Springfield, Ohio - The Transylvania men's lacrosse team presented another scintillating fourth-quarter performance to collect a 14-12 win over the Wittenberg University Tigers on Saturday afternoon at Edwards-Maurer Field.
The Pioneers erased a one-goal deficit entering the fourth quarter, outscoring Wittenberg 5-2 in the final period to overcome the Tigers for their fourth road win of the season, moving to 7-2 overall. Wittenberg dropped to 1-3 on the season.
Andrew Hamill matched a career-high five goals on Saturday, including two of the final three goals for the Pioneers as they overtook the Tigers in the final six and a half minutes of regulation.
Hamill ushered in the scoring for Transylvania, equalizing Wittenberg over three minutes into the contest on an assist from Trenton Sneed to square up the contest early at 1-1. Bryce Lowe added two goals in the opening quarter as the Pioneers carried a 4-3 advantage into the second quarter.
Sneed continued to fuel the offense with his first goal of the day to open up the second quarter with a 5-3 credit to the Pioneers. Both teams jousted throughout the quarter with the Pioneers outscoring the Tigers 3-2, courtesy of additional goals by Kayd Aquino and Ethan Patton.
The Pioneers expanded their lead to four goals as Hamill came swinging out of the gate with back-to-back goals to notch a hat-trick as he gave Transy a 9-5 advantage two minutes into the second half.
The Tigers woke up, reeling off five straight goals to assume a 10-9 lead with 50 seconds to go in the third quarter, taking their first lead of the game since the first three minutes of the contest.
Kaden Bates and Corbyn Buchart erased the deficit, providing consecutive goals inside the first two and a half minutes of the fourth quarter to put the Pioneers in front at 11-10. The Tigers swung back with two unanswered goals to retake a 12-11 lead with 6:44 left in regulation.
Transylvania responded with a patented fourth-quarter rally, fueled by another tying goal from Hamill just 12 seconds after Wittenberg's go-ahead goal. T.J. Toivonen set up the freshman for his fourth goal of the game on a man-down situation for a 12-12 ballgame.
Aquino found his second goal of the game with 4:13 remaining in the fourth quarter to give the Pioneers the lead for good. Hamill tacked on his fifth goal of the day for final insurance with 1:11 to go in the fourth quarter for Transylvania's second consecutive win.
The Pioneers' fourth quarter dramatics marked the eighth time in nine matches this season that Transylvania has outscored its opponent in the fourth quarter.
Michael Webb made 11 saves in goal to pick up his seventh win of the season. Peyton Bray led all players with seven ground balls while Sneed had a monster day with five assists and a goal.
The Pioneers now look ahead to Heartland Collegiate Lacrosse Conference play in the final stretch of their regular-season schedule. Transylvania will kick off conference play on Wednesday, April 7 against the Mount St. Joseph University Lions at 7:00 p.m. at Pat Deacon Stadium.
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