No one could have scripted the way Andrew Pettit’s fifth year played out, not even a movie.

The COVID-19 epidemic has been a real-life nightmare for the country, and world. Prior to that, Pettit’s comeback from injury was more like a dream.

Take these examples…

• Pettit celebrated his return to the lineup by scoring Lehigh’s first goal of the season, just 1:05 into the opener vs. Utah.

• He tied a program record with eight goals vs. VMI, including five in the third quarter alone.

• He tallied seven points against Holy Cross in what proved to be his final collegiate game.

Even though the NCAA recently announced spring student-athletes would be granted an extra year of relief, Pettit will not be returning. He knows it’s time to move on.

Who could have imagined, just weeks prior, that this is how it would end?

“The randomness of everything is the weirdest part of the whole situation,” said Pettit. “[A pandemic] is something you would never even think of as a possibility that could take your season away. It happened so fast.”

While the spring athletics seasons were canceled in what seemed like the blink of an eye, Pettit’s recovery from a torn ACL was far from quick.

Pettit suffered the injury in the preseason of 2019, then announced in February that he’d undergo season-ending surgery.

“The mental aspect of the rehab was the hardest part,” he said. “You try to put on a straight face every day, do your work and root your buddies on. But with the expectations we had in 2019 and the excitement going into my senior year, for that to happen was arguably the hardest thing that’s ever happened to me mentally.”

Pettit was coming off a breakout junior season in 2018, which saw him lead the team in goals (46) and points (66), earning first team All-Patriot League at attack alongside the likes of Pat Spencer, Chris Gray and Will Sands.

Impressive company for an impressive student-athlete, who was actually twice named a candidate for the prestigious Senior CLASS Award – in 2019 and 2020.

Pettit quickly rose to stardom. After eight points as a freshman, Pettit tallied 35 goals and 11 assists as a sophomore.

“That’s a pretty natural progression for a lot of guys,” he said. “During your freshman year, you’re really learning the differences in the game and getting bigger, faster and stronger. As a sophomore, I secured a starting job and really felt a ton of trust from Coach Cassese. That meant the world to me and helped me play as well as I possibly could.”

As Lehigh head coach Kevin Cassese said, “Early on in his career, it was evident Andrew was going to be a high-level player for our program. However, I’m not sure Andrew truly knew how extraordinary he could be as a competitor, teammate and leader.”

That leadership helped Pettit turn Patriot League quarterfinal appearances his first two years into championship game appearances in 2018 and 2019, the Mountain Hawks’ first time in the finals since 2014.

“The credit goes to Lehigh’s championship teams in 2012 and 2013,” said Pettit. “Those teams are what our class was recruited on. Our mentality coming into Lehigh was that this is a championship program.”

Pettit, his classmates and teammates did all they could to bring home a title.

“It’s easy to forget the league got a lot bigger with Loyola and Boston University (in 2014),” he said. “Making the championship game in a nine-team league is something to be proud of, and we put in a whole lot of work to get there. We fell a little short, and it’s a shame we didn’t get another crack at it this year because it felt like the pieces were coming together and we hadn’t even played our best lacrosse yet.”

What made Pettit return for a fifth year, when he could have easily moved on?

To be alongside his Lehigh lacrosse brothers. A moment late in 2019 convinced him to return.

“I wasn’t really sure the whole year if I’d come back,” said Pettit. “Heading into the Boston University game (in the Patriot League Semifinals), I was thinking there’s a zero percent chance I’d come back. But that day, I was standing in the tunnel, watching all the guys warm up and the game was about to start.

“At that moment, I had this feeling in my stomach of pure excitement for the boys,” he continued. “Those feelings made me realize how big a part of me lacrosse was, and how much I loved playing for Lehigh.

“I knew I wasn’t going to get this anywhere else.”

The Mountain Hawks would beat the Terriers that night. After that, Pettit worked through the grind of rehabilitation to put himself in a strong position entering his fifth year.

Through six games of 2020, Pettit was looking like his old self, posting 26 points (17 goals and nine assists). As a team, the Mountain Hawks were averaging 14.0 goals per game, good for 15th nationally.

Everyone knows how the season ended and although Pettit would like nothing more than to be alongside his Lehigh lacrosse brothers in 2021, his decision was ultimately easy.

“I already went through the mental gauntlet last year and decided to come back, which was the best decision I’ve made,” he said. “I had a great time this year, but just didn’t think I could do it again.”

It also helped that Pettit has other very appealing options. He’s secured a job in New York City in real estate finance.

Pettit hopes his lacrosse career isn’t over, either.

“I’ve always wanted to play professionally,” he said. “My knee felt great this season. Since I’ve been home, I’ve been working hard – lifting, running and playing lacrosse. There’s not much to do, so I’ve been working on my game trying to get ready for the drafts.”

Pettit hopes to find himself in the Premier Lacrosse League or Major League Lacrosse.

“I believe Pettit will be a great fit for the pros because of his passion and the sacrifice he’s made for the game,” said former teammate and current Major League Lacrosse defenseman Eddie Bouhall. “The adversity he’s faced allowed him to expand his love for lacrosse.

“In my opinion, Pettit’s intangibles are what makes him such a unique player,” Bouhall continued. “Other than his extremely skillful plays, he is always working on ways to improve his leadership.

A former MLL standout himself, Cassese has no doubt Pettit will make a great pro.

“Andrew’s skills are undeniable and when healthy, he has been one of the best lefties in the college game over the past several years,” he said. “Andrew is an elite scorer, a sneaky good feeder and is dangerous enough off the dodge to keep you honest.

“But his lacrosse IQ is something that really sets him apart from the pack — his ability to see plays develop, get to the right spots and help others get to the right spots,” Cassese said. “Those intangibles are critical when you get to the professional level, and in that regard, Andrew is as ready as anyone.”

Pettit hopes to be an asset to whatever professional team he plays for, much like he was for Cassese and the Mountain Hawks. In high school, Pettit was highly recruited by many top programs, but was instantly drawn to Lehigh due in large part to the coaching staff.

“I absolutely loved Coach Cassese and the other coaches,” he said. “I visited the school a few times and realized this was the right place.

“I ended up making the right decision.”

“I really want to thank Andrew for deciding to become a Mountain Hawk in the first place,” said Cassese. “I also want to thank him for coming back for his fifth year. He was off to a great start and I’m sad he didn’t get to see it through. Selfishly, I would love to get one more year with him, but I respect his decision to move on.

“Andrew has made a tremendous impact on our program and has left a legacy for his teammates to follow proudly.”