CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Queens University of Charlotte's Duncan Smith scored a goal with 2.5 seconds on the clock in overtime of today's South Atlantic Conference Men's Lacrosse Championship Semifinal game to lift the Royals past No. 5 Lenoir-Rhyne University. The 10-9 win moves the Royals on to the championship game for the second year in row.
 
With the score sitting tied at 7-7 at the end of the third period, Lenoir-Rhyne would go ahead 9-7 with 11:47 left in regulation thanks to a pair of goals from Erick Dickinson and Ben Corrigan. The Bears held that lead until Eric Fitz put a ball in the back of the net to bring Queens within one, 9-8, with 1:44 on the clock. Justin Swick then tied the game at 9-9 with 50 seconds left in regulation to force the game into overtime.
 
Queens goalkeeper Anthony Valenza recorded a save with 1:28 to play in overtime, and the Royals' offense transitioned up the field where Smith was able to curl around the back of the net to score the game-winner. The Queens victory snapped a 12-game win streak for the Bears. Their only other loss this season was to No. 2 Limestone at the start of the 2017 season.
 
The Bears were the first to score in this afternoon's game putting two goals on the board from Hunter Surface and Mike Hanlon. However, Both Fitz and Swick answered for the Royals to knot the game at 2-2 heading into the second.
 
Swick would add his second of the game two minutes into the second to put the Royals up 3-2 on the Bears, but Lenoir-Rhyne would answer back with three consecutive goals in the minutes to follow to make the score 5-3 heading into halftime.
 
Fitz scored for the Royals coming out of the locker room to cut Lenoir-Rhyne's lead to one, 5-4. The two teams then traded goals to make the score 6-5 with 8:32 on the clock. Hanlon would score again for the Bears to put them up by two once again, but Fitz and Paige of Queens equalized the game at 7-7 heading into the final 15 minutes of regulation.
 
Fitz led the Royals with four goals, while Swick recorded a hat trick. Jonathan Paige won 14-of-20 face-offs and totaled eight ground balls. Griffin Stechmiller also totaled eight ground balls to go along with two caused turnovers. Valenza completed play in the cage with 17 saves.
 
Hanlon led the Bears with three goals, while Dickinson and Corrigan each scored two goals. Ryan Crompton totaled 13 saves in goal.
 
The Royals will play for the SAC Championship Title on Saturday at 2 p.m. They will face either Tusculum College or Wingate University.
 
Ticket information is below.
•       $8 for adults
•       $4 for kids under 12, Seniors 60 and Active or Retired Military
•       $2 College students w/ ID