Erie, Pa. – Sophomore Billy Colton netted his first of two goals only 41 seconds into the match as the Mercyhurst men's soccer team posted a 3-0 home victory over Lake Erie College Wednesday afternoon.

 

Mercyhurst, No. 4 in the Atlantic region, moves to 2-0-1 with the win, while Lake Erie is now 0-5.

 

In the first minute of action, Colton received a long through-ball in flight from Tyler Emerick and promptly dribbled the ball several yards before blasting a shot past Storm goalkeeper Nick Teriaca. The goal was Colton's second on the season.

 

The quick strike by Colton seemed to signal a blowout from the outset. However, the Lakers were held to only one shot on goal the rest of the opening half, and the score remained 1-0.

 

Mercyhurst started off the second half the same as the first, with Colton scoring just 1:04 into the second stanza. The Lakers shot the ball into the box, and a scramble ensued. Colton pounced on a rebound and fired it from close range past Teriaca, giving Mercyhurst a 2-0 advantage. The unassisted goal was Colton's second for the match and third on the season.

 

Sophomore Michael De Rose added a late goal for the Lakers on a skillful breakaway, as he dribbled between several Lake Erie defenders before striking the ball from the top of the 18-yard box. His shot proved true, finding the back of the net at 82:17. The goal was the first for DeRose in his Mercyhurst career.

 

The Laker defense was strong in this contest, allowing few good looks at the goal. Goalkeeper Danny Mudd made two saves in the second half to preserve the shutout, his second this season and 16^th for his career.

 

Mercyhurst held a distinct advantage in shots (21-6) and shots on goal (9-2) for the match, as the Lakers had much better possession and buildup than the Storm during the contest.

 

Mercyhurst will continue its five-game homestand Saturday at 3:00 p.m., hosting Alderson-Broaddus.