No. 6 Penn State Men's Lacrosse Falls To No. 16 Johns Hopkins 11-10 In Heartbreaking Loss

Nittany Lions squander five-goal lead in second half

Apr. 4, 2026 at 6:51pm

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No. 6 Penn State men's lacrosse (6-4, 2-1 Big Ten) fell to No. 16 Johns Hopkins (7-3, 2-1 Big Ten) after giving up a five-goal lead in the second half, losing 11-10 in a heartbreaking defeat.

Why it matters

This loss is a tough blow for the Nittany Lions, who were looking to maintain their strong position in the Big Ten standings. The team's inability to hold onto a sizable lead will be a point of focus as they look to rebound and get back on track for the rest of the season.

The details

Penn State jumped out to a 7-4 halftime lead, but went on a 22-minute scoring drought in the second half that allowed Johns Hopkins to storm back and take an 11-9 lead late in the fourth quarter. Despite a late goal from Chase Robertson to make it 11-10, Penn State couldn't find the equalizer in the final seconds.

  • Penn State led 7-4 at halftime.
  • Johns Hopkins scored four unanswered goals in the third quarter to tie the game at 8-8.
  • Johns Hopkins took an 11-9 lead with 10:51 remaining in the fourth quarter.
  • Chase Robertson scored with 3:34 left to make it 11-10, but Penn State couldn't find the tying goal.
  • The game ended with Johns Hopkins winning 11-10.

The players

Chase Robertson

Scored a hat trick for Penn State, including a late goal to make it 11-10.

Preston Hawkins

Penn State's goaltender who made several key saves to keep the team in the game.

Luke Walstrum

Penn State midfielder who scored a goal after returning from an apparent injury.

Hunter Chauvet

Johns Hopkins attackman who scored three goals to lead the Blue Jays' comeback.

Michael Farone

Penn State midfielder who scored one of the team's early goals.

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What they’re saying

“We had them on the ropes, but just couldn't finish it off. This one is going to sting for a while, but we have to regroup and get ready for Michigan next week.”

— Chase Robertson, Penn State Midfielder

What’s next

Penn State will look to bounce back when they host Michigan at 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 11, at Panzer Stadium.

The takeaway

This heartbreaking loss for Penn State highlights the importance of maintaining focus and intensity for a full 60 minutes, especially against top-ranked opponents. The Nittany Lions will need to learn from this experience and find a way to close out games if they hope to make a deep postseason run.