By Gene Robbins, Managing Editor
Christopher Allen of Hillsborough was reaping accolades and record as the senior wound down his college lacrosse career at the Air Force Academy.
The team captain and four-year starter at midfield scored his 100th career point on April 23. On May 5, he scored his 86th goal, making him the all-time goal leader in the history of Air Force lacrosse.
In his four years, the lacrosse team won 41 games, the most won by a class in school history.
On April 30, he was selected for the Southern Conference all-star first team.
Allen, a 2012 graduate of the Peddie School in Hightstown, was one of eight seniors who played their last game on Saturday, May 14, when Air Force’s 15-game win streak came to an end in the Falcons defeat, 15-7, at the hands of Notre Dame, in the first round of the NCAA tournament.
Air Force seniors graduate June 2, and will commission into the Air Force as second lieutenants. The eight on the team impacted the Falcon record books and led the team to a conference title, the longest win streak in Falcons’ history and best season ever. Air Force finished the season at 15-3 overall and was undefeated in the Southern Conference.
Midfielder Allen put the Falcons ahead, 1-0, two minutes into the first quarter Saturday. The Irish responded with two unanswered goals, saw the game tied and then went up by two — and stayed ahead.
Allen had six shots on goal during the game.
Notre Dame is the No. 3 seed in the tournament. The NCAA selection marked the fourth NCAA appearance in Air Force program history and the first time it didn’t have to enter a play-in game.
Going into the tournament Air Force’s win streak was the longest in school history and the longest active streak in the nation. The Falcons had the nation’s best winning percentage (0.882) in the regular season. Of the 15 wins, 10 were by three goals or less, 12 were on the road and four came in overtime.
Before Saturday’s game, Allen was third on the team with 36 points (30 goals, six assists). He was sixth in the conference in goals per game (1.76).
Allen has logged six goals in the last five regular-season games, at least one goal in 12 of the last 13 games and has found the nylon in 15 of 17 games. He scored his 12th career hat trick against Jacksonville on April 30.
Allen was Southern Conference Offensive Player of the Week twice in the season. The Hillsborough native was named to the All-SoCon first team on May 3.
On May 7, Allen was selected to the all-tournament team for the Southern Conference championship tournament, won by the Falcons with a 9-8 victory over Richmond 50 seconds into overtime on May 7.
Air Force reached a ranking of 9th in the country, an all-time high for the program, at one point this season.
