April 20, 2016
Game Notes
PISCATAWAY, N.J. - No. 19 Rutgers men's lacrosse (9-3, 2-1 Big Ten) hosts No. 17 Penn State (7-5, 1-2 Big Ten) at 8 p.m. Friday night for the regular season finale. The game will be Senior Day, with 10 seniors to be recognized in a postgame ceremony. It is also Alumni Appreciation Day, with RU to recognize the 1986 team (30th anniversary), 1991 team (25th anniversary) and Dr. Charles Zukaukas, who earned his first letter in 1940. The game will be a White Out, with 1,000 white shakers given away.
The game will be nationally televised at 8 p.m. on Big Ten Network. Mike Wolf will be on play-by-play, with Mark Dixon as the color commentator.
Rutgers enters the game at 9-3 on the season, and a 2-1 mark in conference play that puts them second in the Big Ten. The Scarlet Knights had a four-game winning streak snapped at No.5 Maryland on Saturday, as they were unable to hold on to a 6-3 lead in the second half, falling 11-8. RU is looking to reach double-digit wins for the fifth time in program history and first since 2003.
Sophomore Jules Heningburg had four goals in that contest, and now he and redshirt freshman Adam Charalambides share both the team and conference lead with 31 goals on the year. Scott Bieda (22 goals, 29 assists) now has 51 points on the year, pacing the league. Combined, Rutgers attack has combined for 84 goals, 58 assists and 142 points this season, representing 58 percent of their scoring. Freshman Josh Jordan joined the trio in double-digit goal scoring with his 10th tally of the season against the Terps. Between the pipes, senior Kris Alleyne maintains an 8.50 goals-against-average and .556 save percentage. Rutgers also leads the nation with a clearing percentage of .926, which is boosted by long-stick midfielder Zack Sikora's team-leading 41 ground balls.
Penn State is the fourth ranked opponent that RU will face this season, following No. 18 Stony Brook, No. 9 Johns Hopkins and No. 5 Maryland. The Nittany Lions opened Big Ten play with a 6-5 overtime win over Ohio State, but have since lost consecutive overtime games, both at home, 12-11 versus Johns Hopkins and 11-10 to Maryland. PSU's resume also includes a win over then-No. 1 Denver.
Penn State also boasts a balanced trio of attackers that lead the way in scoring - Grant Ament (16 goals, 25 assists, 41 points), Nick Aponte (18 goals, 17 assists, 35 points) and TJ Sanders (23 goals, 11 assists, 34 points). In goal Will Schreiner has a 10.23 goals-against average and .468 save percentage.
The Scarlet Knights hold a 42-21 edge in the all-time series, which dates back to 1946. It is the third most played series in Rutgers history, behind Princeton and Army. The game will be contested for a trophy, dubbed the "Friendship Cup". The trophy was debuted in 1998 and has been won by Rutgers four times. Last season, PSU won at home, 11-6, despite three goals from Jules Heningburg, four points from Scott Bieda, and 13 saves from Kris Alleyne.
Follow Rutgers Athletics on Facebook (www.facebook.com/RutgersAthletics ) and Twitter (@RUAthletics) for all of the latest news and updates. For specific updates regarding Rutgers men's lacrosse, follow the program and Brecht on Twitter (@RUMLax and @RUlaxCoach) and Facebook. Fans can receive timely information, including special offers and giveaways throughout the year on our social media outlets along with www.ScarletKnights.com.
