ERIE, Pa. - The ninth-ranked Mercyhurst University men's soccer team opened up its 2015 season with a 3-0 setback at the hands of second-ranked University of Charleston on Thursday afternoon at the Mercyhurst Soccer Field. The game was the season opener for both teams.

The Lakers could not generate much in the way of offense against a stifling Golden Eagle defense, attempting just four shots for the entire contest. Mercyhurst's best opportunities to score came in the opening ten minutes of the game. Senior Richard Vanhorne had the first chance just seven minutes in, but his header sailed over the crossbar. Then, just three minutes later, redshirt senior Mark Roche ripped a turnaround shot from just outside the box that missed the far goalpost by inches.

Charleston took advantage of the missed opportunities, getting the only goal of the first half on a penalty kick from Will Roberts in the 15th minute. Redshirt sophomore Michael Lennox was whistled for a yellow card inside the box on a corner kick giving the Golden Eagles the penalty kick chance. Junior goalkeeper Nicholas Smith guessed the right direction, but the well-placed shot by Roberts beat the Laker netminder for the first goal of the afternoon.

The Golden Eagles increased their lead to 2-0 when Patrick Guier chipped an outlet pass to Augusto Maciel, who got behind the Laker defense and flipped a shot over Smith for the breakaway tally in the 62nd minute. Renan Ramos scored the final goal of the afternoon in the 80th minute, hammering a shot from outside the box that found its way into the top right corner of the Laker goal.

Mercyhurst had all four of its shot attempts come in the opening half with two of those finding their way on goalkeeper Fabian Veit. Lennox and graduate student Thom Derks had the only shots on goal for the Lakers. Charleston had six shot attempts in both the first and second halves with seven of its dozen shots for the game on goal. Smith was credited with four saves in suffering his first loss of the season.

Charleston also held a sizeable, 6-1, advantage in corner kicks for the contest.

Mercyhurst will look to earn its first victory of the young season, and the first victory under first-year head coach Nenad Vidakovic, when it entertains Notre Dame College at the Mercyhurst Soccer Field on Saturday, September 5. The Lakers have ended the Falcons' season in each of the last two years in the second round of the NCAA Division II playoffs. Start time is scheduled for 2:30 p.m.