Penn State lacrosse falls to No. 1 Cornell in Final Four

Penn State lacrosse used a pair of come-from-behind victories this month to propel the program to its third-ever Final Four appearance. However, the Nittany Lions couldn’t find late magic for a third consecutive game, falling to No. 1 Cornell 11-9 to bring the 2025 season to an end.

After ending the first frame down 1-0, attacker Liam Matthews helped spur the Nittany Lions to a five-goal second period to take a 5-4 advantage into the half. The Canadian sophomore had a game-high four goals on six shots for the afternoon.

The top-seeded Big Red made their push out of the locker room, using a 6-1 run in the third period to take 10-6 lead into the final 15 minutes. But a team that has produced multiple May miracles, Penn State would not be denied in the fourth, scoring three straight goals to bring the contest within one with just under 10 minutes to play.

A Hugh Kelleher goal gave Cornell an 11-9 advantage with 5:49 remaining. Penn State would only get one more shot on goal, with a pair of late turnovers sealing the Nittany Lions’ fate.

With the loss, Penn State lacrosse finishes the year with a 12-5 record. The program’s second Final Four trip in three years under head coach Jeff Tambroni, the Nittany Lions have still yet to make an appearance in the National Championship.

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