Box Score

For the Merciad Game of the Week video recap, please click here.

Erie, Pa. – The Mercyhurst men's soccer team clinched the PSAC West regular season title with a 2-1 victory over No. 11 Slippery Rock Tuesday, Oct. 27. The Lakers scored once in each half, with Billy Colton providing the game-winner in the 80th minute. This marks the team's first PSAC West regular season championship.

With the win, the Lakers have earned the No. 1 seed in the PSAC West for the conference tournament. They will host Slippery Rock Wednesday, Nov. 4 at 1 p.m. in the PSAC semifinal.

The Lakers last won a championship in 2006, when they claimed the GLIAC title for the 10th time in 11 seasons.

Mercyhurst is 14-4 on the season, and 7-1 in PSAC West play. The Rock falls to 15-3, 5-2 in divisional contests. 

The first half produced a 1-1 score, and the Lakers looked to capitalize on continued chances during the second session. Slippery Rock played the entire second half a man down, as Kennth Fultz was red-carded during the 41st minute. With the man-power advantage, the Lakers had more time and space with which to work in the midfield.

In the 53rd minute, Jeremy Deighton was booked with a red card, forcing The Rock to play with nine men against Mercyhurst's 11. The Lakers earned the lead in the 80th minute, as Billy Colton settled a ball near the top of the box and fired it low to the left corner of the net for a 2-1 lead. Colton's goal gave him 12 for the season.

Slippery Rock continued to battle, despite the disadvantage. The Rock earned a couple close set pieces, and nearly scored off of a corner kick in the 88th minute, as three shots were stopped, the first two deflected by Diego Gustin and the third cleared by a Laker defender. Mercyhurst held off the late charge and won the match, 2-1.

For the game, The Rock outshot Mercyhurst 20-16, including 8-6 in shots on goal. Slippery Rock took seven corner kicks to the Lakers' one. SRU was booked with four yellows and three red cards, while Mercyhurst drew three yellow cards.

Gustin made six saves for his 13th win of the season. Blum made four stops in the defeat.

Slippery Rock wasted no time entering the scoring column, as Thomas Pool scored off of a corner kick a the 0:58 mark, with Patrick Conley providing the assist. The Rock continued to pressure while holding a 1-0 advantage, outshooting the Lakers 11-6 during the first half.

Late in the first session, Michael De Rose scored a brilliant equalizing goal, which started from the midfield. Nicholas Thompson passed to Eric Steinmetz, who lofted a short cross into the box. With keeper Greg Blum off his line, De Rose chipped a breathtaking header high and into the net at 40:11.

Mercyhurst is 10-1 at home this season, tying the program record originally set in 1998, when the Lakers went 10-0-1 at home on the way to a 17-4-1 record and the program's second of three NCAA semifinal appearances.

The Lakers have earned a series split with The Rock so far this season, as each team won 2-1 on its home pitch.

Colton scored his 12th goal of the season, giving him 42 for his career. His 91 career points are one shy of Gary Weber for fourth place all-time. He netted his fifth game-winner on the season, a new career-best, and second in as many games.

Mercyhurst will host its first conference tournament game Wednesday, as the GLIAC did not have a conference postseason tournament until 2007.

De Rose is the 10th Laker to score a goal this season, matching the number of Mercyhurst players to score a goal last season.

The Lakers will next play at Lake Erie Friday, Oct. 30 at 3 p.m. Mercyhurst downed the Storm 3-0 Sept. 10, 2008 at Mercyhurst Soccer Field.