Richmond suffers heartbreaking loss to No. 3 Cornell University

The University of Richmond men’s lacrosse team nearly upset No. 3 Cornell University before falling 12-11 at Robins Stadium on March 2.

The Spiders almost pulled off their second upset of the season, following a 13-10 win over No. 7 University of Virginia on Feb. 15. Richmond’s early success this season earned it a No. 10 ranking last week, the highest in program history.

The upset-minded Spiders came out strong in the first quarter, taking a 6-1 lead. However, their early success gradually faded as the game progressed. Cornell closed the gap in the second quarter and then overtook Richmond in the final frame to secure the win.

Senior attacker Lukas Olsson opened the game with a goal in the first minute. Cornell responded with its only goal of the quarter. Richmond then went on a 5-0 run sparked by senior attacker Max Merklinger, stunning the undefeated Bears. Graduate goalkeeper Zach Vigue was instrumental, collecting four saves in the period. Richmond outshot Cornell 16-7.

Cornell tightened its defense in the second quarter, limiting Richmond’s offensive chances. The Bears scored back-to-back goals within five seconds of each other to open the period. Richmond had two shots saved before Cornell scored again. The Spiders were able to score once more, but Cornell closed the gap to 8-7 by halftime. Both teams were even in shots on goal in the second quarter, but Cornell’s goalkeeper made seven saves compared to Richmond’s three.

The second half saw a slower pace as both teams adjusted to each other’s play. Cornell tied the game early in the third quarter, and after a period of turnovers and missed shots, Richmond regained the lead with back-to-back goals to close out the period with a 10-8 advantage.

The Spiders extended their lead to 11-8 early in the fourth quarter. However, Cornell responded with a 4-0 run, shutting down Richmond’s offense and preventing any further goals. The Bears allowed just two shots on goal in the final period, their strong performance securing a 12-11 victory.

Despite the tough loss, the Spiders showed grit and nearly pulled off another historic upset. Richmond’s next game is against Mercyhurst University, that is winless this season at 0-4. The Spiders have never faced Mercyhurst, giving this matchup an opportunity to further improve their record.

The teams will meet at 3 p.m. on March 4 at the Robins Stadium.

Contact sports editor Abigail Finney at abigail.finney@richmond.edu