Wingate, N.C.----The  12th-ranked Mercyhurst University Lakers were led by Devin Pipher's seven points on the afternoon, en route to a 14-8 victory over the 17th-ranked  Wingate University Bulldogs in NCAA Division II men's lacrosse action at Graham Gill Field. Mercyhurst starts the season 1-0, while the 'Dogs fall to 1-1.

KEY STATS                                                                                  

- Wingate out-shot Mercyhurst 36-29
- The Lakers collected 37 ground balls on the afternoon, while the Bulldogs had 28
- WU won 15 face-offs, MU won 11
- Mercyhurst had 19 turnovers; Wingate had 17

KEY BULLDOGS

- Alex Llerandi had three goals from six shots, collecting one ground ball
- Connor Gronbach added three goals on the afternoon
- Ryan Ormerod collected one goal and three ground balls
- Gary Pierpont had one goal and one ground ball
- James Kotcamp won 15 face-offs

KEY LAKERS

- Pipher notched three goals, four assists, two ground balls and caused one turnover
- Benjamin Wilcox had three goals and two ground balls
- Nicholas Bartonem netted two goals on just two shots
- Dom Perna had two goals and two ground balls
- Hunter Emerson notched nine saves

NOTES

-  Wingate is 4-10 all-time against Mercyhurst, moving to 1-7 at home
- First home opener loss during the Tim Boyle era
- The loss to Mercyhurst snaps an eight-game winning streak, stretching back to last season
- Second year in a row the Bulldogs are off to a 1-1 start
- Llerandi has scored three goals in both games this season

FIRST QUARTER

- Wingate got on the board first with Pierpont finding the back of the net at the 14-minute mark
- Mercyhurst would go on a 4-0 run the remainder of the quarter
- Pipher scored the first goal for the Lakers with 5:53 left in the quarter
- Sam Crusha would score a man-up goal for Mercyhurst, Wilcox and Dan Kritkausky also scored in the flurry

SECOND QUARTER

- Wingate rallied to tie it at 4-4, with goals form Ormerod, Gronbach, and Llerandi
- The WU defensive unit would hold the Lakers off the board for over 15 minutes
- Perna scored to give Mercyhurst the 5-4 lead with three seconds remaining in the half

THIRD QUARTER

- MU would score the first four goals of the second half,
- Nathan Grenon netted his first goal of the season during the run, coming at the 3:02 mark
- the 'Dogs scored twice to respond, getting goals from Llerandi and Gronbach
- Pipher scored with four second remaining in the quarter, to stretch the MU lead to 10-6

FOURTH QUARTER

- The Lakers started the quarter with three more goals
- Nicholas Mabe scored at the 7:46 to push the lead to 13-6
- Wingate would answer with two goals
- The Lakers capped the scoring with 2:07 remaining; Perna netted the man-up goal

UP NEXT

- Wingate hosts Rollins next Saturday, Feb. 23
-The Bulldogs host Palm Beach Atlantic March 2