March 26, 2008

UNIVERSITY PARK, PA (UWIRE) --

Coming into this season, Billy Lloyd didn't expect to crack the starting lineup.

But with the Penn State men's lacrosse team's lineup constantly in flux because of injuries, freshmen like Lloyd have gotten an opportunity to see significant playing time.

"So far I've been doing a lot of learning," Lloyd said. "It's a different game than high school. I learned a lot from the Fairfield game. Just the little things, like when to slow it down and when to push it."

While Charley Henneghan and Rob Forster both returned to the starting lineup in Friday's 7-2 win at Fairfield, freshmen Lloyd and Matt Bernier each started, and fellow freshman Colby Rhodes scored his third goal of the season off the bench.

Five freshmen have started a total of 12 games this season. Bernier and Matt Shankoff have started three games each, while Lloyd, Rhodes and Will Donley have each started twice.

"It feels good," Rhodes said. "It's taken a little while to get used to the speed, but it's great to be able to contribute and play as a freshman."

Only four players -- goalie Drew Adams and defensemen John Stuckey, Tommy Zichelli and Kevin Etter -- have started all seven of the Nittany Lions' games this season, and 20 different players have made starts at the 10 positions.

"It kind of gets in your head a little during the week," junior attacker Max VanArsdale said. "You know you're not going to have your normal cast out there. You don't know everyone necessarily playing; you're not used to playing with them."

The freshmen stepping in are part of a recruiting class that Inside Lacrosse magazine rated as the No. 10 best in the country. And attacker Jack Forster, rated the No. 3 recruit in the class, has yet to see the field after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament in the fall.

Defenseman Matt Bernier leads all freshmen with three starts in seven games, but it's the attackers and midfielders who have been thrust into starting roles.

Rhodes leads Penn State's freshmen with three goals and three assists, and he has done that while going through a position change. He came into Penn State as an attacker but was shifted to midfield.

Meanwhile, Lloyd's future is uncertain after injuring his hamstring in practice Monday. He said he is not yet sure of the extent of his injury.

Despite Rhodes' position change and Lloyd's injury, they both said the Fairfield game felt like a turning point and the team chemistry is improving.

"That was a huge win," Lloyd said. "It really brought us together and made us realize that if we play how we are capable of playing, we'll win games, even with the injuries."

(C) 2008 Daily Collegian via UWIRE