GARDEN CITY, N.Y. – No. 5 Mercyhurst outscored No. 9 Adelphi 11-3 in the second half to overcome a 7-6 deficit and hand the Panthers a 17-10 loss in both teams' conference opener. 

Michael Sciulli helped break the game open when he erupted for three of the Lakers (4-1, 1-0 ECC) six goals in the third quarter while Mike Thon and Gregory Bensman contributed two goals each in the final stanza to preserve the lead. The Lakers also benefitted from four goals by Cameron McLean and two from Michael Dugan. 

Kevin Kemp paced Aldephi (3-3, 0-1 ECC) with four goals. 

Before its third quarter outburst, Mercyhurst jumped out to a 3-0 lead thanks to goals by Sciulli, McLean and Dugan before Adelphi's Andrew Ashkenazy added a goal with just under two minutes in the first quarter to cut the Lakers' lead to 3-1. 

Mercyhurst quickly fired back under a minute into the second stanza on a goal by Ian Wild, while McLean's second goal of the contest stretched the Lakers lead to 5-1 before Dugan would find the back of the net again, making it 6-3 after Panthers goals by Eddie Ege and Matthew Sagistano. 

However, Adelphi rallied to post four straight goals in the final five minutes of the half to take a 7-6 lead at the break. 

Jason LaShomb posted six saves in the cage while counterpart Zachary Bates made eight in the losing effort. 

The Lakers are next in action when they travel to Wheeling Jesuit for a 4 p.m. contest on March 25.