Duke men’s lacrosse holds off Penn State in overtime, advances to national title game
Lincoln Financial Field wasn’t quite as packed as it was just two weeks ago, when Taylor Swift hit town, or when Jalen Hurts and the NFC Champion Eagles were doing their thing, but Duke and Penn State couldn’t have cared less — not with a spot in the NCAA Division I lacrosse championship game on the line, the victor to go against the winner of the subsequent Virginia-Notre Dame semifinal winner.
By the time this high-noon showdown between John Danowski’s Blue Devils and Jeff Tambroni’s Nittany Lions got under way, the tailgaters in the parking lot were in their seats ready for action.
They weren’t disappointed, as the top-seeded Blue Devils, after maintaining the lead most of the way, saw Penn State rally late to send it to overtime. That’s where Garrett Leadmon saved the day for the Blue Devils, scoring 1:05 into the extra period to send Duke to the championship game with a pulsating 16-15 win.
After barely controlling the critical faceoff, Leadmon took a pass and stayed patient to the left of the cage before darting in front of the net to beat goalie Aleric Fyock for the game winner. Officials conferred briefly in the goalmouth before deciding the goal was good, and Leadmon’s teammates poured onto the field in jubilation.
There was some agitation on the Penn State sideline — and in the stands — after a reply on the digital scoreboard appeared to show Leadmon’s foot in the goal crease as he jumped to take the winning shot. Slow-motion replay on the broadcast appeared to confirm that, but under NCAA rules, there is no mechanism to challenge the call on the field unless it’s an issue of timing or clock management.
Leadmon and Brennan O’Neill each had a hat trick for the Blue Devils, while four others had two apiece, as Duke advanced to the title game for first time since 2018. Now the Blue Devils will be going for their first crown since 2014. TJ Malone scored six goals for Penn State, which never led after the first period.
Down 4-3 late in the first, Duke rattled off three goals in a 2:28 span to take a 6-4 lead, then maintained a 9-7 advantage through the half.
The margin reached 10-7 early in the third when Charlie Balsamo connected for his second of the day at 3:32, only to see Penn State answer back on Malone’s third of the day 1:15 later. The Nittany Lions kept coming after that, twice drawing within a goal.
With Duke clinging to a 13-12 lead heading to the fourth both teams tightened up defensively, knowing how critical the next goal would be. Finally after 5:25 PSU’s Jake Morin tied it up for the first time since the first quarter.
Unfazed, twice more Duke regained the lead. Twice more Penn State answered back. That was it through the end of regulation, Duke overcoming a 30-second penalty to send it into overtime.
