Nothing like jumping right into the fire. The opening Saturday of the college lacrosse season featured two overtime games, a Top 10 team going down and a 10-point effort from one of this year's Tewaaraton favorites.
The game of the day took place inside the toasty warm confines of Penn State's Holuba Hall where No. 20 Villanova used a torrid comeback to upset the No. 9 Nittany Lions 17-16 in overtime.
Penn State, playing without injured playmaker Grant Ament, had little trouble generating offense without its star. The Nittany Lions scored four goals in the final 5:14 of the third quarter to take a 14-9 lead, its largest of the game, entering the fourth quarter.
Villanova then erupted for seven fourth quarter goals, taking a 16-15 lead on Danny Seibel's man-up goal with 4:07 to play.
Penn State answered, forcing overtime on Kevin Hill's goal with just 58 seconds remaining in regulation.
Villanova's Luke Palmadesso won the faceoff to himself to open the overtime period, and then John Kluh, a sixth-year senior who missed two seasons with medical redshirts earlier in his career, scored the game-winner 50 seconds into overtime.
Kluh, a 5-foot-4, 140-pound midfielder was perhaps previously best known for this hit on Maryland's Dylan Maltz last season.
Christian Cuccinello led Villanova with five goals and Colin Kirst played a major role in the Wildcats' comeback. Kirst had a goal and three assists, all of them coming in the fourth quarter.
Ryan Keenan led Penn State with five goals and two assists and Hill added three goals.
Saturday's other overtime finish had Boston University edging Providence 12-11 on John MacLean's game-winner. MacLean had four goals in the game. Marisa Ingemi was on site and will have more later for US Lacrosse Magazine from the Terriers big win over its New England rival.
Down South, No. 1 Duke erased back-to-back years of frustration against Air Force with an 18-4 victory behind three goals and seven assists from Justin Guterding. Matt White checks in on the Blue Devils, and Air Force, which was playing under interim head coach Bill Wilson. All-American attackman Chris Walsch and defenseman and all-league defenseman Brandon Jones did not make the trip.