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The Penn State Nittany Lions are the third Division I team to unveil their 2018 schedule. The Nittany Lions are looking to build on their 12-4 record in 2017 and try to win a game in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history.
Here’s the entire 2018 schedule:
Penn State’s 2018 Schedule
Date | Road Team | Home Team | Special Notes | Last Year's Meeting(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Date | Road Team | Home Team | Special Notes | Last Year's Meeting(s) |
1/20 | Navy | Penn State | Scrimmage | |
1/27 | Penn State | Army West Point | Scrimmage | |
2/3 | Villanova | Penn State | 17-12 W | |
2/10 | Hobart | Penn State | 21-15 W | |
2/17 | Stony Brook | Penn State | New opponent | |
2/24 | Robert Morris | Penn State | 15-11 W | |
3/3 | Penn State | Penn | 14-13 W | |
3/6 | Penn State | Furman | in Washington, D.C. | 12-10 W |
3/10 | Penn State | Cornell | in Sparks, Maryland | 20-10 W |
3/17 | Penn State | Fairfield | 9-8 W | |
3/24 | Cleveland State | Penn State | 15-8 W | |
3/31 | Penn State | Ohio State | Big Ten | 9-4 W |
4/7 | Maryland | Penn State | Big Ten | 15-11 L, 8-6 L |
4/14 | Johns Hopkins | Penn State | Big Ten | 13-11 L |
4/21 | Penn State | Rutgers | Big Ten | 13-7 W |
4/28 | Michigan | Penn State | Big Ten | 17-13 W |
Instead of mentioning each game as we’ve done, we’ll highlight some of the best games on the schedule.
Best Non Conference Game: vs. Cornell (in Sparks, MD)
Penn State doubled up on Cornell last season in the Big Red’s first game of the season. Jeff Teat and Connor Fletcher scored a goal each. This wasn’t the Cornell team we saw later on in the season, when the team began to gel. This game is being played nearly a month later, which will benefit the Big Red the most. Teat could be the most explosive scorer the Nittany Lions face up to this point in the season.
Best Conference Game: vs. Maryland
It could be nearly the entire Big Ten schedule, but I’m picking Maryland for this one. Last year, Penn State lost both meetings to the eventual national champions. Two years ago, the Nittany Lions lost to the Terrapins in overtime at home. Is it finally Penn State’s time to beat Maryland? With the makeup of the Terps different from last year, it could easily happen.
Under The Radar Game: vs. Michigan
Michigan has been the bottom of the pack in the Big Ten ever since the conference began existing. Even after an above-.500 record in 2017, the Wolverines didn’t win a conference game. They came close to beating Penn State last year at the Big House, losing by only four goals. With a new head coach in Kevin Conry, a guy that knows the Big Ten, the Wolverines may be able to earn a victory in the regular season finale.
Possible Upset: vs. Furman (in Washington, D.C.)
With three minutes left in the third quarter, Penn State’s game with the Paladins seemed over, as the Nittany Lions led 11-5. But the Paladins scored five unanswered goals to make it a one-goal game with 4:43 to go, before Ryan Keenan scored with 44 seconds left. Sophomore Lou Yovino returns for Furman after scoring three goals in the game, along with junior middie William Holcomb, who had two goals and one assist in the loss. Can Alex Van de Bovenkamp improve in goal as well?
Head coach Jeff Tambroni discussed the 2018 schedule:
Head Coach Jeff Tambroni discusses the 2018 Men's Lacrosse Schedulehttps://t.co/LwD67RYtBJ
— Penn State Lacrosse (@PennStateMLAX) October 16, 2017