Penn State lacrosse wins Big Ten championship in dominant fashion
TL;DR
Penn State lacrosse won the Big Ten championship, defeating Johns Hopkins 16-8. The Nittany Lions showcased a strong team effort with nine goal-scorers, but faced an injury concern with Hunter Aquino limping off the field.
Key points
- Penn State won its second Big Ten tournament title
- The Nittany Lions scored 16 goals against Johns Hopkins
- Kyle Lehman recorded a hat-trick in the championship game
- Hunter Aquino suffered a leg injury during the match
- Nine different players scored for Penn State
While the Penn State Nittany Lions lacrosse program has not had a lot of luck on their side in recent Big Ten tournaments, today they did not need it. Penn State won its second Big Ten tournament title on program history in grand style. They thrashed the Johns Hopkins Blue Jays 16-8 in a game which was close at the half, but opened up for the Blue and White in the second half.
It was a team effort as well as at one point, the Nittany Lions had nine different goal-scorers contributing to the onslaught. The leading goalscorer was junior Kyle Lehman, who recorded his fourth hat-trick of the season. In many ways, this game was about revenge after the two teams' regular season affair, when the Nittany Lions let a five goal lead slip in the fourth quarter. This time, they never looked back.
The winning goal ended up coming from Luke Walstrum after the Blue Jays had knotted up the game at 6 early in the third quarter. However, the goal that will be discussed for many years came from Chase Robertson, whose shot that rattled both pipes was considered a goal upon review. While Penn State can relish in the dominant victory, it did come with a massive injury.
Shortly after Johns Hopkins scored their seventh goal of the game, sophomore phenom Hunter Aquino was seen limping off the field, favoring his left leg. Throughout his breakout campaign, he has suffered several injuries, but this one comes at the worst possible time as the Nittany Lions await their fate in the NCAA tournament.
All that remains to be seen for the Blue and White is whether they will get to start their run for a national championship at home in Panzer Stadium or on the road. The draw for the tournament will come tomorrow at 9:30 PM ET. It will be aired on ESPNU.
This article originally appeared on Nittany Lions Wire: Penn State lacrosse wins Big Ten title
Q&A
What was the final score of the Penn State vs. Johns Hopkins lacrosse championship game?
Penn State defeated Johns Hopkins with a final score of 16-8.
Who was the leading goal-scorer for Penn State in the Big Ten championship?
Junior Kyle Lehman was the leading goal-scorer for Penn State, recording his fourth hat-trick of the season.
What injury did Hunter Aquino suffer during the Big Ten championship game?
Hunter Aquino was seen limping off the field, favoring his left leg, after suffering an injury during the game.
