work. Everyone was moving well, doing what they're supposed to do."