University of Richmond Athletics
University of Richmond
14-2, 6-0
Duke
10-4, 3-1
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duke | 3 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 14 |
| Richmond | 2 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 12 |
Spiders Fall 14–12 to Duke in NCAA First Round as Historic Season Concludes
05/10/2026 | Men's Lacrosse
Richmond, Va. — The University of Richmond men's lacrosse team's historic 2026 season came to a close Saturday night at Robins Stadium as the Spiders fell 14-12 in the NCAA Tournament First Round. The Spiders and Blue Devils battled back and forth in front of a record-setting crowd of 6,805 fans—both the highest-attended Richmond lacrosse game and the highest-attended first round game in NCAA history. It was a fitting backdrop for a season defined by historic moments and milestones for the program, which culminated in the No. 2-ranked and fourth-seeded Spiders hosting an NCAA Tournament game at Robins Stadium for the first time.
Richmond was led offensively by Gavin Creo, who scored four goals, while Aidan O'Neil added a goal and two assists for three points. O'Neil's third point of the night — a strike off a cage-to-cage heave from Nate Murphy late in the third quarter — gave him 79 points on the season, breaking Richmond's single-season program points record. Joe Sheridan and Daniel Picart each contributed two goals, Leo Caine added one, Lucas Littlejohn finished with a goal and an assist, and Murphy recorded an assist.
Defensively, Connor Knight made 12 saves in goal. The Spiders were efficient in the clearing game, finishing 25-of-26 on clears, while Duke went 17-of-19. The teams were nearly even in turnovers, with Richmond committing 13 and Duke 14. The Spiders forced eight Blue Devil turnovers, led by Jack Pilling with three caused turnovers.
The largest statistical discrepancy came in possession, where Duke ultimately controlled the game by winning the ground ball battle 35-27 and going 21-for-28 at the faceoff X, helping tilt field position throughout the contest.
The game featured constant momentum swings, with Duke holding a clear edge in possession but Richmond consistently maximizing its opportunities to stay in the game throughout, and even building a 12-9 lead with 11:22 remaining in the fourth quarter.
"It's a game of runs and who can control those runs and the overall pace of the game," said Creo. "I think Duke did a better job of that today, and that's definitely something we can learn from."
Richmond struck first in the opening quarter with Joe Sheridan's goal, but Duke quickly responded and ultimately closed the period on a late push, including a goal in the final seconds to take a 3-2 lead after one. The Blue Devils' faceoff advantage helped them settle into rhythm, but Richmond stayed close by finishing early chances efficiently.
The second quarter continued the pattern of trading runs. Duke stretched the lead to 4-2, but Richmond answered with goals from Lucas Littlejohn and Brayden Penafeather-Stevenson to pull back within one. Duke again had the final say before halftime, scoring late to carry a 6-4 advantage into the break.
Duke pushed the margin to 7-4 early in the third, but Richmond responded with a sustained surge, stringing together goals from Creo, Caine, Sheridan, and Picart to even the game. The Spiders then completed the turnaround in dramatic fashion when Aidan O'Neil scored off a full-field assist from Nate Murphy at the end of the quarter, giving Richmond a 10-9 lead heading into the fourth and erupting the home crowd.
In the final period, Richmond pushed the margin to 12-9 behind two early goals from Creo, but Duke responded with a decisive late surge. The Blue Devils scored the final five goals of the game over the last 8:36, erasing the deficit and pulling away for the 16-14 win.
Richmond's season ends with a program-high tying 14 wins and just two losses—the fewest in any season in program history.
