BOSTON – The U.S. Military Academy scored twice in less than 90 seconds late in the fourth quarter on Friday to provide enough cushion for a 14-13 victory over Loyola University Maryland in the Patriot League Semifinals at Nickerson Field.
 
The Black Knights first built a two-goal lead on three-straight goals earlier in the quarter with Bobby Abshire scoring his second during the stretch at 8:29 to make it 12-10 in their favor.
 
Evan James caught a hard feed from Davis Lindsey amongst interior traffic, and his shot found the net to score at 4:35, bringing the gap back to one.
 
Matt Heuston then got his hands free on the run and scored his second of the day, just 20 seconds later, and the game was tied for the third time in the second half.
 
Less than a minute after Heuston's goal, however, Gunnar Philipp flipped a pass from the left side to Paul Johnson in the middle, and Johnson connected for a goal that put the 16^th-ranked Black Knights back in front, 13-12, at 3:18. Brendan Nichtern then stretched the advantage to a pair with an unassisted goal at 1:51.
 
Bailey Savio won the ensuing faceoff for the Greyhounds, but after Army West Point goalkeeper Wyatt Schulper made a save in goal, the Black Knights forced a Loyola turnover, and they attempted to clear the ball to the offensive end.
 
Loyola rode the ball back, causing a turnover with under 30 seconds to play. The Greyhounds cleared to offense, and Aidan Olmstead scored from a Lindsey feed with 5.5 seconds left. Savio again came up with the faceoff win, but there was not enough time left to get off a quality offensive possession.
 
Evan James had four points on three goals and an assist, while Kevin Lindley scored three times for the Greyhounds. Lindsey had three assists, and Adam Poitras tallied two goals and an assist. Olmstead and Heuston each scored twice.
 
Loyola jumped out to a 4-0 lead as James scored 34 seconds into the contest and again at 8:46 in the first quarter. Lindley then scored at 2:40, and Heuston swept to the left and scored with 27 ticks left in the frame.
 
The Black Knights came back with the first three of the second quarter before Poitras and Olmstead scored for the Greyhounds. Army West Point, however, scored the final two of the half, and Loyola led, 6-5, at the break.
 
Seth Higgins scored unassisted 1:07 into the second half, but Army West Point scored off the ensuing faceoff seven seconds later.
 
The teams traded goals, and a Poitras tally off James' assist gave Loyola a 9-7 lead with 9:12 left in the third quarter.
 
Abshire and Nichtern scored unassisted at 8:11 and 6:39, tying the game at 9-9.
 
Lindley scored on extra-man 1:21 into the fourth quarter to give Loyola a 10-9 edge, but Army scored less than a minute later to start its 3-0 run.
 
Savio went 16-31 on faceoffs with 10 ground balls. Savio finished his Loyola career with 808 faceoff wins and 472 ground balls, both Loyola and Patriot League career records. He finished 10^th in NCAA Division I history in faceoff wins and tied for 11^th.
 
Lindley ended with 196 career goals, also Loyola and Patriot League records, and a total that is ninth in NCAA history. Olmstead is the third player in school history to post 200 or more points and have 100-plus goals and more than 100 assists. He tallied 111 goals, 113 assists and 224 points.