No. 17 Penn State women’s lacrosse (8-0, 0-0 Big Ten) defeated San Diego State (1-5, 0-0 Big 12) 18-6 in a dominant performance.

The Nittany Lions had 21 draw control wins, which helped secure many offensive possessions. Penn State had 13 different players score. Offensive depth has again proven to be a key reason towards Penn State’s undefeated start.

How It Happened

Penn State won the opening draw and had the first offensive possession of the game. Within 30 seconds, Delaney Radin scored with 14:33 left to go in the first quarter. The Nittany Lions wasted no time to get on the board.

Penn State won the next draw and scored with 13:12 left in the first. Emma Kelly took charge and marched toward the crease to put Penn State up two.

Kelley won the next draw yet again, but Penn State turned the ball over. The Aztecs responded with a goal scored by Tate Stokesberry with 11:40 left in the quarter.

Penn State regained offensive possession and went up a player after a penalty from San Diego State. Penn State had a free position shot opportunity and capitalized. Kelley MacKinney scored her first of the game with 8:23 left in the first quarter.

Both teams’ offenses took a slower approach. Penn State especially took a long time to find good shot opportunities. The offense passed the ball on the outside of the field, patiently waiting for the crease to open.

Maddie Greco scored with 7:47 left in the quarter, giving the Nittany Lions their biggest lead of the game. Shortly after, Penn State had another free position shot opportunity as Anna Salerno scored her first of the game with 6:43 left in the first.

The Aztecs struggled to win draws. The team had not spent too much time on offense and were in need of possession.

Kelly won another draw for Penn State. She had been controlling draws in the game to that point.

Hannah Hoyt scored her first goal of the game with 5:04 left in the quarter. All six goals were scored by different players, and the Nittany Lions led 6-1 with five minutes left to finish the frame.

The next three minutes were slow and neither team scored. Penn State had a few opportunities to score but couldn’t execute.

Rocquette Allen picked up for Penn State and scored her first of the game with 1:28 left in the quarter.

The first quarter ended 7-1 as Penn State took another early lead against an opponent.

Penn State started the second quarter with possession, but quickly turned the ball over. Sydney Manning saved a shot taken by Stokesberry.

Erika Ho scored on the Nittany Lions’ next possession with 13:53 left in the half.

Kelly won another draw, which led to another goal scored by Radin for her second of the day with 13:24 left in the half.

Penn State had not lost a draw in the whole half. The team had 11 draw controls, which led to another goal scored by Ho with 12:35 left in the opening two quarters.

The Aztecs heavily fell behind. The team’s lack of draw control wins gave the Nittany Lions various opportunities to score, which Penn State took advantage of, leading 10-1 with 12 minutes left in the half.

A disallowed goal gave the Aztecs a much-needed offensive possession. The team was up a player, but still turned the ball over.

The Aztecs gained possession again and scored with 8:16 left in the half. Tatum Neach scored her first goal of the game, lowering the team’s deficit to eight.

Penn State took control of the next draw, but didn’t capitalize on a free position shot opportunity. It appeared that the only way for San Diego State to gain offensive possession was to force a turnover on defense.

Millie Prager scored her first goal of the game for the Aztecs with 4:57 left in the half. The Nittany Lions hadn’t scored in around eight minutes.

The Aztecs’ defense started pressuring the crease. The team needed to stop movement in the middle of the field and prevent Penn State from taking easy shots.

Payton Wainman put Penn State back on the scoreboard with 48 seconds left in the half for her first of the game.

The half ended 11-3. The Nittany Lions controlled the field. The Aztecs had only one draw control win and little time on offense.

San Diego State won the first draw of the second half. Penn State put Ellie Wisch in to take draws instead of Kelly.

Arden Jansen also started in goal in the second half.

The half had no goals in the first seven minutes. Both teams consistently turned the ball over on passes.

However, Allen had the first goal of the second half with 7:26 left in the third quarter. She scored her second of the game, yet again showing her strong impact as a freshman.

The next few minutes remained scoreless. Penn State started the half much slower than the first, but that has been a pattern seen all season.

Porter Rhoades scored her first goal of the day with 3:43 left in the quarter. Her goal marked the tenth different player to score for the Nittany Lions on the day. Penn State took a 10-goal lead on the Aztecs in the third quarter.

Kelly came back to take draws, which led to Wainman scoring her second goal of the game with 2:45 left in the third. Penn State led 14-3 late into the frame.

The Aztecs responded with a goal due to a penalty from Penn State. Mia Maechtel scored with 1:30 left in the third quarter.

Penn State won the next draw and held onto the ball to keep possession in the fourth quarter. The third quarter ended 14-4.

Penn State’s first shot of the fourth quarter was saved. The Aztecs gained possession in hopes to make a miraculous comeback.

San Diego State turned the ball over. Maggie Rezza scored her first of the game with 12:42 left in the game.

Greco scored a couple of minutes later with 10:05 left in the game. Penn State led 16-4.

The team didn’t slow down on offense. Penn State took every opportunity to score and extend its lead. Wisch scored her first goal of the game with 8:21 left in the game.

Anna Mellinger scored her first goal of the game with 6:21 left in the game.

The Aztecs responded with a goal from Sophia Miller with 4:00 left in the game. While it lowered San Diego State’s deficit, it didn’t appear to be enough to come back.

Maechtel scored another for the Aztecs with 1:36 left in the game. She became the first player for San Diego State to record multiple goals.

Penn State won 18-6, keeping its undefeated start alive.

Takeaways

• Penn State controlled draws against the Aztecs, which gave it multiple opportunities to score and control the offensive side of the game. Emma Kelly had 12 draw control wins today.
• Thirteen different players scored goals on the day. Penn State showed its depth on offense yet again.
• The defense played aggressively, only allowing six goals for the day. It pressured the ball extensively, leading to many Aztec turnovers.
• Penn State remains undefeated.

What’s Next?

Penn State travels to Los Angeles to face USC at 9 p.m. on Thursday, March 12.