ROCKVILLE CENTRE, N.Y. - Exactly one year ago to the day the Mercyhurst men's lacrosse team played their final game of the shortened 2020 season at Molloy College.  Which means it is only fitting that the now fourth-ranked Lakers began their 2021 campaign against the same Lions on the same field.  Today the duo of Caleb Kueber and Devin Pipher accounted for 16 points as the Lakers overcame a slow start to knock off Molloy by a final of 18-5 on Sunday afternoon at the RVC Sports Complex.

Mercyhurst looked to start fast as Shawn Doran won the opening faceoff and Nicholas Bartone let a shot fly just 11-seconds in but was shutdown by Adam Hyman.  Molloy took advantage of their opening possession as Sean Plasencia stepped down the ally and beat Pellicano for the 1-0 lead.  The Lakers cashed in on their first man-up opportunity when Kueber found Nicholas Mabe down the middle and he buried his shot for a 1-1 game.  Nathan Grenon and Peyton Mako were both shutdown by Hyman, before the Lions grabbed a 2-1 edge thanks to Jason Rebaudo with 3:51 left in the first.  Brian Ford added one more and despite the visitors holding a 13-7 shot advantage, eight saves by Hyman
had Molloy ahead 3-1 after one. 

Ben Smith-Wilcox and Kueber opened their 2021 accounts 14-seconds apart as Pipher set both of them up to draw level at 3-3 with 2:38 gone.  Off the ensuing faceoff win by Doran the ball landed in the cross of long-stick Liam Bogedain and he weaved his way through everyone and whipped a shot past Hyman for the Lakers first lead of the season 4-3.  Molloy stopped the visitors three-goal run with a man-up marker by Jack Egan to make it 4-4.  Mercyhurst would reclaim the lead as Kueber completed a second-quarter hat-trick giving his side a 6-4 lead with five minutes remaining.  In the final minute Kueber buried his fourth, followed by Pipher shoveling one over the line from his backside to give the Lakers an 8-4 edge at half. 

It three minutes into the third quarter, before Smith-Wilcox notched his second of the day with a man-up tally after finding a hole in the Lions defense.  The rest of the frame belonged to the keepers as Hyman turned away four attempts, while Pellicano made three saves.  Heading to the fourth it was 9-4 Mercyhurst. 

The Lakers took the opening draw and cashed-in right away as Timothy McMullen walked down the right side and stuck a shot past Hyman for the 10-4 advantage.  A minute later it was Bryce Johnson who hit the twine prompting a Molloy timeout.  At the 6:22 mark Grenon came out of the sub-box and stepped into a right-handed rocket that sailed by Hyman.  Then, on the ensuing possession off a faceoff win by Bo Columbus it was the Pipher-Kueber connection that resulted in his fifth of the afternoon.  With 4:33 to go Molloy tried to make a goalie change in the middle of the play, unfortunately James O'Grady never got to the crease and Gavin Farrell hit the empty net which was followed by Johnson's second of the day making it 15-4.  Gavin Ingalls, Braeden McCard and Kueber would each score one more for the visitors.  Egan completed the scoring by netting the hosts first goal since 8:21 left in the second for the 18-5 final.

Team Stat Pack
Shot Attempts - Hurst, 50 / Molloy, 28 
Shots on Goal - Hurst, 35 / Molloy, 17
Clears - Hurst, 13-15 / Molloy, 17-19
Faceoff Wins - Hurst, 20 / Molloy, 5
Ground Balls - Hurst, 41 / Molloy, 17
Turnovers - Hurst, 20 / Molloy, 20
Man-Up Opportunities - Hurst, 3-5 / Molloy, 2-6

Mercyhurst Individual Stats
Points - Pipher (9), Kueber (7), Johnson (3)
Goals - Kueber (7), Johnson and Smith-Wilcox (2)
Assists - Pipher (8)
Faceoffs - Doran (15-18)
Saves - Pellicano (12)

Molloy Individual Stats
Goals - Egan (2)
Faceoffs - Mauro (3-8)
Saves - Hyman (17)

On Deck 
The Lakers continue their four-game roadtrip next Saturday, March 13th when they head to Rochester to battle Roberts Wesleyan College at 2pm.