CARY, N.C.   A one-goal game with 90 seconds remaining, Methodist men's lacrosse survived the hard-fought battle with host William Peace University, 16-15, in USA South Athletic Conference action Wednesday afternoon.

The game was the very definition of "tit-for-tat" as the two teams traded goals until the final whistle. There were 12 ties and 12 lead changes in the 31 goals combined. Neither team had a lead of more than one goal until midway through the third quarter and neither team scored more than two consecutive goals. It was a Carter Favreau goal that resulted in the final lead change as Methodist went ahead 14-13 with nine minutes left in the game. With 3:32 remaining, Mark Chatt gave the Monarchs just enough cushion with goal No. 16.

THE ESSENTIALS
Final score: Methodist def. William Peace, 16-15
Records: Methodist 5-3 (3-1 USA South); William Peace 3-8 (1-4)
Location: WakeMed Soccer Park; Cary, N.C.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Pacers' last-ditch effort came when they recovered possession with only eight seconds remaining in the game but Riely Murray's shot was saved by Jackson Bulkin to preserve the Methodist win. Bulkin earned his first collegiate win in goal after eight saves.
• Chatt gets credited with the game-winner and Jesse Leyble earned the assist that gave Methodist a 16-14 lead. The score was set up by Ian Davis' caused turnover and Leyble's ground ball. 
• William Peace's Nick Falso tied the game at 13 with 10:14 remaining. Tyler Bennett won the ensuing faceoff and Carter Favreau scored the go-ahead goal with 9:01 left in the game. Another faceoff win (this time by Harrison Williams) led to another goal less than a minute later. Hunter Vaughan scored with an assist from Matthew Sheinfeld. Kit Allman kicked off the quarter with a goal to break the 12-12 tie.
• Tied 10-10 with under nine minutes to play in the third quarter, Matt Pemberton (with an assist from Chatt) took advantage of an unnecessary roughness penalty to score. Leyble added a goal with six minutes left in the period to give Methodist a 12-10 advantage, the first lead of more than a goal by either team. Two Pacers scores in under a minute tied the contest entering the final frame.
• Allman and Pemberton set the tone for the entire game with consecutive goals for a 2-1 lead. Two goals in under 30 seconds gave Methodist a 9-8 lead in the second quarter. Vaughan scored after he recovered the ground ball from his own blocked shot and Leyble scored 27 seconds later after Bennett won the faceoff. William Peace scored a minute later to tie the game for a 9-9 halftime score.

MORE NUMBERS

• Jake Bandler's score in the third quarter gave him his first collegiate career goal.
• Vaughan led with three goals and two assists, followed by Chatt and Leyble, who each had two goals and two assists. Favreau's three goals was tied with Vaughan for the team-high.
• Bennett was impressive with a team-high seven ground balls and 8 out of 11 faceoff wins. Justice Davis and Bandler led the team with three caused turnovers.
• The last time the Monarchs played was March 27 when they defeated the Pacers, 16-11, in Monarch Stadium.
• Falso led William Peace with five goals and an assist.

UP NEXT

• Methodist is back in action Saturday, April 10 with a road conference date against Greensboro College at 1 p.m.
• William Peace takes on Averett University in league action Wednesday, April 14 for a 5 p.m. game in Danville, Virginia.