Penn State men’s lacrosse started 2-0 in conference play for the first time since 2019, with ranked wins over Ohio State and Maryland. The Nittany Lions have struggled to maintain their early-season momentum, capped off by their eighth consecutive loss to Johns Hopkins at Homewood Field.

At the midway point in the third quarter, the Nittany Lions held a 9-4 lead, but a 23-minute scoring drought allowed Johns Hopkins to hang around. A second-half hat trick by Hunter Chauvette propelled the Blue Jays to their second conference win on the season, upsetting the then-ranked No. 6 Nittany Lions.

“We were really productive, but we felt like we were trying to be too perfect, which rolled the momentum in a different direction. We gave up some unfavorable moments, and they took advantage, carrying that into the fourth quarter,” head coach Jeff Tambroni said. “We didn’t make enough plays to stop their momentum until it was too late.”

All-American Hunter Aquino was absent due to injury for the fifth straight game. Penn State is 3-2 in its recent span without Aquino, averaging 12.2 goals per game, two less than the 14 average with him present.

As a freshman last season, he had 16 goals and 21 assists, carrying big hopes into the 2026 season. Those high hopes have been put to a halt ever since Penn State’s matchup against Yale, the last full game he played. It may not be easy, but Tambroni credits Aquino for remaining positive.

“It has been really hard for him, and he puts so much effort into all of it. You get 12 guaranteed opportunities to play, and knowing he’s had to miss half of those does not sit well. He’s done a really good job of staying positive and focused,” Tambroni said. “We’ve stayed away from an exact return date, but instead just keep working hard every day so he can get back soon.”

Aquino’s absence left a big gap in the offense, and with a challenging conference stretch on the horizon, someone would need to step up. Chase Robertson has answered the call and taken advantage of the extra opportunities.

Through the last three contests of conference play, Robertson has tallied six goals. After starting his collegiate career at Utah, he transferred following his freshman season. Tambroni has been impressed with how impactful he’s been since setting foot on campus.

“We’re grateful Chase decided to move on from Utah. Athletically, he’s 6’1″ and has terrific speed, so it starts there. He has the required tools, both mentally and physically, to put himself in a position to succeed,” Tambroni said. “He has grown up quickly since the fall and acclimated to the program culture well. We’re thrilled it was a three-year transfer and not a one-year.”

While Robertson has found recent success, Jack Iannantuono has impressed in his own right. He has 15 goals on the season, good for second on the team.

“He has certain qualities and characteristics that resemble guys we’ve coached in the past that have been great,” Tambroni said of Iannantuono. “His ability to compartmentalize and play with poise as a freshman is remarkable. You know what you’re going to get from him because he’s so consistent, and that makes it easy for us to build around him. He continues to get better, and he’s made a huge impact. He is in a league of his own because he’s got the strengths that are notable for good attack men.”

Through four losses, the Nittany Lions have only lost by five total goals. Although a loss is a loss, Tambroni wants his group to understand there are lessons to be learned in every game.

“Our schedule has created a lot of experience, and we have yet to win the closer games, but we have the right blueprint to work with. I hope our guys can learn moving forward, but it’s on all of us. We’ve played a good schedule of teams, and even though we have been unsuccessful, it carries experience, and we need to use it moving forward for growth,” Tambroni said.

For the first time in two weeks, the Nittany Lions will return home to Panzer Stadium. Saturday’s game will not only continue the Big Ten stretch, but also serve as the team’s senior night.

Penn State will honor 11 seniors before the matchup against the Michigan Wolverines. Those seniors include Max Grube, Will Mitchell, Luke Scarpello, Michael Faraone, Mark McKeon, Will Costin, Luke Walstrum, Mac Hobbs, Ryan O’Connor, Jon King, and Alex Ross. While not every name on that list has had consistent playing time in their collegiate career, they still found ways to leave an impact.

“This group has been remarkable regarding its selflessness and contributions,” Tambroni said. “They do whatever is asked, and they respond in a positive fashion. They lead in every way, whether it’s in scout groups or starters; they embrace adversity and what it means to be a great teammate. Some have seen limited playing time, but they understand what the greater mission is that we set out to achieve, and they’ve never wavered. Every day they come in and lead, showing what it means to be a part of this program.”

With only two games left in the regular season, Penn State will need to tighten its flaws quickly if it eyes another NCAA Tournament appearance. Even though Michigan comes into the matchup with a 4-7 overall record, it has shown positive flashes. Last week, the Wolverines hosted No. 13 Rutgers and pulled off a 13-10 upset win. Attacker Nick Roode was crucial in the victory, notching three goals.

Roode, a 5’11” junior, leads the team in scoring with 28 goals. Coming into the 2026 season, he was named a Big Ten Player to Watch. Like most of the Nittany Lions’ opponents, Michigan defines what it means to be a competitive lacrosse program.

“They’re a tough team, and they fit the Big Ten mold. They are notorious for doing a good job towards the end of the year, and I give their entire team credit. We certainly expect they’ll have momentum coming off the win, but we need to focus on our own team,” Tambroni said. “We need to get back to Penn State lacrosse and be better as a team than we did against Johns Hopkins. We just need to focus more on us rather than them, but they have a lot of good pieces.”

A big piece of thwarting Michigan’s momentum will be controlling its offense. Before Johns Hopkins, Penn State’s defense made steady improvement by the week. An anchor of the defense and heavy contributor to that improvement has been Ross, whose name will be popular come Premier Lacrosse League Draft time. In Inside Lacrosse’s latest mock draft, the New York Atlas select Ross with the No. 8 overall pick.

“He is a great defenseman, but he’s learned behind some other great defensemen throughout his college career. I’ve had the opportunity to watch him grow every year in both leadership and preparation,” Tambroni said. “He can clear the ball well, and he continues to work hard every day. We see how hard he prepares, and he is always competitive.”

For the Nittany Lions to be successful, players like Robertson, Iannantuono, and Ross will need to remain efficient in the upcoming stretch of must-win games. Penn State is ranked No. 9 in the latest NCAA rankings, with notable wins over other ranked teams like Princeton, Cornell, and Ohio State. While the final stretch may not be as challenging as the earlier ones, wins remain crucial. Tambroni believes the best mindset moving forward is to remain consistent rather than make dramatic changes.

“It has to stay the same, and if we start to respond differently based on results, then it shows more flaws. The mission remains the same, and we are trying to build a championship culture. We will need to come back out this week and not overreact from previous weeks, and our guys recognize what’s on the line,” Tambroni said. “The goal is to get better every week. It’s our seniors’ last time playing at home, so we want to honor that group.”

The message is clear for the Nittany Lions, but with various setbacks, they’ll be tested. With a veteran senior group set to be honored and new faces stepping up, the focus still lies in improving every single week. Penn State will eye a win not only to send the seniors off on the right note, but also to build confidence as it nears NCAA Tournament time.