ELIZABETHTOWN, Pa. – Freshman Declan Allen (Garden City, N.Y./Millbrook) made a save with 0:07 left to seal the victory and The No. 3 seed University of Scranton men's lacrosse team (14-5) captured the second Landmark Conference championship in program history with a 13-12 victory over the top-seeded Elizabethtown Blue Jays (12-5) on Saturday afternoon at Wolf Field.

The Royals broke a 12-all tie with 3:17 remaining on the eventual game-winning goal from freshman Pat McCormack (Livingston, N.J./Livingston) following a feed from junior Matthew McAree (Manhasset, N.Y./Manhasset).

Scranton has earned the Landmark's automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament and will find out its first round opponent tomorrow night at 9 p.m. in a selection show that will be aired live on NCAA.com.

This marks both the second Landmark title and second NCAA appearance In program history and the first since 2011.

Sophomore AJ Perkell (Valley Stream, N.Y./Hewlett) earned MVP honors as he won 11 faceoffs for the Royals against the conference's Defensive Player of the Year in ETown's Jacob Griffin.

The Blue Jays opened the scoring just 0:28 into the game and scored five of the first six goals to take an early 5-1 lead before a late tally by senior Mitchell Kozak (Floral Park, N.Y./Floral Park Memorial) cut the lead to 5-2 after one. ETown then scored the first two goals of the second quarter and led 7-2, but Scranton responded with two straight to cut the lead to 7-4. The two teams then traded goals for the remainder of the quarter and junior Joe Boyle (Huntington, N.Y./St. Anthony's) struck in the final minute to draw the Royals back within three at 9-6 at the half.

ETown's Riley Langen opened the scoring in the third quarter before Kozak and sophomore Colin Hughes (Massapequa, N.Y./Chaminade) scored just 0:50 apart to trim the deficit to two at 10-8 with 9:09 remaining in the period. Following a Blue Jays goal, senior Christopher Crapanzano (Basking Ridge, N.J./Ridge) answered with his first of the day that cut the lead to 11-9 headed into the fourth quarter.

Scranton put forth a strong defensive effort and limited the Blue Jays to just one goal over the final 21 plus minutes of action. Crapanzano scored to bring the Royals within one and Kozak tied the game at 11 apiece at the 8:29 mark which marked the first tie in the contest since 1-1. The senior attacker then temporarily gave the Royals the lead at 12-11, but ETown's Connor Stewart found the back of the net to even things at 12 and set the stage for McCormack's heroics.

Kozak led all scorers with four goals, while Boyle and Crapanzano added three points apiece on two goals and an assist. Elsewhere for the Royals, McAree and senior Matt Solleder (Ramsey, N.J./Don Bosco Prep) had a goal and an assist apiece.

Perkell collected a team-high six ground balls and Allen made five saves in net with three coming in the fourth quarter.

Langen and Colin Cummings had four points apiece to pace the Blue Jays.

More information regarding the Royals' NCAA Tournament first round destination and opponent will be posted at athletics.scranton.edu in the coming days.

--ROYALS--