RADNOR, Pa. -- The Grove City College men's lacrosse team closed the 2021 season Saturday afternoon by dropping a 21-11 decision at defending national champion Cabrini in the first round of the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament, hosted by Cabrini at Edith Robb Field. 

Grove City rallied from an early 5-1 hole to tie the game by halftime. However, Cabrini outscored the Wolverines, 7-1, in the pivotal fourth quarter. 

Junior midfielder Brett Gladstone (Marriottsville, Md./Marriotts Ridge) paced Grove City by firing in a game-high six goals. Junior attack Blaise Bishop (Glen Ellyn, Ill./Glenbard West) scored twice while juniors Addison Bennett (Haddonfield, N.J./Haddonfield), Grant Evans (Pittsburgh, Pa./Upper Saint Clair) and Michael La Forte (Waterford, Conn./Waterford) also scored goals. 

Sophomore James Petrolle (Damascus, Md./Damascus) assisted three Grove City goals. Bennett, Gladstone and La Forte all tallied assists. 

Cabrini (11-2) grabbed a 5-1 lead one minute into the second quarter before Grove City stormed back. Gladstone pumped in three straight goals in the span of 100 seconds, slashing the lead to 5-4. The teams then alternated goals before the Wolverines forged an 8-8 tie. Gladstone scored an unassisted goal at the 2:03 mark, cutting the margin to 8-7. La Forte's man-up goal with 1:25 left in the half tied the game.

Cabrini opened the third quarter with six consecutive goals but Grove City countered with two goals in a 14-second span. Gladstone scored with 1:50 left in the period and Bishop scored 14 seconds later after an assist from Bennett. 

Evans led Grove City with 14 ground balls. Sophomore defender Bailey Decker (Howard, Pa./Bellefonte) and senior midfielder Jared Hurd (Spring Mills, Pa./Penns Valley) each picked up seven ground balls. Sophomore goalie Jack Petit (Pensacola, Fla./West Florida High School of Advanced Technology) added six ground balls and Bennett recorded four ground balls. 

Hurd caused three turnovers and junior defender Cody Adams (Pullman, Wash./Pullman) caused a pair of turnovers.

Petit stopped 14 shots in 54:17 of action. Junior R.J. Miller (Doylestown, Pa./Central Bucks East) played the final 5:43 in goal. 

Cabrini outshot Grove City, 60-27. Grove City had 32 turnovers while Cabrini committed 18 turnovers. The Wolverines held a 46-45 edge in ground balls. Grove City went 4 for 4 in man-up opportunities while Cabrini converted 2 of 3 chances. 

Saturday's game marked the first meeting between the programs. Cabrini, the 2019 NCAA Division III champions, will host Salisbury in Sunday's second round. Salisbury downed S.U.N.Y.-Poly in Saturday's first tilt, 30-3.

Hurd, Aidan Morse (Lynchburg, Va./New Covenant) and Patrick Mark (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla./Wellington) comprise Grove City's senior class.