No. 8 Army Falls Late at Lafayette, Drops First Game of 2026 Season 10–9

Black Knights lose fourth‑quarter lead despite Fountain’s four goals and Plunkett’s hat trick

By J.J. Pavlick | Easton, Pa. | March 6, 2026

For nearly 45 minutes, No. 8 Army West Point looked like the steadier, deeper, more disciplined team. But in the final stretch of a tense Patriot League road matchup, Lafayette found another gear, and Army couldn’t match it. Unfortunately, Army dropped a game they should’ve won on the road to a rival; this one will sting for a bit.

The Black Knights surrendered four unanswered goals in the fourth quarter, including two in seven seconds, falling 10–9 at Fisher Stadium and taking their first loss of the 2026 season.

Army (6–1, 1–1 Patriot League) led in nearly every statistical category: shots (46–32), shots on goal (28–20), ground balls (29–27), clears (21–19), faceoffs (14–9), and caused turnovers (10). But the only number that mattered belonged to Lafayette (5–2, 1–0), which outscored Army 4–1 in the final frame and closed the game with a surge that flipped the night on its head.

Senior attackman Brayden Fountain delivered four goals and five points, while Hill Plunkett added a hat trick. But Army’s offense stalled late, and Lafayette capitalized on every mistake.

Army Starts Fast — and Gets a Goal From an Unlikely Source

The Army Black Knights opened the night with the urgency of a team intent on staying unbeaten. Just 43 seconds in, Hill Plunkett buried his 12th of the season off a ground ball win from Robert Simone.

Then came the moment that electrified the sideline: senior goalkeeper Sean Byrne scored from the Army 25‑yard line while man‑down at 11:17, ripping a long‑range shot into an empty cage to make it 2–0. It was the second goal of Byrne’s career and a jolt of momentum for the Black Knights.

Lafayette responded with three straight goals to take a 3–2 lead, but Army countered with a pair of sharp, composed possessions. Fountain tied it at 3–3 off a feed from Tyler Clark, then returned the favor with a cross‑crease pass to Plunkett for a 4–3 lead at the end of the first.

Fellows Hits 100 Career Goals, Army Controls the Second Quarter

The second quarter opened with a milestone. Gunnar Fellows scored his 100th career goal just 1:12 into the frame, becoming the latest Black Knight to reach the century mark.

Fountain added his second of the night at 8:59, and after Lafayette cut the deficit to 6–4, Fountain completed his hat trick with two minutes left in the half. Army carried a 7–4 lead into the break and looked firmly in control.

A Defensive Third Quarter Sets the Stage for Trouble

Both defenses tightened after halftime. Shot‑clock violations, failed clears, and physical midfield play defined the third quarter.

Lafayette struck twice in 35 seconds to pull within one, but Plunkett answered with his third of the night, a man‑up finish at 4:34 to restore an 8–6 lead.

Army entered the fourth quarter ahead, but the momentum had shifted.

Lafayette’s Fourth‑Quarter Surge Flips the Game

The Leopards scored 30 seconds into the fourth to make it 8–7, and the pressure mounted. Army’s offense generated looks but couldn’t finish, and Lafayette’s defense forced turnovers at key moments.

With seven minutes left, Lafayette tied the game at 8–8. Four minutes later, the game unraveled.

At 4:07, Joseph Duggan scored unassisted to give Lafayette its first lead since the opening quarter. Seven seconds later, Nick Faccone won the faceoff clean and scored immediately, pushing the Leopards ahead 10–8.

Army fought back. Fountain scored his fourth of the night at 2:03, cutting the deficit to one. The Black Knights generated three more shots in the final minute — including a clean look from Fellows — but Lafayette goalkeeper Joe Doherty (19 saves) turned them away.

Army’s final possession ended with a save at the horn, and the sour taste of defeat after battling hard all night long, losing to a foe they would’ve rather taken down.

NOTES

• Army led in shots (46–32), shots on goal (28–20), ground balls (29–27), clears (21–19), faceoffs (14–9), and caused turnovers (10).
• Gunnar Fellows scored his 100th career goal.
• Brayden Fountain led Army with four goals and five points.
• Hill Plunkett recorded his second hat trick of the season.
• Robert Simone led all players with eight ground balls.
• Drew Miller and Tommy Stines tied for a game‑high two caused turnovers.

UP NEXT

Army travels to Boston University on Saturday, March 14, for a 12 p.m. ET Patriot League matchup.

Army didn’t get beaten because it lacked effort; it got beaten because Lafayette found answers in the final minutes, and the Black Knights didn’t match them. Losses like this reveal as much as wins, and if you want coverage that actually reflects the stakes—the details, the context, the truth—our newsletter is just $2 for the entire year.

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