ERIE, Pa. - The ninth-ranked Mercyhurst University men's soccer team fell to 0-2 to start the 2015 campaign after dropping a 3-1 decision against 24th-ranked Notre Dame College on Saturday afternoon at the Mercyhurst Soccer Field. The Falcons improved to 2-0 on the young season.

The visitors wasted little time getting on the scoreboard as Declan McGivern beat Mercyhurst junior goalkeeper Nicholas Smith off of a throw in just 6:22 into the match. Felipe Silva was credited with the assist.

Mercyhurst scored its first goal of the young season when junior Joseph Korb got a shot behind Notre Dame goalkeeper Spencer Semple in the 22nd minute to tie the contest at 1-1. Senior Richard Vanhorne sent a pass from the left side to the middle of the box and Korb did the rest, firing a shot that beat the Falcon goalkeeper on the right side.

The teams headed to the locker room knotted at 1-1 with Notre Dame outshooting Mercyhurst, 9-6, and holding a 4-2 advantage in corner kicks through the opening 45 minutes.

Again, the Falcons took little time at the outset of the second half to recapture the lead. McGivern was able to beat Smith just 5:53 into the second stanza when he headed a shot off of a corner kick from Reece Daly. Arthur Favero then buried a rebound past Smith less than 14 minutes later for the final tally of the contest. Leonardo Paiva picked up the assist.

Mercyhurst, similar to its season opener against second-ranked Charleston on Thursday, was stymied in the second half. The Lakers attempted just two shots in the second half against the Falcons, with only senior Sten Marcson getting one on Semple. Meanwhile, the Falcons were limited to just four shot attempts and one corner kick in the second 45 minutes, but Notre Dame scored on two of those shots and capitalized on its only corner of the second half.

All told, Notre Dame held an advantage in shots, 13-8, but Mercyhurst held a 6-5 advantage in corner kicks.

Smith dropped to 0-2 on the season and was credited with four saves in the loss. Semple picked up the win for Notre Dame College, stopping three Laker shots in the victory.

Mercyhurst will open conference play next Friday, September 11, and Saturday, September 12, with a pair of matches at the Mercyhurst Soccer Field. The Lakers will entertain West Chester University on Friday at 3:30 p.m. and then Bloomsburg will come to town on Saturday, also for a 3:30 p.m. contest. The Lakers were predicted to defend their Pennsylvania State Athletic Conferece (PSAC) crown according to the annual coaches' poll released last month.