Erie, Pa. – Junior attacker Erica Geremia (Camillus, N.Y./West Genesee/SUNY Cortland) forced overtime and then scored the game-winning goal as part of a six-point game to lead the seventh-ranked Le Moyne College women's lacrosse team to a 10-9 season-opening victory at eighth-ranked Mercyhurst University on Sunday afternoon in non-conference action at Tullio Field.

Freshman attacker Jacqueline Pardee (Camillus, N.Y./West Genesee) opened the season's scoring 4:22 into the contest after taking a pass from senior attacker Julia Suriani (Buffalo, N.Y./West Seneca East).

The Lakers tallied four of the next five goals over a stretch of 9:11 to take a 4-2 lead. Becca Himes started the run with an unassisted goal at the 24:18 mark, while Emily Gebhardt finished off a feed from Hannah Corton with 19:28 remaining.

Geremia, who scored at least five points in 16 of 23 games at Cortland last year, evened the score at two apiece just 28 seconds later with her first goal as a Dolphin.

Jenna Schlagenhauf gave Mercyhurst the lead again with 16:23 left by finishing off a pass from Mackenzie Jordan. Regan Kaestner scored off a feed from Himes 76 seconds later for a 4-2 advantage.

The Dolphins scored three of the last four goals of the half to go into the intermission tied at five. Pardee got the Dolphins within 4-3 with an unassisted goal with 7:18 left, while Geremia knotted the score with 1:59 to go. After Himes finished off a pass from Carly Zimmerman to regain the lead for the Lakers 26 seconds later, Geremia found the back of the net for the third time in the half with just 18 ticks remaining.

Mercyhurst took the lead back 4:33 into the second half on an unassisted goal by Corton, while the Dolphins tied the score at six with 22:01 left as junior attacker Claire Monnat (Baldwinsville, N.Y./C.W. Baker) finished off a pass from Geremia.

The Lakers took a two-goal lead again by scoring twice over a span of 9:12. Schlagenhauf scored the first goal after taking a pass from Himes with 19:33 remaining, while Corton completed her hat trick with 10:21 to.

Le Moyne forced overtime by scoring twice over the final 8:10 of the second half. Monnat pulled the Dolphins within 8-7 with 8:10 left after taking a feed from twin sister Maggie Monnat (Baldwinsville, N.Y./C.W. Baker). With just eight seconds left in regulation, Geremia netted her fourth goal of the contest to even the score at eight apiece.

The Dolphins scored the first two goals of overtime to secure the victory. After a Mercyhurst turnover, Maggie Monnat gave the Dolphins the lead with 3:07 to play in overtime after taking a pass from Claire, who caused the turnover. Following a Mercyhurst turnover, Geremia tallied the eventual game-winner with 1:36 to play off a feed from Claire Monnat.

Emily Gebhardt scored with 21 seconds left following a Le Moyne turnover to get the Lakers within 10-9, but the Dolphins won the ensuing draw and were able to run the clock out.

Senior goalkeeper Molly Marbut (Edgewater, Md./South River) registered five saves to earn the victory between the pipes. Rebecca Muscella recorded eight saves in the loss for Mercyhurst. The Dolphins registered a 30-18 advantage in shots, while committing four fewer turnovers (21-25).

Le Moyne (1-0), which defeated Mercyhurst, 15-11, in Syracuse last year, opens its home schedule on Thursday against Grand Valley State at 3:00 p.m.