High Point trailed by three goals with 9:15 to play in the game but erased the deficit with three unanswered goals over the final 7:23. All-Tournament team honoree and SoCon Offensive Player of the Year Dan Lomas scored his fourth goal of the game to cut the lead to two before Matt Thistle scored with 2:32 to go to cut it to one. Cole Carns scored the decisive goal in regulation, finding the back of the net with 46 seconds remaining to tie the game and force overtime, which ultimately set up Harrison’s goal in the second extra frame.

The Panthers were led by Lomas with four goals and an assist for five points in the game. Matt Thistle and Cole Carns each scored two goals in the win while All-Tournament honoree Michael LeClair recorded three assists. Goalie Austin Geisler was named the Most Outstanding Player of the tournament with 15 saves and a .652 save percentage against eight goals allowed.

Richmond got four goals from All-Tournament player Mitch Goldberg and three goals from Jean-Luc Chetner to account for all but one of the Spiders’ eight goals. Peter Moran totaled a game-high nine ground balls and won 14-of-22 face-offs while Ryan Dennis grabbed seven ground balls. Both were named to the All-Tournament team for their play.

Richmond opened the scoring with a goal by Goldberg less than a minute in to the game. High Point would even the score at 1-1 at the 8:09 mark, as Lomas picked up a ground ball and immediately found the back of the net.

Lomas would add to the lead with under a minute left in the opening quarter. LeClair found a cutting Lomas, who flipped the ball in from in front of the goal for his second goal of the game.

The second quarter was all defense with both teams struggling to get good looks at the goal. The two managed a combined 18 shots in the second period but found the goal just once with six saves being made.

Richmond’s Alex Hatem finally netted a goal with 2:05 to go in the half to tie the game two goals apiece. High Point would have a narrow miss at the end of the quarter with a shot hitting off the post to keep the game tied at 2-2.

Richmond would score three unanswered goals to start the third quarter. Goldberg’s second score of the game at the 13:50 mark on the third quarter got the scoring started. They would add to the lead with a goal just minutes later by Chetner with an assist from J.P. Forester. Goldberg then would get his third goal of the game at the 8:43 mark to put the Spiders ahead 5-2.

High Point responded late in the quarter with a pair of goals to reduce the margin to one at 5-4. Carns broke free of his defender and headed straight to the goal for the score. Lomas then got his third goal of the game with 1:53 to go in the third quarter.

Richmond would tack one on late in the quarter, though, as Goldberg scored his fourth goal of the game to give the Spiders a two-goal lead heading in to the final period.

The two went back-and-forth in the final quarter. Richmond’s Chetner netted his second goal of the game followed by High Point’s Matt Thistle with his first to make a 7-5 game. Chetner then scored his third of game to make it a three-goal game until Lomas made scored to push it back to 8-6.

Thistle scored his second goal of the game at the 2:42 mark to cut the Richmond lead to just one before Carns tied it with just 46 seconds remaining.

SoCon Men’s Lacrosse Championship Awards

Most Outstanding Player
Austin Geisler, High Point

All-Tournament Team
Pat Farrell, High Point
Austin Geisler, High Point
Sean Harrison, High Point
Michael LeClair, High Point
Dan Lomas, High Point
Ryan Dennis, Richmond
Mitch Goldberg, Richmond
Peter Moran, Richmond
Reilly McDermott, Furman
Jon Vandenberg, Furman
Justin Evans, Mercer
Tim Geran, Mercer