As the Evanston boys lacrosse team entered the final seconds of a back-and-forth battle with a gritty Lane Tech squad that had gone into overtime on Tuesday night, the Kits needed a spark. Senior Sean Kennedy provided it. 

With 1:40 remaining in overtime, tied 8-8, Kennedy did what he had done all night. He drove straight at the Lane Tech defender, made a move, got to the goal, and whipped the ball past a defenseless goalkeeper. The Kits’ bench stormed the field, forgetting the tense and seemingly hopeless moments that had transpired just moments earlier.

The Kits ultimately took home the victory, 9-8, over Lane Tech thanks to Kennedy’s game-winner.

Following a big victory over Hampshire last Friday, Evanston came into the home contest against Lane Tech hoping to find its way to .500 on the season. The game started even, with the teams engaged in a 2-2 deadlock after one quarter. Junior Matt Streicker and sophomore Tommy Allocco scored in the final two minutes of the first to tie the game. In the second frame, the game stayed close with both teams trading blows. It wasn’t until the dying moments of the second quarter when the Kits (2-2) picked up some momentum. With 0:02 seconds on the clock, Kennedy found a soft spot in the Champions’ defense and fired the ball into the net, putting the Kits up, 5-4, heading into halftime. 

The clash continued into the third, with the Champions (1-2) battling back to go up 6-5. That lead wouldn’t last for long, though, because Kennedy stepped up again. With 0:06 seconds showing on Lazier Field’s scoreboard, Kennedy found the net to tie the game at six heading into the final quarter. 

Despite a goal by Allocco early in the fourth, Lane Tech mustered the strength to take back a narrow 8-7 lead. While the Champions attempted to maintain possession in the closing minutes, Evanston got the ball back with around 30 seconds remaining. The Kits drove down the field and called a timeout with 13 seconds left in the game. From there, Kennedy knew what he had to do.

“Coach walked in the huddle and said, ‘You’re getting the ball, you got the matchup, just go,’” Kennedy stated. “And it’s just go time from there. You just gotta go make your dodge, make a move, try to get to open space, just trying to get a goal.”

He came through. With four seconds remaining, Kennedy tied the game at 8-8, pushing the chilly, yet fired-up Kits into a four-minute overtime period, which he would also put his stamp on.

The Evanston squad will carry this game’s momentum into a two-game spring break tournament in Florida. 

“[If] the boys can keep buzzing over there and keep firing to try to build up this chemistry to get something going, it’s gonna be a big trip for us,” Kennedy said. “We’re going to be able to bond together and be able to play more lacrosse, which is going to help us later on in the season.”