Men's Lacrosse | 3/1/2014 6:47:00 PM

Box Score FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. -- Andrew Risse's goal 1:01 into overtime lifted Randolph's men's lacrosse team to a 7-6 OT victory over Methodist on Saturday afternoon at Monarch Stadium.
 
The Monarchs (1-2) and WildCats (2-0) combined for seven fourth-quarter goals after scoring just five in the previous three quarters, and camped the game with four scores in the final 3:10 of regulation.
 
Methodist trailed 4-2 after Andrew Gleitz scored a man-up goal for RC with 13:43 to play. Ben Click pulled MU to within a goal following a feed from Matt Layden, but Corey Hehlig scored unassisted to restore Randolph's two-goal advantage (5-3) with 5:30 to play.
 
With 3:27 left to play, Randolph was called for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, resulting in a 1-mintue, non-releasable, extra-man opportunity for the Monarchs. Jake Smerka capitalized, scoring off a feed from Justin Layden to make it a 5-4 game with 3:10 to play, and Click tied the game at 5-5 with an unassisted tally at the 2:48 mark.
 
It only took MU 31 seconds to seize its first lead of the second half as Chris Lombardi found the back of the net after taking a pass from Trevor Dickinson with 2:17 to play. However, the Monarchs were assessed an unsportsmanlike penalty immediately thereafter, and Randolph's Colton Wood tied the game at 6-6 off a feed from Risse with 1:25 to play. Methodist had the ball at the end of regulation, but was unable to get a quality look at goal.
 
In the extra period, the WildCats won the opening faceoff and capitalized with Risse's game-winner in the sudden-death OT.
 
Methodist had a taken a 2-0 lead in the first quarter on unassisted goals from Hunter Mackenzie and Dickinson, but Randolph answered with three goals in the second period, including a pair from Risse, to take a 3-2 lead into the break  which set up the frantic finish.
 
Travis Rice took the loss in the cage for MU, stopping 10 shots and allowing seven goals. Cam Davis was the winning keeper as he made nine saves against six goals allowed.
 
Justin Layden led the Monarchs with six groundballs, and Lombardi and Sean Mayefskie added four apiece. Smerka forced four turnovers.
 
Risse finished with three goals, an assist, two groundballs and a pair of caused turnovers. Wood had three groundballs, and Mitch Macdonald added a pair of assists.
 
The Monarchs are back in action on Tuesday when they host Berry College at 1:00 pm.