NEWARK, Del. – Top-seeded Princeton punched its ticket to the NCAA Men’s Lacrosse Final Four with a 14-10 comeback victory over Penn State in the NCAA quarterfinals on Saturday at Delaware Stadium. Tied entering the fourth quarter and trailing early in the final frame, the Tigers closed the game on a 5-0 run. Additionally, this marks the second-straight year with an Ivy League team making a championship weekend apperance.
The game featured momentum swings throughout. Penn State scored the first two goals of the afternoon before Princeton answered with a 6-2 run to build a 6-4 advantage. The Nittany Lions battled back to tie the game at halftime, and the teams entered the fourth quarter deadlocked at 9-9 before Penn State reclaimed a 10-9 lead early in the final period.
From there, Princeton took over. Quinn Krammer tied the game at 10-10 off a transition opportunity sparked by Jackson Green’s caused turnover, before the Tigers struck twice in five seconds midway through the fourth quarter. John Dunphey buried a shot as the shot clock expired to give Princeton the lead, and Andrew McMeekin followed immediately with a goal after winning the ensuing faceoff to extend the advantage to 12-10.
Tucker Wade added his fourth goal of the afternoon moments later, and Cooper Mueller sealed the victory with under a minute remaining as Princeton pulled away late.
Chad Palumbo led the Tigers with three goals and two assists, while Wade finished with four goals. McMeekin dominated at the faceoff X, winning 19 of 26 draws while collecting 12 ground balls and adding a key fourth-quarter goal.
With the win, Princeton advances to the NCAA Men’s Lacrosse Championship Weekend and will face Duke in the national semifinals next Saturday at Scott Stadium in Charlottesville, Virginia.