SWARTHMORE, Pa.—After falling behind 4-1 with 5:46 remaining in the first quarter on Wednesday night, Swarthmore College Men's Lacrosse took a timeout to recuperate. The huddle lit a fire beneath the Garnet, and they went out and scorched the McDaniel College Green Terror for eight straight goals. McDaniel recovered, however, and tied the game after a five-goal spree, but Swarthmore's Matt Johnson scored three times in the fourth quarter to give Swarthmore the 12-11 victory.

Johnson, who scored a team-high four goals, gave Swarthmore the lead back three times in the fourth and sank the game-winner with 7:05 remaining. McDaniel goalie Eric Ritchie left the crease attempting to the clear, but Johnson rushed in and crumpled Ritchie with a check that jarred the ball lose. Johnson scooped up the loose ball and dumped in the go-ahead goal from the doorstep.

Swarthmore goalie Cole Fox turned away two shots on goal in the final seven minutes to lock up the victory. Fox recorded 13 saves in the win.

Nathan Relich posted a game-high six points, dealing out three assists to go along with his three goals. Relich leads the Garnet with 20 goals scored this season.

Braeden DeWan found the back of the net twice, and Cam Marsh, Will Black and Griffin Johnston scored as well.

At the faceoff, both Stephen Ducey and Mike Selverian won seven attempts. Selverian plucked five of the resulting ground balls.

Swarthmore fell behind 2-0 early in the first quarter before Black scored to put Swarthmore on the board with 10:47 to go in the period. McDaniel scored another duo of goals, encouraging the Swarthmore coaching staff to call time out. Less than a minute-and-a-half later, Marsh netted a goal assisted by Relich, and the 8-0 streak was sparked. Relich scored two to close out the first quarter, tying the score at 4-4. After goals by Johnson and DeWan, Relich struck again to complete the hat trick on a man-up opportunity with 8:39 left in the second. DeWan added his second with 5:46 to go, and with 3:04 remaining, Johnston dropped in the eighth goal of Swarthmore's run.

McDaniel tagged a goal with two seconds left in the first half and carried the run into the second half, scoring four unanswered goals in the third to tie the game at 9-9.

Johnson worked quickly in the fourth to put Swarthmore up 10-9 19 seconds into the period. McDaniel's Zach Monzo, who scored four times, traded goals with Johnson to tie the game at 10-10 and then 11-11.

Johnson's heads-up play on the clear was the break Swarthmore needed, helping the Garnet to their second Centennial Conference win of the season. 

Swarthmore (7-4, 2-2 Centennial) plays at Franklin & Marshall on Saturday.