ERIE, Pa. — The Mercyhurst men's lacrosse team (1-3, 0-0 NEC) secured a 10-8 victory over Canisius (0-2, 0-0 MAAAC) on Tuesday at Saxon Stadium. The Lakers capitalized on their opportunities, scoring four goals in the first quarter and maintaining a lead throughout the game.

The Lakers opened the first quarter assertively, with Brice Beetow securing the initial faceoff. Josh Mills capitalized early with a goal at 12:00, assisted by Dj Neer, giving him his fifth of the season. The home team maintained pressure, with Tomaso Biron extending the lead to 2-0 at 7:12, courtesy of an assist by Robert Madden. This marked Biron's first career goal.

The Golden Griffins responded with a goal by Quinn Little at 6:06, narrowing the gap. However, Mercyhurst quickly regained their momentum as Mason Blakeman scored twice, first unassisted at 4:34, then again at 3:06 with Madden providing another assist. The quarter concluded with the Green and Blue leading 4-1.

The Lakers maintained momentum at the start of the second quarter with Lincoln Davidson scoring a goal assisted by Keenan De Wit, extending the lead. Griffin Stevens excelled in faceoffs, winning possession for the team and allowing it to control the pace early in the quarter. Despite a turnover during an extra-man opportunity, the Lakers' defense held firm, with Tyler Moritzen making crucial saves to deny Canisius any scoring chances.

As the quarter progressed, both teams experienced numerous turnovers and penalties, but the Green and Blue's defense, led by Dennis Cole Jr.'s caused turnover, kept Canisius at bay. Moritzen continued his strong performance in goal, making multiple saves to preserve the shutout for the quarter. The quarter closed with the Lakers leading 5-1, maintaining a comfortable four-goal advantage.

Mason Blakeman found the net early in the third quarter with an assist from Ryan Mahoney, extending the lead for the Lakers. The Golden Griffins quickly responded with two goals, leveling the score and heightening the tension. Robert Madden then capitalized on a man-up opportunity with under a minute remaining, pushing Mercyhurst ahead again.

Despite a late goal by Canisius in the final seconds, the Lakers maintained their lead through the end of the quarter. The scoreboard closed with Mercyhurst leading 7-5, setting the stage for the final quarter.

The Lakers began the fourth quarter with a defensive save by Moritzen, setting the stage for a strong offensive push. Darrin Santos capitalized on a clear attempt, scoring his third goal of the season at 9:59. Momentum continued with Madden, assisted by Neer, extending the lead with a goal at 6:13. Mahoney followed with another goal, bringing the Lakers' advantage to 10-5.

Canisius responded with a goal from Alexis Simard at 5:07, followed by another from Carson Christy at 1:05, narrowing the gap. However, Mercyhurst maintained pressure, despite Canisius scoring a man-up goal by Quinn Huber with 36 seconds left. The quarter concluded with the Green and Blue maintaining a 10-8 lead.

Blakeman led the team with three goals on four shots, including one unassisted and one from open play. Madden contributed with two goals and two assists, finding the net twice from his three attempts. Mills added a goal to his tally, successfully converting one of his four shots. In goal, Moritzen made 12 saves from 35 shots faced, helping secure the team's defensive efforts. Cole Jr. caused a team high four turnovers

Mercyhurst has an overall record of 1-3. Canisius holds an overall record of 1-1. 

The Lakers will travel to Charlotte, NC as they face Queens on Sunday.