The Muhlenberg men's lacrosse team traveled to Maryland and nabbed a crucial 12-8 win over Centennial Conference foe No. 17 Washington College.

The Mules led from Parker Kusko's goal with 10:48 to go in the second period onward over the formerly-first-place Shoremen, but never by more than four. Two dominant Muhlenberg stretches were the difference: a 4-0 run over just under five minutes in the second quarter, and the last 10 minutes of the fourth. Kusko headlined the first stretch, following that initial score up with another one under a minute later and closing out the hat trick three minutes after that. Aidan Fairweather added one of his own at 8:12, giving the Mules goals in four straight minutes and extending their lead to 7-3.

The hosts, who entered with a perfect 3-0 mark in conference action, managed to cut the deficit to one with just three seconds to go in the third.

Connor Sutton, who showed he had a flair for the dramatic with his game-winning goal in the final seconds against 19^th-ranked Cortland earlier this season, scored an amazing goal with about 10 minutes remaining. With the shot clock winding down and the Mules needing a score to cushion their 8-7 lead, Sutton cut to the net looking for a pass. However, the freshman ran into a teammate who had a similar idea, and started to fall as looked to catch the incoming feed. As he was falling, Sutton caught the pass and fired it over his back shoulder in one motion and without looking at the net. Not only did that shot find the back of the cage, it whistled past the goalie and nestled picturesquely into the upper left corner for a spectacular goal.

The Shoremen answered right back with a goal of their own, but the Mules added three more courtesy of Sutton, Flynn Decker, and Fairweather over the final 4:17 to secure the victory.

Jace Riley Day was stout all afternoon long in goal for Muhlenberg; the senior made 19 saves on 27 shots, his second-most in a game all season, and his most in a win all season (he recorded 23 saves in a 10-8 loss to Stevenson in the season opener).

In one fell swoop, the Mules nabbed their first Centennial Conference win of the season and dropped the nationally-ranked Shoremen down to a tie for second.