CHESTERTOWN, Md. – Kai Kelly's 100th career goal was certainly a memorable one is it propelled the Franklin & Marshall men's lacrosse team to a 9-8 double overtime victory at Washington College on Saturday afternoon. Kelly scored during the second overtime as the Diplomats (9-2, 3-0 CC) ran their winning streak to eight straight games while also remaining undefeated in Centennial Conference action.
The overtime winner from Kelly came off the feed from Dillon Mannix who finished with a hat trick during regulation time and a game-best four points. The Diplomats trailed just once all game after the Shoremen scored the opening goal of the third quarter. Nevertheless, F&M could not seem to shake Washington College as it led by just two goals on two separate occasions before the overtime theatrics.
During the two overtime periods, Teddy Scarborough came up with three huge saves to turn away the Shoremen's bid at the potential game-winning goal. Scarborough's last save helped him finish the day with 15 saves against just the eight goals allowed before Kelly netted the game-winner just 38 seconds later.
In a contest that featured five tied scores, one of F&M's two multi-goal leads came after the first two goals as Mannix and Mason Montrella scored just 54 seconds apart to put the visitors up 2-0. Mannix and Liam Timmins scored the Diplomats' two goals during the second quarter, but three tallies from the Shoremen during that same period saw the game tied at four after 30 minutes.
Washington College held its only lead of the game after scoring just 42 seconds into the third quarter. Jack Luviano – who dished out two assists to aid the attack in the first half – evened the game at 9:09 in that period before Dylan Reese gave F&M a 6-5 lead just three minutes later.
Following the Shoremen's goal which made the score six-all early in the fourth quarter, Mannix and Preston Blue each scored to make the score 8-6 with 11:17 to play in regulation time. Prior to the overtime excitement, WAC forced the extra periods by scoring a pair of goals during the final 3:30 of regulation time.
Both sides finished with an identical 41 shots, as Washington College put one more shot on goal but Scarborough stopped one more shot than his counterpart. Seven different Diplomats caused a turnover to aid the defensive efforts, with Owen Hire's four ground balls leading the way for F&M.
Men's lacrosse now has a week to prepare for its next Centennial Conference contest at McDaniel on Saturday, April 5. Opening face-off in that CC clash is set for 12 p.m. in Westminster.
