As Penn State continues to defeat Big Ten opponents, they continue to benefit from different contributors in each game. Goaltender Colby Kneese stop 14 of the 22 shots he faced for a .636 save percentage in Sunday's win against Ohio State.
While he wasn't playing up to his own high standards at the start of Big Ten play, Kneese was able to settle in and make big saves for the Nittany Lions this past weekend.
"I really want to be above 60 percent," Kneese said. "I've been inconsistent this year, especially the last seven games, but my coaches and I have talked about how ultimately it isn't about numbers, but just making certain plays to help my team and get the win for our team."
While the Nittany Lions came out nervous at times in the first half against the Buckeyes, they executed in the later stages of the game under the lights at Panzer Stadium.
"I feel like the environment had something to do with our nerves early," Kneese said. "It was a really cool environment, but we started slow and then everyone just sort of took a deep breath, and we started to pull away. We knew what we had to do, it was just time to go out and execute."
Head coach Jeff Tambroni has also noticed Kneese's ability to step up when the moment requires it, and complimented the junior on his ability to come up with timely stops.
"He's worked very hard and got off to a very good start," Tambroni said. "He's reinvested himself a great deal in practice, he's had a lot of volume in terms of shooting the last few weeks. He was confident heading into the Ohio State game and it showed."
Kneese's style both on and off the field differs a bit from his teammates. On the field, Kneese's high school team was a club sport, but his ability stood out to Tambroni instantly when he watched him play at a tournament.
"I think (Kneese's ability) speaks to the growth of lacrosse at the youth level and in states out west," Tambroni said. "The growth has been so significant. In Colby's case, we had the opportunity to watch him play a few years back at a tournament in Maryland.
"We happened to be in the right place at the right time, Colby played really well when we saw him play. From there, it was just a relationship between him and our coaching staff."
Tambroni also noted the difficulty in transitioning to be a goaltender at the collegiate level, but Kneese took on the challenge right away at Penn State.
"I think the position that he plays is by far the most challenging transition," Tambroni said. "The speed and pace of guys who are four, five years older than you compared to high school is a completely different game. Watching him adjust to it as a freshman was pretty impressive.
"His mindset has been spectacular since he's been on campus, and his growth has been significant. We're fortunate that we were able to have him in our program."
Off the field, the Dallas native enjoys hunting and being outdoors, a contrast to many of his Long Island and Philadelphia area teammates who make up the majority of Penn State's roster.
"He's definitely a bit more laid-back," Tambroni said. "His lifestyle is different in terms of what he's used to as an outdoorsman. His stories are definitely a lot different than a lot of the guys in our locker room.
"I always think one of the sure signs of success is diversity. Recruiting people from all over, and having them get to know a different walk of life, and guys live together for a year and get to know each other. It gives us all a chance to step back, look at our own lives and appreciate what we each have and how other people grow up."
