PHOTO GALLERY

ERIE, Pa. - Junior Ian Wild scored the go-ahead goal with 2:03 remaining in the fourth quarter to send the third-ranked Mercyhurst College men's lacrosse team to its third-straight win, a 10-8 decision over East Coast Conference opponent and seventh-ranked New York Tech on Saturday afternoon at Tullio Field.

Wild's only goal of the afternoon capped off a furious rally that saw the Lakers (10-2, 7-2 ECC) fight back from a three-goal deficit and tie the game twice, before getting their first lead of the game early in the fourth.

Senior Andy Winslow broke a six-all tie when he took a pass from sophomore Brian Scheetz and converted on a man-up opportunity at 13:33. Sophomore James Chayka then made it a two-goal lead shortly after, but back-to-back tallies by Joe Herman evened the score at eight, setting up Wild's eventual game-winner in the final minutes.

Junior Kyle Kallay gave Mercyhurst some insurance 59 seconds later when he scored a rare empty-net goal with NYIT netminder William McGee on the bench in favor of an extra midfielder.

Up until the final quarter, Mercyhurst was forced to play from behind after the Bears rolled out to a 3-1 lead in the first and held a 5-2 edge late in the second. Scheetz and senior Cameron McLean made it a one-goal game at the break with consecutive tallies 10 seconds apart in the final minute.

The Lakers then outscored NYIT 2-1 in the third, with Scheetz tying the game on an unassisted play and Kallay making it a 6-6 game off a pass from senior Kevin Coholan following a Bear goal at the 7:25 mark.

Mercyhurst finished the game with advantages in most of the statistical categories including shots (38-26), ground balls (34-23), face-offs (12-21) and man-up opportunities (4-for-9).

Scheetz led all Mercyhurst players with four points on two goals and two assists. Kallay scored twice as well and added one helper. Coholan and Winslow both scored one goal and added one assist, while freshman Jake McAndrew, McLean and Wild all found the back of the net once.

Senior Zach Nash earned the win for the Lakers with nine saves and two man-up goals allowed.