LEXINGTON, Va. – It may have taken an extra 171 seconds, but the Grove City College men’s lacrosse team probably did not mind the wait.
Senior midfielder Brett Gladstone fired in a man-up goal 2:51 into overtime Saturday afternoon to lift the Wolverines to an 18-17 victory over No. 14 Swarthmore in the second round of the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament, held at Washington & Lee University’s Wilson Field.
It is Grove City’s first-ever NCAA Tournament victory in men’s lacrosse. The win also sends Grove City (11-8) into Sunday’s third round, where the Wolverines will face host Washington & Lee. W&L topped Centre in Saturday’s lidlifter, 21-10.
Gladstone’s overtime game-winner capped a frantic fourth quarter comeback for Grove City, which trailed 17-14 with 2:24 remaining in regulation.
Freshman attack Kobi Bui began the comeback when he scored an unassisted man-up goal with 2:24 left. Sixty-eight seconds later, Gladstone scored an unassisted goal that cut the Garnet’s lead to 17-16.
Grove City won only 10 of 39 faceoffs in the game but freshman Sean Mahoney kept the Wolverines’ hopes alive by winning the subsequent faceoff. Junior midfielder Luke Jayne tied the game with one minute left by scoring an unassisted goal. Jayne’s goal, his second of the day, capped a seven-goal fourth quarter for Grove City.
Mahoney also won the next faceoff, giving the Wolverines a chance to win in regulation. However, Gladstone’s potential game-winner hit the post with one second left, sending the teams to the four-minute, sudden death overtime.
Swarthmore had the first possession in overtime but senior goalie Jack Petit stopped a shot from Swarthmore’s Nolan Ohrman.
Jayne hit the post on a shot but Grove City maintained possession, leading to a slashing penalty that gave the Wolverines a man-up opportunity. Fifteen seconds after the penalty, junior midfielder Griffen Agawa assisted Gladstone, who scored his fourth goal of the game.
Sophomore attack Matt Blythe paced Grove City with five goals. Bui scored twice. Agawa, senior midfielder David Kraus, sophomore midfielder Alec Jones, sophomore midfielder Trey Zabroski and freshman attack Mac Faircloth all added goals.
Grove City trailed 5-3 after one quarter but surged ahead by scoring six straight goals in the second quarter. Faircloth, Gladstone, Jones and Zabroski all scored to put the Wolverines ahead 7-5 while Blythe’s back-to-back goals pushed the lead to 9-5.
Swarthmore’s Von Mabbs scored with 19 seconds left in the half, trimming Grove City’s lead to 9-6 at halftime. Swarthmore (14-4) then outscored Grove City 6-1 in the third quarter to take a 12-10 lead after 45 minutes.
Rex Mabbs scored to give the Garnet a 17-14 lead with 3:47 left in the game.
Sophomore attack Zachary Hougan assisted a team-leading four goals for Grove City. Jayne had three assists while Agawa, Zabroski and freshman attack Rigdon Greene all had one assist.
Blythe, Bui, Mahoney, Gladstone and Petit all had a team-leading three ground balls. Senior long stick midfielder Addison Bennett caused two turnovers.
Swarthmore finished the game with 16 turnovers while Grove City had only 13 turnovers, the Wolverines’ second-lowest total of the season.
Swarthmore outshot Grove City, 57-49. Petit made a career-high 18 saves to earn the win.
Four years ago, Grove City fell to S.U.N.Y.-Maritime in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in overtime, 14-13. Last year, Grove City fell to Denison in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, 14-13.
The Wolverines will now play No. 9 Washington & Lee for the second time this season. W&L won at Grove City, 20-10, April 21 in non-conference play. Sunday’s third round game will start at 3 p.m.
* Track & Field – The Grove City College men’s and women’s track and field teams sent a number of competitors to the Baldwin Wallace University Harrison Dillard Twilight meet, held Thursday and Friday at George Finnie Stadium in Berea, Ohio.
On the men’s side, four Grove City competitors placed in the top eight in the javelin. Junior Gabe Dunlap took fourth in the javelin with a throw of 172 feet, 11 inches. Freshman Ethan Wiley (Mercer High) took fifth with a best toss of 172-7 while junior J.D. Black finished seventh (167-2). Senior Tyler Eagan placed eighth in the javelin with a throw of 165-1.
Dunlap also took 10th in the long jump with a best leap of 21 feet, 1/2 inch. Junior Nick Gustafson earned 11th in the shot put with a heave of 50-2.
Senior Emma Vezzosi earned fourth in the women’s long jump with a mark of 17-9 1/2. She also took ninth in the 100-meter dash with a time of 12.51 seconds.
Senior Abby Biddle (Grove City High) placed ninth in the 400 hurdles with a time of 1:08.37.
Several Grove City athletes have qualified for the All-Atlantic Regional Championships, which will be held May 17-18 at Susquehanna University in Selinsgrove, Pa.