Constructing Course of Continues for USA Males in Win Over Penn State
Sat Oct 14 2023 | Brian Logue | USA Insider
Nationwide Groups U.S. Males Fall Traditional
Mac O’Keefe celebrates one among his 5 targets towards his alma mater in a 16-9 victory for the U.S. males over Penn State.
SPARKS, Md. — Lower than 24 hours after dropping a heartbreaking 12-11 extra time sport to rival Canada, the U.S. males’s nationwide workforce was again on the sector to play 2023 NCAA semifinalist Penn State. There was no letdown because the U.S. workforce raced out to a quick begin in a 16-9 victory on the USA Lacrosse Fall Traditional.
“We had a fantastic assembly with these guys this morning,” mentioned assistant coach Seth Tierney, who helped lead the U.S. to gold on the world championship in 2018 in Israel and this previous summer time in San Diego. “We advised them in regards to the course of and typically that you must lose to learn to win.”
The 2018 workforce’s run to the world championship was fueled partly by a humbling loss to the Main League Lacrosse All-Stars in Boston. That 2018 workforce discovered classes from the loss and Tierney noticed this group of largely Premier Lacrosse League gamers comparatively new to the nationwide workforce program be taught classes after only one sport.
“Sharing the ball, one mores, taking pictures it sensible,” Tierney mentioned. “This worldwide sport may be very completely different from what they do over the summer time.”
An assault unit down to simply three gamers — Asher Nolting, Mac O’Keefe and Logan Wisnauskas — after an damage to Xander Dickson on Friday night time did a lot of the injury. Enjoying from X, Nolting had six assists whereas O’Keefe and Wisnauskas every scored 5 targets.
O’Keefe had a primary quarter hat monitor towards his alma mater and the U.S. by no means trailed. Penn State’s Liam Matthews scored with 21 seconds left within the first half to chop the USA result in 6-5, however Matt Campbell answered with eight seconds left to place the U.S. up 7-5 on the half. Penn State by no means bought nearer the remainder of the way in which.
The U.S. dominated possession as Peter LaSalla (12 of 15) and Mike Sisselberger (9 of 14) managed faceoffs and goalies Matt DeLuca (4 saves) and Colin Kirst (3 saves) have been each strong. T.J. Malone (2g) and Matt Traynor (1g, 2a) paced the Penn State offense.
The outcome mattered, however what mattered extra was getting comfy within the U.S. system because the workforce will get prepared for the subsequent world championship.
“Final yr at the moment was my first time [in a USA uniform] and it was tremendous particular,” Nolting mentioned. “Each time you get to place this on its unbelievable. You by no means take it with no consideration to place this jersey on. That was our message all weekend.”
Cole Kirst, who gained a gold medal with the U.S. U21 workforce in 2022, is aware of what an honor it’s and it’s been an additional particular few weeks for him. In late September, he and three of his brothers — CJ, Colin and Connor — helped the USA field workforce win the title on the North American Invitational. This weekend, he Colin and Connor all performed collectively once more.
“Everybody’s in several areas, so to unify and proceed to compete with USA throughout our chest with so many gifted people is wonderful,” Cole mentioned.
With the world championship nonetheless 4 years away, it will be straightforward to think about the weekend as simply an exhibition, however Tierney effectively is aware of how uncommon it’s to search out instances for the U.S. gamers to get collectively to compete. The constructing steps are essential.
“It begins from the second of that remaining whistle in San Diego,” Tierney mentioned. “There are guys from the San Diego workforce which can be going to attempt to make one other run at it with out query. And there’s a few guys on the subsequent workforce and a few guys nonetheless in school that in two, three, 4 years are going to be these guys. We bought an opportunity to show 23 extra guys what USA is all about and the chemistry. I believe it was one other profitable weekend.”
Canada Rallies Previous Penn State
Within the second males’s sport on Saturday, Canada restricted Penn State to only one aim within the second half to rally from a 6-4 halftime deficit in a 9-7 victory.
Dyson Williams, who scored the game-winner towards the U.S. workforce on Friday night time, had a pair of second-half targets, together with the go-ahead aim early within the fourth quarter to interrupt a 7-7 tie and provides Canada the lead for good.
Sam English and Graydon Hogg additionally had two targets for Canada and Thomas McConvey had a pair of assists.
Mac Costin and T.J. Malone each scored twice for Penn State.
