A six-goal second quarter from the University of Pennsylvania proved to be the difference as the Massachusetts men’s lacrosse team fell 13-11 on Friday evening. The Minutemen (10-5, 3-3 Atlantic 10) were unable to overcome the Quakers’ (7-6, 3-3 Ivy League) decisive run despite a strong second-half push.
Penn turned a one-goal game into a multi-possession lead in the second quarter, scoring six times and carrying an 8-4 advantage into halftime. The Quakers built momentum quickly, stringing together goals from Griffin Scane, Paul vanBastelaar, Grayson McClements and Ben Beacham, while Davis Provost orchestrated the offense throughout the stretch. Provost capped the quarter with a goal in the final second, punctuating the run and giving Penn full control heading into the break.
UMass showed resilience throughout the remainder of the game but couldn’t erase the deficit.
After the Quakers dominant second quarter, the Minutemen began to respond coming out of halftime. Tyler Clayton opened the third quarter scoring for UMass with an unassisted finish, sparking a stretch where it began to chip away at the deficit. Aiden Drunsic followed with a man-up goal off an assist from Charles Kurtz, cutting the lead to four and shifting the momentum back toward the Minutemen.
UMass continued to battle in the final frame. Dylan Johnson scored a man-up goal off a feed from Thomas Bagnall to cut the deficit to three, and Matthew Cargiulo added to the score later in the quarter. With just over three minutes remaining, Zach Auble scored off an assist from Drunsic to bring the Minutemen within two goals to keep the pressure on Penn.
However, the Quakers never relinquished control. An early fourth-quarter goal from Alex Martin and a key finish from Anthony McMullan, helped them maintain separation, answering each of UMass’ runs.
The Minutemen struck first midway through the opening quarter when Johnson finished a feed from Zack Waxman to give UMass a 1-0 lead. Penn responded later in the period. However, McClements found the back of the net before Provost added another goal to give the Quakers a 2-1 edge after the first frame.
Brian Jackman added another goal midway through the third quarter, and Kurtz later found the back of the net on an unassisted finish to keep the Minutemen within striking distance. They generated consistent pressure during the frame, but Penn answered each push. Travis Smith converted on a man-up opportunity, and Jackson Maher added a late goal to maintain an 11-8 advantage heading into the fourth quarter.
Despite the loss, UMass showed consistent offensive production throughout the game. Johnson led the Minutemen with four goals on six shots on target, continuing his strong season. Drunsic contributed a goal and two assists, while Kurtz and Auble each added a goal and an assist. Clayton, Jackman and Cargiulo also found the back of the net, highlighting a balanced scoring effort across the lineup.
The Quakers dominated possession at the faceoff, winning 20-of-28 draws compared to UMass’ eight, allowing Penn to control tempo and generate consistent offensive opportunities. That advantage proved critical during the second-quarter run when the Quakers strung together extended possessions.
The Minutemen held a slight edge in total shots, 35-34, including a 12-9 advantage in the third quarter as it attempted to mount its comeback. However, Penn finished with three more shots on goal, forcing UMass goalkeeper Owen Salanger to make 11 saves on the day. On the other end, Quakers goalkeeper Jack Pelot recorded 10 saves, making key stops during several Minutemen scoring chances.
Special teams also played a role in the outcome. UMass converted on two of its three extra-man opportunities, including goals from Drunsic and Johnson, while Penn capitalized on its lone extra-man chance.
The Minutemen will look to regroup against No.1 seed Richmond in the semi-finals of the A-10 men’s lacrosse championship. The match will take place on April 30 in Richmond, Va. at 4 p.m.
Jonathan Charlier can be reached at [email protected] and followed on X @JonathanDChar.
