With the game on the line, Loyola Maryland's Pat Spencer showed why he is one of the best attackmen in the game despite being only a freshman.

Spencer (Boys' Latin) had three of his six assists in the fourth quarter, including one on the game-winner, as the No. 13 Greyhounds defeated Boston University, 13-12, on Saturday before an announced crowd of nearly 1,000 at Ridley Athletic Complex.

Zach Herreweyers took a feed from Spencer just outside the crease and scored with nine seconds left to finish Loyola's comeback as the Greyhounds (9-3) outscored the Terriers (8-5) in the fourth quarter 6-2.

The goal came during an extra-man opportunity after BU coach Ryan Polley was called for a one-minute unsportsmanlike-conduct penalty with 16.9 seconds left in the game. According to Polley, he was arguing that Loyola should have been penalized on a play that led to the Greyhounds' decisive possession.

“I am frustrated with our composure, frustrated with myself in getting that last penalty,” Polley said. “We have to be better in those situations, but I thought it was a blatant push in the corner.”

The Terriers would have won if they had an answer for Spencer. They stopped him by sliding hard to him, but he penalized the double teams by finding open teammates.

“He is a great player,” Polley said of Spencer. “No question, he is the best rookie in the league, might be the best attackman in the league. His decision-making is superb. His ball-carrying ability is superb. His ability to create his own shots and get his teammates involved are at the highest level.”

In addition to assisting on Herreweyers' winning goal, Spencer had an assist on attackman Zach Sirico's goal that tied the game at 12 with 4:05 left, and on another goal by Herreweyers that pulled Loyola within 12-11 with 5:12 remaining.

Spencer has 31 assists this season and Herreweyers has 18 goals, four of which he scored Saturday. Sirico and midfielder Brian Sherlock also had three goals.

“With our backs against the wall, we needed the run that we got, and I'm proud of the way our guys stayed together,” Loyola coach Charley Toomey said. “We have to be able to handle other team's runs, and we did that. ”

But there was little else Toomey was happy about. Loyola took 47 shots but scored only 13 goals. At times, it looked as if the Greyhounds were playing catch with the goalie.

“It was like having a turnover,” Toomey said.

The Greyhounds had 11 of those. BU also won 16 of 28 faceoffs and controlled the tempo. In the third quarter, when the Terriers outscored Loyola 6-2, the Greyhounds took only seven shots.

Loyola was slow to slide, and freshman goalie Jacob Stover struggled, finishing with just seven saves.

“I don't know if the right team won today,” Toomey said. “I give BU a lot of credit. They had a good game plan. They had us back on our heels, and they took it to us. We really weren't crisp, not like we need to be at this point.”

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