Down 12-11 within under a minute left in the fourth period, the Lehigh Mountain Hawks men’s lacrosse team had one last chance.
The Boston University Terriers had led since the 5:47 mark in the first period and were up by as many as five goals in the game.
But with 21.3 seconds left in the fourth quarter, Lehigh senior Scott Cole sent the hometown crowd into its first frenzy, coming from around the back of the goal, shaking his defender and slinging a shot off his back foot to tie the game.
Then came frenzy number two. This time, it was Dakota Eierman, who from more than 10 feet out, put the game-winner into the back of the net, kicking off chaos on the field as his teammates mobbed him in celebration.
For Eierman, the 13-12 win was a culmination of sticking to the game plan and not getting complacent.
“It shows it’s kind of like we’re reaping the benefits of all our work,” Eierman said.
And for Cole, it was about never giving up.
“We are a very tough, resilient team, and I think that’s the best defining quality of our team,” Cole said. “I think that we’re really starting to put it all together when it matters.”
It began on a clear, sunny day in the low 60s — perfect weather for the highly anticipated matchup that put playoff seeding and home-field advantage on the line.
Lehigh fans cheer on the men’s lacrosse team during a Patriot League game against Boston University on Saturday, April 20, 2024, at Frank Banko Field. Lehigh won in overtime, 13-12. (Luke Kaiser/B&W Staff)
With three teams tied at 4-2 coming in, the winner would jump into a first-place tie. For Lehigh, that meant leaping from fifth to first with a single win.
However, Lehigh coach Will Scudder said this day was just as important as any other day.
“Just as important as the Holy Cross game, just as important as the Colgate game,” Scudder said. “I talk to the guys all the time … the most important ones are the league ones.”
But to win, it would take a comeback.
That started with a bump-and-shove scrum on the sidelines with 7:16 left in the fourth quarter and Lehigh down 11-8. It led to a roughing penalty on Lehigh’s Andrew Kelly, an unsportsmanlike conduct flag on Boston’s Matt Freeman and a fired-up crowd.
Lehigh men’s lacrosse junior faceoff specialist Sean Dow pushes the attack after winning a faceoff against Boston junior faceoff specialist Matthew Fritz in a Patriot League game on Saturday, April 20, 2024, at Frank Banko Field. Lehigh won 13-12. (Luke Kaiser/B&W Staff)
Scudder said it was a combination of emotions and close game.
After that, the Mountain Hawks outscored the Terriers 4-1 in the final quarter to tie the game at 12.
“It was a momentum swing and our guys took advantage of it, and we just kept playing fast, and I was proud of the guys,” Scudder said.
The Mountain Hawks will wrap up their regular season at rival Lafayette on Wednesday where they will look to improve their seeding for the Patriot League playoffs.
“I think it was a good test for the guys to be resilient,” Scudder said.
Lehigh men’s lacrosse junior faceoff specialist Sean Dow defends against Boston junior faceoff specialist Matthew Fritz in a Patriot League game on Saturday, April 20, 2024, at Frank Banko Field. Lehigh won in overtime, 13-12. (Luke Kaiser/B&W Staff)
Lehigh men’s lacrosse junior faceoff specialist Sean Dow wins a faceoff against Boston junior faceoff specialist Matthew Fritz in a Patriot League game Saturday, April 20, 2024, at Frank Banko Field. Lehigh won, 13-12. (Luke Kaiser/B&W Staff)
Lehigh sophomore Luke McAuliffe goes for a ball in front of Boston University graduate student Louis Perfetto during a game Saturday, April 20, 2024, at Frank Banko Field. Lehigh won the game in overtime, 13-12. (Archer Benedict/B&W Staff)
Lehigh junior Dakota Eierman, left, and first-years Luke Winkler and Austin Conner look to the flag before the national anthem Saturday, April 20, 2024, at Frank Banko Field. Lehigh won in overtime, 13-12, on Eierman’s game-winning goal. (Archer Benedict/B&W Staff)
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