Contact: Taiah Gallisath, Associate Director of Athletics Communication, 630-637-5302
 
LEXINGTON, Ky. (March 9, 2026) – The North Central College men's lacrosse team erased multiple deficits and mounted a late fourth-quarter push Monday afternoon in Kentucky, but Penn College held off the Cardinals' comeback attempt to claim the 11-10 victory in a tightly contested matchup. North Central falls to 1-5 on the season while Penn College climbs to 6-1 with the win.
 
Six Cardinals found the scoring column, with four players recording two goals apiece. Ben Kerkow led the way with four points on two goals and two assists, while Seth Rosen and Wyatt Hunt each totaled three points with two goals and an assist. Devon Manjarrez added two goals, while Ty Nagy and Wyatt Bush each scored once.
 
Will Handberg and Gavin Braley shared the team lead with five ground balls apiece, while Gary Roulo recorded a team-high two caused turnovers. In goal, Beck Hagen made 13 saves for a .542 save percentage.
 
North Central held advantages in several statistical categories, including ground balls (18-15), saves (13-11), successful clears (21-19), and caused turnovers (4-0). Penn College narrowly led in shots (33-31) and faceoff wins (15-9).
 
Penn College struck first just two minutes into the contest, but Kerkow responded with 8:27 remaining in the opening quarter, beating his defender with a quick move to even the score. The Wildcats regained the lead two minutes later before the Cardinals answered again.
 
Thirty seconds after the ensuing faceoff, Jack Blaylock fought through his defender and dished the ball to Bush, who absorbed a heavy hit but finished the play to tie the game at 2-2.
 
Penn College opened the second half with two quick goals to take a 4-2 lead before North Central answered with a three-goal run. Manjarrez sparked the rally with a long-range shot off a Kerkow assist, and the duo connected again just over a minute later. Crisp ball movement then led to a Hunt goal, giving the Cardinals their first lead of the game at 5-4.
 
The Wildcats responded late in the half with two goals in the final six minutes to reclaim a 6-5 advantage heading into halftime.
 
Out of the break, the Cardinals again surged ahead with two goals in a one-minute span. Nagy scored first off an assist from Kerkow before Kerkow finished a feed from Rosen to give North Central a 7-6 lead.
 
Penn College answered with a pair of goals midway through the third quarter to move back in front 8-7 before adding another late in the period to extend the lead to 9-7 entering the final quarter.
 
The Wildcats carried that momentum into the fourth period, scoring immediately off the opening faceoff to push the advantage to 10-7.
 
North Central responded at the nine-minute mark when Blaylock broke free near midfield, drawing multiple defenders before finding Rosen open outside the crease for a goal that cut the deficit to 10-8.
 
Two minutes later, Rosen struck again off a Hunt assist to bring the Cardinals within one. Hagen helped keep the game within reach with two key saves over the next several minutes while two additional Penn College shots sailed wide.
 
With under three minutes remaining, the Wildcats added what proved to be the decisive goal to make it 11-9.
 
Moments later, Handberg scooped up a ground ball and quickly pushed the ball ahead to Zachary Coursel, who drew contact before dishing to Hunt for a goal that trimmed the deficit to 11-10. Neither team scored in the final two minutes as Penn College secured the win.
 
North Central returns to action Tuesday, March 10, traveling to Danville, Kentucky to face Centre College at 4:30 p.m. ET.