May 19, 2007

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Erie, Pa. - Seniors Adam Mulherin, Scott Janssen, Simon Stocks and Bryon Lindner combined to score 10 of Mercyhurst's 13 goals as the Lakers captured a 13-10 win over New York Institute of Technology in the NCAA Division II Semifinals. With the win, Mercyhurst goes on to the NCAA Championship game for the first time in school history. The Lakers will face Le Moyne, the only team to defeat Mercyhurst this season, which defeated Limestone 8-5 in the other semifinal game Saturday.

The efforts of the seniors to lead the Lakers to their first semifinal win in four tries nearly overshadowed a career day by sophomore goalkeeper Jason Lashomb. The first-year starter came up with big save after big save on his way to a career-high 16 saves.

Mercyhurst jumped out to a 2-0 lead midway through the first period behind two of Mulherin's game-high four goals. The Lakers took a 1-0 lead less than a minute into the contest when Mulherin scored unassisted at 14:02. Just over seven minutes later, with a man advantage, the midfielder put in his 27th goal of the year with an assist from Stocks.

NYIT got goals from Austin Carino and Jake Delillo less than a minute apart starting at 2:38 to bring the score after one period to 2-2.

The Lakers struck quickly again at the beginning of the second period, with Lindner scoring off a pass from David Osier at 14:51, but Carino tied things up with a goal for the Bears at 13:44.

Back-to-back scores by Stocks at 10:37 and 6:14 started a 6-1 run for Mercyhurst to close the first half and open the second. Osier had the second of his four assists on the first goal and Lindner fed Stocks for a man-up goal on the second goal.

Osier finished the first half scoring with help from Janssen at 5:15 as the Lakers led 6-3 at the break.

Carino's third goal at 10:43 in the third period started the scoring and made it a two-goal game, but Janssen became the third senior to score consecutive goals with strikes at 9:25 and 8:58. Tyler Burton and Ryan Arnold notched assists on the goals.

Two Mike Thon goals bookended an NYIT score from Jeremy Hobson as the third period came to a close with Mercyhurst ahead 10-5.

Kevin Hennessy cut it to 10-6 with 14:16 left in the contest, but Osier picked up assists on goals by Mulherin and Janssen for a 12-6 advantage with just 5:48 to play.

After an NYIT timeout, Paul Flowers and Jake Delillo scored within seven seconds of one another and the Bears trailed just 12-8 with 4:56 remaining.

Mercyhurst called a timeout after the second goal to regroup. After a long possession, Mulherin capped the Mercyhurst scoring at 1:22. Hennessy scored NYIT's final two goals, but the final tally came with just five seconds to play.

Seniors also stepped up on defense for Mercyhurst. Joe Thon won five of the six faceoffs won by the Lakers. The long stick midfielder also caused a pair of turnovers and had six ground balls. Fellow defenders Mike Grizanti and Allan Downey combined for six ground balls.

In addition to Mulherin's four scores, the Lakers got three from Janssen and two each from Thon and Stocks. Osier had four assists.

Lashomb led Mercyhurst with seven ground balls.

Face off specialist Jared Garcia did his best to keep the Bears in the game. The midfielder won 20 of the 26 faceoffs he took and claimed 15 ground balls. Both Carino and Hennessy scored three times for NYIT. Dan Goesk made 12 saves.

Mercyhurst outshot NYIT 48-to-34.

It was the Lakers' fourth trip to the semifinal, but results in the team's first trip to the championship game. Mercyhurst had dropped semifinal games in 2003, 2004 and 2006.

Mercyhurst and Le Moyne will take the field at 4:30 p.m. on May 27 at M&T Stadium in Baltimore, Maryland. The Dolphins defeated Limestone, 8-5, in the semifinals. The Division II Championship follows the Division III game at 1:30.