Lexington, Ky. – Trenton Sneed's game-winning goal with 1:45 remaining in regulation culminated a three-score second-half comeback by the Transylvania men's lacrosse team, which won 9-7 over the Depauw University Tigers in a late-minute thriller at Pat Deacon Stadium on Wednesday evening.

Trailing 7-5 in the third quarter, the Pioneers used physicality and an increasing frequency of possession over the final 20 minutes of action to overtake the Tigers in a grueling win to move to 2-2 on the season and remain undefeated at home in 2020. Depauw dropped to 0-4 with the loss.

In a back-and-forth game that featured jolting momentum swings and a collection of lead changes, the Pioneers outlasted the Tigers with a dominant fourth quarter on both side of the field.

Ethan Patton led the Pioneers offensively with a hat-trick and two ground balls. Peyton Bray provided a powerful performance with a match-high nine ground balls and nine won face-offs in the win.

The lead changed hands three times in the opening quarter as Will Warner put the Pioneers in front at 1-0 in the early minutes of play. DePauw scored back-to-back goals in less than a minute to go up, 2-1.

Dalton Hubbs found the back of the net with 7:55 to go in the quarter and Ethan Patton also scored less than one minute later to give the Pioneers a 3-2 lead after one quarter.

The teams traded goals in the second quarter as possession remained tricky for the Pioneers while the Tigers increased their physicality, translating to a 4-3 Transy lead at halftime.

The Tigers scored twice to commence a topsy-turvy second half for a 5-4 lead with 10:17 left in the third quarter. Quinn Fox stopped the run with a rapid-fire shot from the right side to knot up the game at 5-5.

Depauw's ball movement surged into high gear as the Tigers regained a 7-5 lead on consecutive scores. But the seventh Tiger goal at the 2:49 mark of the third quarter would be their last as the Pioneers locked down Depauw the rest of the night as they forced the visitors into 22 turnovers total.

Bryce Lowe fueled the comeback with a score at the 2:15 mark of the third quarter, sending the Pioneers into the final quarter down by just one score.

The Pioneers outscored Depauw 3-0 in the final quarter; T.J. Toivonen sprinted downfield and missed once, but not twice on a ricochet shot from near the goal to tie the contest at 7-7 with 13:16 remaining.  

The contest would be a slog for much of the fourth quarter as the Pioneers worked for a landslide of close-range shots, but came up with a multitude of shots which either hit the post or narrowly missed.

Their toil was eventually rewarded as Sneed sneakily peered in from behind the net along the right side and fibbed a pass before dumping in the go-ahead goal. Patton pounced upon a loose ball inside the final 30 minutes and slotted in the ball for the insurance goal.

Michael Webb picked up the win in goal for Transylvania to move to 2-1 on the season; the junior recorded nine saves in the victory.

Evan Deskins posted a team-high three caused turnovers for the Pioneers while Toivonen unfurled another stacked line of six ground balls, two caused turnovers, and one goal.

Transylvania is back in action on Saturday, March 7 as it plays host to the Sewanee Tigers at 1:00 p.m. at Pat Deacon Stadium.

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