The Muhlenberg men's lacrosse team had its season end in heartbreaking fashion when Gettysburg scored with 10 seconds left in regulation for a 12-11 win in a Centennial Conference semifinal.

The Mules (9-6) lost despite erasing a three-goal deficit in the fourth quarter and getting a sublime performance from junior James Dalimonte, whose nine points tied a school record and a CC playoff record. His seven goals also tied a CC playoff mark.

The matchup of two regionally ranked teams (Gettysburg fifth, Muhlenberg 10th) played out differently from a 5-3 defensive battle played by the two teams on the same field 10 days earlier. Both teams had more goals by halftime, with the Mules taking a 7-6 lead when Dalimonte scored his fifth goal with just two seconds remaining on the clock.

Neither team led by more than one goal in the first half. The Bullets (12-6) opened the second half on a 5-1 run, however, to open up an 11-8 advantage with 11 minutes left.

Gettysburg won the ensuing faceoff but turned the ball over, and Muhlenberg scored quickly off the clear, with Dalimonte (pictured above) finding graduate student Ethan Grossman alone on the crease for an easy putaway.

After the Bullets won the next faceoff, the Muhlenberg defense forced them to use most of the possession clock. Gettysburg took a shot that was saved by junior Max May with time winding down, and in the scramble for the rebound, the Mules drew a penalty.

The man-up unit took advantage, with Grossman scoring off an assist by junior Jack Kraemer to make it a one-goal game with 7:43 left. The point was the 250th of Grossman's career.

The defense made two more stops, one with a man down, and Muhlenberg – seeking its first CC playoff win ever – tied the score when Dalimonte snuck the ball inside the far post off a pass from senior Matt Marrella with 2:23 on the clock.

The Mules won the next faceoff and took a shot that was saved, setting up Gettysburg for the final possession and go-ahead goal. The Bullets clinched the win by securing the final faceoff as the horn sounded.

Muhlenberg finished the season with an average of 12.27 goals per game, a school record for a season with more than five games.

Of the Mules' six losses, five came to regionally ranked teams, with three of those coming by two goals or fewer.