CORNELIUS, N.C. – No. 2 Penn State erased a nine-goal deficit, but No. 7 Cornell scored twice in the final 18 seconds to secure an 18-17 win in a non-conference men's lacrosse game Saturday at William Amos Hough High School. The game was a part of the Crown Lacrosse Classic.
Penn State, which was playing a top-10 team for the third-straight game, dropped to 4-2 overall, while Cornell stayed unbeaten at 5-0.
The Nittany Lions trailed by as much as nine when Cornell went up 12-3 with 4:30 left in the first half, but used an 8-0 run that started with a goal by Jack Kelly with 12:03 showing on the clock in the third quarter and ended with a goal by Dylan Foulds 49 seconds in to the fourth quarter.
Cornell responded and upped its lead back to two, 16-14, with 7:10 to play, before Penn State scored three-straight goals to take its first lead since scoring the opening two goals of the game. The three goals came in a span of 58 seconds. Kelly started the run, and senior TJ Connellan, who made his first start at defense since his freshman season in the absence of usual starters Brayden Peck and Nick Cardile, scored his first career goal to tie it at 16-all. Mac O'Keefe followed with a go-ahead score off an assist from Grant Ament on a man-up opportunity with 3:46 remaining in regulation.
4Q (4:25) | Penn State 16, Cornell 16
— Penn State Lacrosse (@PennStateMLAX) March 8, 2020
What a time to get your first career goal, TJ Connellan!#WeAre pic.twitter.com/WGtiA4r8Ut
The Penn State lead held until the closing moments when Cornell scored twice in the final 18 seconds. Following the equalizer by Jeff Teat, the Big Red won a faceoff after a scramble deep in their defensive end. A long pass put the ball back in the stick of the faceoff man, Angelo Petrakis, who sprinted 30 yards on his way to the game-winning goal with eight seconds left on the clock.
Jake Glatz played a key role in the Lions' near comeback, going 17-of-29 at the faceoff X and picking up a team-high 12 ground balls.
The Lions started the game on a high note, receiving goals from Kevin Hill and Kelly to take a 2-0 lead five minutes into the game. They didn't score for the next 15:53 as the Big Red went on a 10-0 run.
The trio of Hill, Malone and Kelly did their part to keep Penn State in the game. They scored the team's first seven goals, including the first two of the team's 8-0 run in the third quarter.
Malone scored a career-high four goals and added one assist to finish with a career-high five points. Hill also set a career high with three goals, while O'Keefe and Kelly each tallied three goals and one assist. Foulds scored twice, Connellan registered his first career goal, and Willard scored for the second-straight game.
Ament had six assists to give him 29 through six games. He also matched a career high with four ground balls.
Eleven players combined for Cornell's 18 goals, led by Teat and Billy Coyle with three apiece. The Big Red entered the game with the second-best scoring offense in the nation, averaging 18.5 goals per game. They were coming off a 17-16 win at Ohio State.
Penn State will have little time to worry about the close loss as it is back in action on Tuesday with a game against Furman at 7 p.m. The Paladins are 1-5 following an 18-11 loss to No. 3 North Carolina.