Box Score

Erie, Pa. – Mercyhurst men's soccer won its third consecutive home contest Sunday, Sept 6, opening PSAC West play with a 3-1 victory over visiting Lock Haven. Junior Christoph Hampel scored two goals, including the game-winner, while Nicholas Thompson got the Lakers on the scoreboard in the third minute.

Mercyhurst wasted little time getting into the scoring column in the match, as Thompson took a long diagonal ball from Michael De Rose in the third minute. He then dribbled along the left side and launched a left-footed shot from nearly 30 yards away which found the upper right-hand portion of the net. Thompson's goal, his third of the season, gave the Lakers an early 1-0 edge.

Playing with a lead, Mercyhurst kept up the offensive intensity, generating four shots in a row at the LHU net. Thompson lined up a corner kick at the 14:52 mark, and at 15:02 Hampel knocked in a rebound off of his own header attempt for a 2-0 lead for the home side. Hampel's goal was his first in a Mercyhurst uniform.

Hampel added more offense from the defender position in the 32nd minute. He pounded the rebound from a Michael De Rose shot into the back of the net at 31:55 for his second goal and, more importantly, a 3-0 advantage. On the play, Arash Fahandezh played a short cross to De Rose, who eluded a defender before firing a shot that richocheted off of keeper Chris Custer and onto Hampel's foot.

The teams played scoreless soccer for remainder of the opening 45 minutes, and Mercyhurst held a 3-0 lead at intermission.

Mercyhurst outshot Lock Haven 10-5 in the first half, including 7-1 in shots on target.

Lock Haven committed more players to the attack during the second half in an effort to gain momentum and get back into the game. Lock Haven attempted 17 shots during the second half, eight of which were on target. Laker keeper Diego Gustin made seven key saves in the final 45 minutes. LHU scored their only goal during the 73rd minute, as Greg Shertzer came in alone on Gustin, faking inside before dribbling the ball around the keeper and tapping it into the net for his first goal of 2009.

Only one Lock Haven attempt required a save during the final 15 minutes, and Gustin was up to the challenge. Meanwhile, the Lakers maintained a majority of the possession while protecting their two-goal lead and prevailed 3-1.

With the win, the Lakers improve to 3-1 on the season, including 1-0 in the PSAC Western Division. Lock Haven is now 0-2-1, 0-2 in the PSAC West.

Lock Haven outshot Mercyhurst 22-15 for the game, and 9-8 in shots on goal.

Gustin made eight saves for his third win, while Custer registered eight saves.

Thompson ran his goal-scoring streak to three games, and his three goals on the season tie a career high, set in 2008. Billy Colton was the last Mercyhurst player to record goals in three straight games, doing so Sept. 8 through Sept. 14, 2007.

Hampel is the first Mercyhurst men's soccer player to record his first two Laker goals in the same game since Kurt Young opened his career scoring table with a two-goal game Sept. 3, 2006 against Rockhurst.

Mercyhurst hosts Ohio Valley Wednesday at 4 p.m. in the fourth out of six consecutive home contests for Mercyhurst. The Lakers fell 2-1 at OVU in the final game of the 2008 season.