Mercer University
Detroit Mercy
Men's Lacrosse Edged by Detroit, 11-10
2/16/2014 12:00:00 AM | Men's Lacrosse
PONTIAC, Mich. – Eight different Mercer players scored goals, but the men's lacrosse team saw a late lead disappear in an 11-10 loss at Detroit Mercy on Sunday afternoon.
Freshman attack Chris Baxa led the way with four points on two goals and two assists as the Bears dropped to 1-2 on the season. Detroit won its season opener for the first time in program history.
Mercer trailed 8-5 with less than four minutes to play in the third quarter before rallying for four unanswered goals to assume a one-goal advantage early on in the fourth. All four goals during the stretch were scored by different players, as Baxa, Chris Rahill, James Tautkus and Cole Branch spearheaded the comeback.
Detroit's Scott Drummond found the net with 9:55 to knot the game at 9-9, and later Shayne Adams scored twice in a 2:05 span to put the Titans ahead 11-9 with 2:33 to play.
Mercer senior Zack Ward scored an unassisted tally with 21 seconds to play, but his score proved to be too-little, too-late as the Titans salted away the final moments.
Sophomore goalkeeper Mike Nugent collected four saves in the losing effort. Junior midfielder Justin Evans led the squad with eight ground balls while winning 13-of-24 faceoffs.
Mercer returns to action on Feb. 22, hosting Richmond in the Atlantic Sun Conference opener. Game time at Mercer University Stadium is scheduled for noon.
