Jacksonville Downs Mercer In Season Finale

Saturday, April 26

Jacksonville, Fla.

2 p.m.

Mercer University

2-11

Jacksonville

9-4

Mercer

Jacksonville

4/27/2025 2:40:00 PM | Men's Lacrosse

Box Score

By: Kaylin Flukey, Kaylin.flukey@live.mercer.edu

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Mercer men's lacrosse team took the field for the last time in the 2025 season on Saturday, April 26, after falling to Jacksonville, 12-16. The Bears end the season with an overall record of 2-11 and a conference record of 1-4.

Mercer was once again led by sophomore attackman Dillon Bush who posted four goals in three quarters of play. With his first goal of the game in the second quarter at the 5:01 mark, the Park City, Utah native broke the single-season goals record with 36 and finished with 39 on the season. The record previously belonged to assistant coach, Sean Goldsmith, when he set the record in 2022 with 35 goals during his senior campaign.

Junior midfielder Dylan McKelvy put up a strong performance recording a hat trick on the afternoon. Tyler Gilbert, Quinn Kelley, Peyton McNeill, Christian Laureano and Luke Fox were responsible for the remaining goals. The defense was led by Thomas Venzie who posted four groundballs and caused two turnovers while Kyle Pierce also picked up four groundballs. Senior goalkeeper Rand Paddack registered 15 saves in between the pipes for the Bears.

HOW IT HAPPENED

McKelvy put the Bears on the board first scoring his first goal of the day just under a minute into play. The Dolphins responded with two back-to-back goals until Kelley found the back of the net off of an assist from Ganon Cope. Gilbert then scored his first goal of his career but not before Jacksonville added two more goals before the end of the first quarter.
Fox scored his lone goal of the game at the 13:15 mark in the second quarter but the Dolphins found their footing, scoring four goals in a row to take an 8-4 lead over the Bears. Bush then found the back of the net shortly followed by another one from McKelvy but Jacksonville came back with two goals to extend the lead 11-6 heading into halftime.
Scoring began to slow down in the third quarter with the only Mercer goal coming from McKelvy at the 2:17 mark but was also accompanied by three Jacksonville goals to extend their lead even further heading into the final 15 minutes of the game.
The Bears did not go down without a fight with Bush finding the back of the net three times in the fourth quarter and seniors Laureano and McNeill both scored the final goals of their careers as the Bears fell 12-16 to the Dolphins, closing the curtains on the 2025 season.

TOP BEARS

Dillon Bush set a new single-season goals record with 39.
Tyler Gilbert found the back of the net for the first time in his career.
Rand Paddack posted 15 saves compared to Jacksonville's 8.

NOTABLES

Bush scored at least one goal in every contest this season, the only Bear to do so.
With Jacksonville's win over Mercer, the Dolphins clinched a share of the ASUN Regular Season Champions title.

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SUPPORT THE BEARS

Fans can help support the Mercer athletics department by making a gift to the Mercer Athletic Foundation. To find out more information about the Mercer Athletic Foundation, visit S upportMAF.com or email maf@mercer.edu.