MIDDLEBURY — The Middlebury College men’s lacrosse team scored twice in the final 17 seconds to knock off visiting NESCAC foe Wesleyan, 10-9, on Saturday.

The Cardinals entered the game ranked No. 6 in NCAA Division III with a 5-1 record, 3-0 in NESCAC play. Wesleyan fell to No. 9 after the setback.

Meanwhile, the Panthers moved over .500 for the first time at 5-4 and improved to 3-2 in NESCAC play. And in the coaches’ poll they moved up one spot to No. 14 heading into two home games this week. Middlebury was set to host Hamilton (3-5, 1-4 NESCAC) on Wednesday after deadline for this issue, and Colby (2-5, 0-5 NESCAC) comes to town on Saturday at 1 p.m.

In the wild finish, Cardinal Ben Burns scored with 1:24 to go after a minute-long possession following a Panther turnover.

In the next 40 seconds, the teams traded turnovers, but the Cardinals’ second miscue gave the Panthers the ball back, and this time they made no mistake.

Panther Cooper DeMallie worked the ball around the back of the net and found Russell Thorndike open 20 yards away from front of the goal, and from there Thorndike ripped a shot into the top right corner.

Wesleyan then won the faceoff. But Panther William Munroe forced a Cardinal turnover near midfield, scooped the ground ball and raced down the field.

With the clock ticking down, Munroe flipped the ball to Billy Curtis bolting toward the net, and Curtis fired the game-winning bouncer over the goal line with two seconds to go.

That dramatic play capped a statistically even game. One team or the other had slight edges in all categories. For example, in shots Middlebury led, 33-30, and in ground balls Wesleyan had the advantage, 28-25. The score was tied at the end of every quarter (3-3 after one, 4-4 at the half, and 6-6 after three periods) — except the fourth. Middlebury goalie Hayden Kerns made eight saves, and Wesleyan’s Conor Selfridge made 10.

Burns led four Cardinal scorers with four goals.

Finding the net for Middlebury were Logan White (three goals, assist), DeMallie (two goals, two assists), Thorndike (two goals, assist), Curtis (two goals), and Nick Marvin (goal, assist). Patrick Jamin chipped in two assists, and Will Spehr caused a team and career-high four turnovers and scooped up three ground balls.