After notching another top-ten win under its belt, Penn State men’s lacrosse continues to develop its identity as the season progresses. Six games into the season, the Nittany Lions hold a 4-2 record overall, with Big Ten play not yet started. With each game, the team builds more chemistry, confidence, and depth, all qualities head coach Jeff Tambroni believes are critical.

A matchup with No. 5 North Carolina in Charlotte is up next for Penn State. The Tarheels roll into this game with an overall record of 6-1. North Carolina is a team that thrives off controlling possessions and using that to their advantage to create scoring opportunities. Coach Tambroni credited the Tar Heels’ ability to dictate the pace of play as one of the most impressive aspects of their team, one that has allowed them to be successful.

“They dominate possession time, certainly in their last game too. They will tilt the field and create some advantageous scoring opportunities,” Tambroni stated. “That is the biggest challenge but they also have great athletes on both sides of the field. They seem to have bounced back from the Princeton loss, and that’s symbolic of both the talent and structure of what they’ve built there.”

For Penn State, managing those possessions will be critical. The Nittany Lions have been a team that’s thrived off fast starts and controlled possession time. In recent games, they have been able to jump on opponents early and build some big leads. Against Cornell, they pitched a first-quarter shutout, getting out to a 7-0 lead. Fast starts are key for building momentum and confidence for a team that lives off offensive rhythm.

“You emphasize getting confidence built early in the game, and seeing the ball go in the net does a lot. It says a lot about the focus of your team and the type of preparation you go through,” Tambroni said. “For us it continues to be a key to get off quick and build momentum.”

Although early success can relieve some pressure, it doesn’t always guarantee anything over the course of a full game. Tambroni understands that a lacrosse game lasts 60 minutes, and to be successful at this level, you have to be prepared for everything, regardless of how the opening minutes unfold.

“What we are emphasizing as coaches to our guys is that no matter what happens at the start, 60 minutes is 60 minutes. If we don’t get off to a quick start, it can’t be a hindrance mentally or shift us into a different spot. We hope our guys are mature enough at this point to understand it but also enjoy it,” Tambroni stated.

While Penn State will need to be locked in on the offensive side, the defensive game plan presents its own challenges. For it to be a successful day on defense, the Nittany Lions will need to slow down North Carolina’s Dom Pietramala.

In 2025, Pietramala led the Tarheels in scoring with 48 goals and 51 total points. Seven games into the 2026 season, he is spearheading the offense yet again. As it stands, he already has 22 goals and 26 total points. He is a fearless scorer and possesses the ability to fire off shots from a variety of angles and distances. Despite only being a sophomore, he brings an immense amount of talent to the table, something coach Tambroni is aware of.

“It’s quite simply just his ability to shoot the ball. He has both the skill and the mindset that is just fearless in every game, and that is really what makes him so unique,” Tambroni emphasized. “He isn’t afraid to let it rip from lower angles or higher angles, and he has more range than most. He carries the courage to keep shooting, and that bodes well as a scorer.”

Tambroni gave high praise to Pietramala, comparing his impact to one of Penn State’s most prolific scorers in recent history, Mac O’Keefe.

“He really reminds us of Mac O’Keefe. He can stretch the field with a level of confidence that is so rare.”

While North Carolina presents some scorers that will require attention, Penn State has heavily relied on its depth. The Nittany Lions regularly rotate a large group of midfielders, allowing different players to get opportunities throughout the course of the game. Tambroni understands constant rotation can disrupt rhythm but believes the approach will help pay off later in the season with conference play on the horizon.

“We play around eleven guys regularly, and it depends on who’s playing well,” Tambroni said. “The downside of it is the chemistry can’t be built between certain guys as well, but with the situation we’re in, it helps keep guys fresh. We are dealing with some injuries like everyone else, so it’s nice to plug other guys in.”

When Penn State and North Carolina meet this weekend, both teams will be sporting a true freshman in goal. Although both men are very young, they have proven they are up to the challenge, stepping into major roles early in their careers. While this type of situation is often unusual, Tambroni believes it provides opportunities for growth within the program moving forward.

“I would say it’s extremely rare to have two freshman goaltenders starting. I understand that this is very unique, but it presents some phenomenal projections into the future. We know how valuable it is to have a goalie we like moving forward and someone you can rely on in the future,” Tambroni stated. “The downside is they lack experience because everything is brand new to them.”

Penn State once again dominated the face-off stripe against Cornell, 18-11. The Nittany Lions function like a well-oiled machine when it comes to face-offs, rotating in two different guys throughout the entire game. Junior Colby Baldwin and sophomore Reid Gills usually take even reps during the contest, both often finding success.

Baldwin currently carries a .570% win rate while Gills holds a .701%. It is a rare feat at this level of lacrosse to have the luxury of two different guys who can both go out and win when called upon. The offense has stolen the show so far this year for the Nittany Lion offense, but it can be heavily credited to the success in the face-off battle. Tambroni realizes the luxury Penn State has at the stripe, but also understands there is more to it than just technique.

“It really is a luxury when you’re winning faceoffs,” Tambroni said. “When you’re playing a team sport, you have to recognize the potential you have everywhere. Our guys need to realize there is a preparation that goes into this outside of just pure tactics. It requires a great sense of focus on what is actually important.”

In addition to game strategy, Penn State has also been forced to adapt to injuries. One in particular that has caught the attention of the lacrosse world is Hunter Aquino. Although he has been battling through some minor injuries, he has yet to lose a step in his offensive attack. Against Colgate, he racked up four goals and six points. On the season, he is second in scoring with 12 goals and 17 points, behind Kyle Lehman.

While Aquino lights up the stat sheet weekly with his scoring, some things just go uncharted. Coach Tambroni believes he brings things to the table that go beyond the stat sheet. Tambroni credited Aquino for the impact and energy he brings to the field which often times can go unnoticed.

“Something that goes uncharted with Hunter is the energy he brings to the field. It is something that isn’t on the stat sheet, but our guys love playing on the same team as him because he makes them better,” Tambroni emphasized.

As Penn State continues to grow through the early portion of its schedule, Tambroni believes the team’s development will depend on its preparation. The Nittany Lions will need to be able to quickly adapt and maintain the ability to stay composed in high-pressure moments with important conference games looming on the horizon.

Penn State has shown it can score quickly, rotate depth across the field, and compete with high-level opponents, but consistency will be key. The challenge now is sustaining the momentum of that level of play for a full 60 minutes and continuing to grow as a group with the season progressing.