ANNVILLE, Pa. – The Lebanon Valley men's lacrosse team scored four consecutive goals over the final eight minutes to defeat Immaculata University 9-8 on Saturday afternoon on Arnold Field in the team's annual Crosse Out Cancer game. Ryan Grace scored the game-winning goal with 45 seconds left.
 
The first half was a defensive battle between the Dutchmen (6-1) and the Mighty Macs (5-3), with just three first quarter goals scored. Immaculata had the advantage early as Kellen Markley made a save, and then the Macs hit the post. A man-up goal off a pass from behind the crease put the defending Atlantic East Conference Champions up 1-0 a couple of minutes into the game. LVC battled back, putting a few shots wide while Grace and Dylan Rinyak had a shot saved each. Markley made a pair of nice saves before Grace tied the score up with just over six minutes left in the quarter.
 
The Mighty Macs won the next faceoff and put two shots on goal that Markley was able to knock away. The Dutchmen nearly took the lead as they hit the post on a shot, and then Rowan Myers had his attempt saved. Immaculata countered at the other end with a goal to retake the lead at 2-1 with two minutes still to play in the quarter. LVC went on an extra-man opportunity to close out the first quarter, but Rinyak's shot was saved to keep the deficit at one.
 
The teams battled up and down the field during a scoreless second quarter. The Dutchmen had the early advantage as Myers and Hayden Carling had shots saved. The Dutchmen had an extra-man opportunity, but one shot went wide, and a Carling shot was saved. LVC continued the offensive pressure, putting three shots wide. Wyatt Shamer had a shot blocked, and the rebound attempt off a quick ground ball in front of the cage was saved. A penalty by the Dutchmen with 5:37 on the clock started to move the momentum back in favor of the Mighty Macs. Markley came up with a big save to give LVC the ball. After a shot missed high, Carling had a shot saved, and the visitors put three shots wide. The Dutchmen had a great chance to even the score right before the half, but Grace's shot was saved by the goalie.
 
Immaculata began the third quarter on an extra-man opportunity. They took advantage and scored twice in the first 80 seconds of the half to go up 4-1. The Dutchmen started to get some momentum back with a couple of shots before a penalty was called on the Macs. Rinyak connected with Carling for a man-up goal 20 seconds into the opportunity to cut the deficit to 4-2. Immaculata responded with two goals over the next three minutes to go up by four at 6-2.
 
LVC killed off a man-down situation and put a shot on goal that was saved. Grace drove to the crease and scored his second goal of the game with just under four minutes on the clock to bring the lead down to three. The teams traded turnovers before Myers had a shot blocked, and then Jacob Olson scored to make it 6-4 with a minute remaining in the quarter. The Dutchmen won the next faceoff, but a turnover gave the Mighty Macs the ball for the final 20 seconds.
 
Immaculata began the final quarter with a goal. The Dutchmen answered right back as Ethan Keenan scored a little under a minute later to keep the deficit at two goals. The teams traded saves before IU scored on a rebound after a blocked shot with 10:42 to play. LVC's comeback started following Markley picking up a ground ball off a turnover. The Dutchmen cleared the ball, and Brayden Brown fired a shot into the back of the crease to make it 8-6 with 8:02 left. Connor Rowe won the next faceoff, and Myers had a shot saved. The Mighty Macs had a shot saved and then hit the post. LVC cleared the ball and called a timeout with 3:08 on the clock.
 
Grace hit Myers over the middle out of the break to make it a one-score game with 2:41 on the clock. Montgomery Sensenig picked up the ground ball on Rowe's faceoff win, and the Dutchmen worked the ball into the stick of Grace. The sophomore did the rest as he tied the game with 2:03 left with his third goal of the game. Rowe won another faceoff with Connor Mulada picking up the ground ball this time. The Dutchmen got the ball into the offensive zone and called a timeout. Carling sent a shot high before Rinyak found Grace open for the game-winning goal with 45 seconds left. Rowe won the following faceoff and picked up the ground ball. Immaculata had one last chance following a turnover, but LVC did not let the Mighty Macs advance the ball past midfield before the clock ran out to hold on for the victory.
 
Inside the Box

• Grace scored four goals and added an assist for five points. The sophomore has recorded at least five points in the past five games. He scored his second game-winning goal of the week.
• Rinyak added two assists. The junior has recorded points in six of the seven games this season.
• Olson, Carling, Brown, and Myers had a goal each.
• Markley made 11 saves in goal to pick up his sixth win of the year. The senior matched his win total from last year.
• LVC had a 43-30 shot advantage while putting 26 shots on goal. The Dutchmen were 21-23 on clear attempts.
• Rowe was 10-20 on faceoffs and picked up six ground balls.
• LVC's six-game winning streak is the program's longest since a seven-game win streak in the 2012 season. The Dutchmen had five-game win streaks in the 2015 and 2017 seasons.

Up Next
The Dutchmen will face former MAC Commonwealth rival Messiah University on Wednesday. Game time is scheduled for 7 p.m. at the Witmer Family Lacrosse Stadium in Grantham.

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