Nittany Lions Edge Hoyas

Penn State Wins in Second Overtime

Georgetown extended its season yesterday afternoon, just not as far as it wanted as Penn State pulled out a win by the same 12-11 score as the Hoyas' devastating loss in State College, Pa., a year ago.

The rematch at Multi-Sport Field took one more overtime, with Nittany Lions attackman Rob Forster scoring his game-high fourth goal with 58 seconds left in the second extra session. Jack Davis dived to his right and got his stick on the ball but couldn't come up with his 12th save. Georgetown fell to 7-7, 3-4 in the Eastern College Athletic Conference despite Rickey Mirabito's goal with 0.5 of a second left in regulation to extend the game.

"We had plenty of opportunities -- an extra man in overtime and some shots that didn't fall," Georgetown Coach Dave Urick said. "It's pretty indicative of the way some of the things were going throughout the whole year -- just close, just can't quite get over the hump. We needed one more play or the ball to bounce our way."

In 2008, the loss to Penn State is what likely kept Georgetown from making its 12th straight NCAA tournament trip. This year, the Hoyas' situation might have been even more perilous entering their scheduled finale. Georgetown and Penn State are ranked 18th and 20th, respectively, in the Inside Lacrosse media poll, but more significantly their RPI ratings -- which are considered by the NCAA tournament selection committee -- were 17th and 16th heading into yesterday's game.

Only 16 teams make the field, which will be announced tonight at 9. With at least two conference champions coming from lower-rated teams, the Hoyas likely needed a win to have any chance of playing next weekend. The Nittany Lions (9-5, 4-3) helped their chances as goalie Drew Adams made 19 saves.

"I thought the goalie play at both ends was particularly strong," Urick said. "Their guy made some big saves, as did Jack."

Georgetown scored the first two goals of the second half to take a 6-4 lead, but Penn State recovered and went ahead 11-10 on long-stick defenseman Earl Ross's goal with 5 minutes 35 seconds left. The Hoyas needed nearly all that time before Mirabito tied the game with his second goal, which came off a free-for-all in front of the Nittany Lions' net.

"We had three shots at it, and finally someone threw it in front of the goal," said midfielder Jake Samperton, who led Georgetown with three goals. "He picked up the groundball and made a great play."

-- MARYLAND 10, YALE 6: The Terrapins, 14th in the latest poll and in the RPI, kept their tournament hopes alive by scoring the first five goals of the fourth quarter to break a 5-5 tie with the Bulldogs in New Haven, Conn. Brian Phipps made 11 saves for Maryland (9-6). Yale finished 5-8.