Penn State men’s lacrosse will travel to Columbus, Ohio, to play No. 8 Ohio State at the Ohio State Lacrosse Stadium on Saturday, March 28. The game marks the second Big Ten contest for both teams and could have a significant impact on the conference title race.
Both Penn State and Ohio State are entering their fifth game against ranked opponents this season. The matchup will be available for fans to watch live on the Big Ten Network.
Ohio State has moved up from No. 10 in preseason polls to eighth in this week’s Inside Lacrosse poll. The Buckeyes lead the Big Ten and rank fourth nationally in face-off win percentage at 61.2 percent, with junior Jack Oldman ranking eighth individually at 62.5 percent. Junior goalie Caleb Fyock is second nationally in goals-against average (6.61) and fourth in save percentage (58.1). Statistically, Ohio State allows only 6.33 goals per game, making it the top defense nationwide.
The last meeting between these teams saw then-No. 4 Penn State fall to No. 9 Ohio State by a score of 13-9 in their Big Ten opener, despite contributions from seven different goal scorers including Liam Matthews, Ethan Long and Luke Walstrum with two goals each.
On individual accolades, Penn State senior Alex Ross and sophomore Hunter Aquino were named to the initial Tewaaraton watch list for top collegiate lacrosse players this season—a recognition that has included multiple Nittany Lions over recent years.
Freshman Jack Iannantuono was recently listed as one of Inside Lacrosse’s most impactful freshmen after consistent performances including standout games against Yale and Cornell.
Looking ahead to professional prospects, Adam Lamberti’s latest college mock draft projects Alex Ross as a first-round pick for Denver Outlaws due to his steady defensive play.
In their previous outing, Penn State defeated Maryland 10-6 before a record crowd at Panzer Stadium—marking only their fifth-ever win over Maryland—with notable performances by Mac Hobbs and Chase Robertson (two goals each), goalkeeper Preston Hawkins (14 saves), and Jon King leading defensively.
