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Engineers
Ian Weihe of the RPI Men’s Lacrosse team in action versus Williams on Wednesday, March 18, 2026 in Troy, New York.
Maggie Kelley
10
RPI RPI 8-6, 1-4
11
Winner ITHACA ITHACA 9-4, 4-1
RPI RPI
8-6, 1-4
10
Final
11
ITHACA ITHACA
9-4, 4-1
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
RPI RPI 3 2 2 3 10
ITHACA ITHACA 4 4 1 2 11

Game Recap: Men's Lacrosse | | Adrian Donnelly - Assistant Athletic Director for Communications

Men's Lacrosse Clipped in Final Seconds at Ithaca

ITHACA, N.Y. – The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) men's lacrosse team battled back from a three-goal halftime deficit, but a late tally sent the Engineers to an 11-10 setback at Ithaca this afternoon at Higgins Stadium. 

Cooper Manzi led RPI with a team-high five points on four goals and an assist, while Tyler Ruffini and Sean Smith scored two goals apiece. Easton Morse keyed the offense with two assists, and Nolan Lawler and Patrick Keegan added goals as well. Jake Lunati anchored the defensive effort with 13 saves.  

The game was back-and-forth early, with RPI answering each Ithaca push in the opening quarter. After the Bombers scored first, Manzi responded to even the contest and later added his second unassisted goal to pull the Engineers back within one. Lawler's finish off an Andrew Childs setup tied the game at 3-3, but Ithaca scored on the man-up late in the period to take a 4-3 edge after 15 minutes. 

RPI's man-up unit delivered early in the second quarter, as Smith converted a Morse assist to square the game at 4-4, and Manzi followed shortly after with his third goal to give the Engineers their first lead at 5-4. Ithaca answered with a decisive run, however, scoring four times the rest of the half to take an 8-5 advantage into the break. 

The Engineers made their move in the third, climbing back within one behind timely finishing. Ruffini scored off a Morse assist to start the comeback, and Keegan finished a Manzi feed midway through the quarter to cut the margin to 8-7. Ithaca answered late to carry a 9-7 lead into the fourth. 

RPI continued to chip away in the final 15 minutes. Manzi struck early to make it a one-goal game, and after Ithaca extended the lead again, Ruffini buried a man-up goal to bring the Engineers back within one. Smith later scored unassisted to tie it at 10-10 with under four minutes remaining, but Ithaca netted the game-winner with 24 seconds left to secure the 11-10 final. 

RPI finished 2-for-3 on extra-man chances and went 19-for-20 on clears.

The Engineers next head to Amherst College for a 6:00 pm tilt on Wednesday evening.
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