After surrendering his worst save percentage of the season against Michigan, Logan McNaney’s next game came against No. 7 Penn State, the team who he allowed the most goals of his career to last year.

The All-American subsequently stifled the Big Ten’s top-scoring offense on Saturday. McNaney saved over half of the Nittany Lions’ shots in No. 2 Maryland men’s lacrosse’s 13-8 win at SECU Stadium.

“When the ball is down on the defensive end, we have so much trust in them, and then even if they do make a mistake, Logan is a really good goalie,” senior midfielder Matthew Keegan said. “Having him make those plays for us and steal some possessions is really big.”

Maryland’s (8-1, 1-1) offense also recovered from a poor showing against the Wolverines.

Fifth-year Daniel Kelly said before the game that the attacking unit emphasized controlling the pace in practice this week. The Terps’ starting attackers combined for 10 points and dictated the flow of the game. 

Maryland found uncovered looks consistently with a variety of tactics — quick passes around the field, elusive one-on-one moves and fastbreak opportunities. The Terps scored their second-most goals this season.

“I thought we were just better this week, certainly at that position [attacker],” coach John Tillman said. “I thought the guys shot very well against a very good goalie … a lot of assisted goals. The transition ones make it a lot easier because your hands are free.”

[Maryland men’s lacrosse’s scoring droughts have left it vulnerable in recent weeks]

Senior attacker Eric Spanos finished with three goals, matching his second-highest total of the season. The Tewaaraton Watch List honoree used strategic footwork to pass two defenders and score before adding another goal in transition to extend the Terps’ large first-half lead.

Poor shots and turnovers plagued Maryland’s transition offense last week. But the unit found a better balance of pushing and slowing the attack down against the Nittany Lions.

“It’s just knowing the pace of the game, and especially if you’re tired you just don’t want to push,” long-stick midfielder Jack McDonald said. “If you shoot a ball and the goalie saves it, you gotta go back and you have to play 80 seconds of defense … knowing the balance.”

It was Penn State (6-3, 0-2) who took early leads in both of last season’s matchups between the two teams. The Nittany Lions scored on an uncovered look on their opening possession, but Maryland quickly responded with four goals.

Junior attacker Braden Erksa started the scoring run, dashing from the X and abruptly turning his body to create space outside the circle. The 2023 Big Ten Freshman of the Year was carried off in a stretcher in the Terps’ last contest against the Nittany Lions.

Three other players added goals in one of the Terps’ strongest opening quarters this season.

They continued to play with controlled pace in the second period, keeping pressure off its defense. The Nittany Lions had just three shots on goal in the frame and constantly faced on-ball strain from Terps’ defenders.

[No. 1 Maryland men’s lacrosse suffers heartbreaking 11-10 triple overtime loss to Michigan]

Penn State’s scoreless streak extended over 20 minutes before it broke through with a goal early in the third quarter. Senior midfielder Matt Traynor, who had five goals in the Nittany Lions’ dominant win over the Terps in last season’s Big Ten tournament semifinals, followed with a score to trim the deficit to 8-4.

The Terps never let the margin get closer.

Keegan and fellow midfielder Aidan Aitken added scores to close the third, and Kelly scored twice more to notch his seventh multi-score game this season. Maryland allowed a few goals before the final buzzer, but was never in danger of blowing its big lead against an arch-rival.

The win moved the Terps to 7-0 this season when they hold opponents to single-digit goals. Defense has driven most of their success this year, but it was Maryland’s offense that led it to its first Big Ten win this season on Saturday.

“If you had told me with our schedule, you’d win eight out of nine games, I’d take it for sure,” Tillman said.