March 13, 2011

Men's Lacrosse Topped by No. 12 Duke

 

DURHAM, N.C. – Mercer University's inaugural men's lacrosse team scored first, but defending NCAA Division I national champion Duke University scored more often in an 18-5 victory. The No. 12 ranked Blue Devils improved to 4-2, while the upstart Bears fell to 0-9.

 

MU's Colton Mattei netted the match's first score on an assist from Sam Grayson at the 12:45 mark of the first quarter. The match remained 1-0 in favor of Mercer for the next six-and-one-half minutes.

 

With 6:11 left in the opening period, DU tied the game at 1-1 with the first of eight unanswered goals. The Blue Devils led 7-1 at halftime and 8-1 with 13:21 left in the third stanza.

 

Cole Branch would reel off MU's next three goals, making the game 8-2 with 12:14 in the third and 9-3 with 10:17 left.

 

Duke would explode for nine more unanswered goals to break the game open, 18-3, with 7:30 left in the game. Branch tallied with 3:15 left in the fourth, followed by Brett Eisenmann's score with 1:45 remaining.

 

Dillon Volk got the start, playing all 60 minutes in the Bears' nets. Volk had 10 saves in his first college start.

 

Duke out-shot Mercer, 40-25, and won 21 of 25 faceoffs.