GLENSIDE, Pa. – Freshman Austin Williams found the back of the net with 2:07 to go in the second overtime period to cap a huge second half rally as the Arcadia University men's lacrosse team defeated Alvernia 9-8 Tuesday night on a rainy Jean Lenox West Field. The win moves the Knights to 4-11 on the season and 2-5 in MAC Commonwealth play, while the Crusaders fell to 3-12 and 0-7 in conference action.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED: Arcadia found itself in a 7-2 deficit after the first half of play, before storming back by outscoring the opposition 4-0 in the quarter. Freshman Ryan Mahon opened the period's scoring on an unassisted effort just under five minutes in, before sophomore Nick Ferraro scored back-to-back markers 20 seconds apart to pull the Knights within two.
 
After Williams pulled the Knights within one to end the third quarter, sophomore Conor Cunningham won the opening faceoff before scoring his first goal in a Scarlet and Grey uniform to tie the game at seven. Alvernia regained a one goal lead on a Sam St. Croix goal with 8:01 left in regulation before freshman Clo Muscara knotted the game at eight with 6:38 left on the fourth quarter clock.
 
Arcadia threatened late in the fourth as senior Ryan O'Leary rang a shot off the inside of the pipe with 4:26 to go, before Ferraro and senior Joe Stanton forced Alvernia goalkeeper Kyle Augustine to make back-to-back saves with less than three minutes to go in regulation. Mahon and Muscara took the only shots in the first overtime period, each going on goal to no avail. Sophomore goalkeeper Danny Lipkin denied the Crusaders' only overtime shot midway through the second overtime before Williams buried the game-winner on the Knights' ensuing possession.
 
ARCADIA LEADERS: Ferraro and Williams each met twine thrice; Williams added an assist for four points. Freshman Josh Keitz handed out two assists, with Muscara, Cunningham and Mahon each scoring once. Cunningham went 13-21 in the faceoff circle.
 
ALVERNIA LEADERS: Jarret Abernethy scored four goals to lead the Crusaders, followed by St. Croix and Matt Saxon with two points each.
 
IN GOAL: Lipkin (4-9) earned the win for Arcadia, allowing eight saves and making 10 saves. Augustine made 17 saves and allowed nine goals in the loss for Alvernia.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS: The Knights outshot the Crusaders 41-26 in the game, including 26-18 in shots on goal. The possession battle was also in the Knights' favor as the Scarlet and Grey had 49 groundballs to 18 for Alvernia, while the visitors had 20 turnovers compared to Arcadia's 16.