James Shipley was a two-time All-American at Weddington (N.C.), a school just minutes from downtown Charlotte where he won three state championships and became a highly-touted recruit. Now a junior for Penn men's lacrosse, Shipley must have had Saturday's matchup against Penn State at the Crown Lacrosse Classic circled on his calendar.
The battle for Pennsylvania, ironically, took place at Memorial Stadium in Charlotte, the city that helped make Shipley the player he is today.
With the game tied and the seconds ticking down, Shipley delivered a moment he won't soon forget. Tynan Walsh found a cutting Shipley, who fired home the game-winning goal with one second remaining to seal Penn's 10-9 victory over Penn State in a thrilling Crown Lacrosse Classic matchup. In a game that featured no lead larger than two goals, Shipley sent the crowd of nearly 2,000 and the Penn bench into a frenzy.
JAMES SHIPLEY BEATS THE BUZZER.
— USA Lacrosse Magazine (@USALacrosseMag) March 5, 2022
He gives @PennMensLax the 10-9 win with one second remaining at @TheCrownLax. pic.twitter.com/BnApYW8ZlL
After a back-and-forth first quarter, Jack Kelly and Mac Costin went back-to-back to give Penn State a 4-2 lead midway through the second quarter. Penn found its spark shortly after, scoring three goals in the final three minutes of the first half to take a lead into the break, and adding another Dylan Gergar score out of the break. Gergar finished with four goals, including three straight separated by halftime.
Down two goals, Costin and Mark Sickler combined to bring Penn State back with a pair of third-quarter tallies. At 6-6, the Quakers and Nittany Lions traded goals through the end of the game, with Shipley and Sam Handley scoring twice in the second half. Sickler tied the score at 9-9 with 4:55 left, and despite getting five shots off in the final minutes, it was Shipley who finished before the buzzer to give Penn the crucial win.