Limestone in the final four. Just a few years ago, it was almost a virtual lock. Now, the Saints are back under new coach Brendan Storrier.

The Saints led by as many as seven goals in the second half, but held off a furious Wingate rally to win 17-14. Mike McGarry had four goals and an assist in the winning effort.

Six different scorers combined to give Limestone the 6-3 lead after one quarter. McGarry added two of his goals in a second quarter that saw the Saints push their lead to as many as six goals, taking a 10-5 lead at halftime.

After Wingate cut the deficit to three goals, Limestone rallied with five of six to take a 15-8 lead at the end of the third quarter. The Bulldogs wouldn’t go down without a fight, scoring six times in eight minutes, including two from Willie Grieco, to move within 16-14 with 3:28 left.

Limestone won the ensuing faceoff and Grant Rodgers fired home the dagger with 2:17 left.

TAMPA KEEPS UNDEFEATED SEASON GOING

Maryland isn’t the only unbeaten team battling for history this may. Tampa now sits just two games away from completing a perfect 2022 season, despite a test from Lenoir-Rhyne.

The Spartans were tested by the Bears in the NCAA quarterfinals, but a three-goal fourth-quarter run helped give Tampa some breathing room en route to a 13-11 victory. Colin White scored five goals in the victory, the Spartans’ 19th on the season.

Both teams traded multi-goal runs in the first quarter that ended with a 5-4 Tampa lead. White scored his second goal to help the Spartans lead 7-6 at halftime. He added another in a two-goal third quarter to push the Tampa lead to 9-7.

Then, White caught fire at the start of the fourth quarter, scoring twice in a three-goal run that gave Tampa the five-goal lead with 14:02 left. Lenoir-Rhyne got three straight goals in the final eight minutes, but the lead was too large to erase.

Tampa’s Blake Ulmer made 21 saves on 32 shots to keep the Spartans in front throughout the game.

MERCY SURVIVES BACK-AND-FORTH THRILLER

The Mercy Mavericks had their NCAA tournament end before it began in 2021 thanks to a COVID-19 outbreak. They weren’t going to let it end after just one game this time around.

With the score tied late in a battle with Seton Hill, goals by Andrew Calabria and Brady Kearnan combined by a two-goal rally that sealed Mercy’s 11-10 victory over the Griffins to punch a ticket to the final four. Domimic Scorcia had four goals to lead the Mavericks’ offense.

Scorcia had two goals in a hot start for Mercy, which jumped out to a 5-2 lead midway through the second quarter and held it to halftime. Seton Hill opened the third quarter with a three-goal rally thanks to Thomas Hanulak, McGarity Harper and Andy Davis to tie the score a 5-5.

Mercy took another two-goal lead after Scorcia scored twice between the third and fourth quarter. Harper and Hanulak combined to tie the score at 8-8 with 8:51 left. Mercy answered with three out of four goals to take a commanding 11-9 lead with 3:27 left.

Davis scored with 1:36 left to cut the deficit to one goal, but two shots from Zach Estabrooks went wide in the final moments.

DEFENDING CHAMPS BACK IN FINAL FOUR

Le Moyne lost two of its final three games heading into the NCAA tournament — adversity rarely experienced for the Dolphins in their reign of Division II. The opponent in both losses? The Adelphi Panthers, who eventually won the NE-10 title.

Dan Sheehan and his program got another shot at their conference rival in the Division II quarterfinals. Despite trailing by three goals in the first half, Le Moyne found a way, as it often does, en route to a 9-4 victory.

Three different scorers gave Adelphi the early 3-0 lead in the second quarter. Carter Collins and Ben McCreary each scored to pull Le Moyne within a goal, but Michael Paccione scored his second to make it 4-2.

The Dolphins responded with a seven-goal run that last the rest of the game. Le Moyne’s defense shut down a strong Adelphi offense, and six different scorers combined to give the Dolphins the momentum throughout the second half.

Collins finished with a hat trick, while McCreary added two more goals. Adelphi went 0-for-3 on the man-up in the second half.