North Andover, Mass. – Junior attackman Mike Jenkins (Clifton Park, N.Y./Shenendehowa) announced his return to the field with six points as the sixth-ranked Le Moyne College men's lacrosse team upset third-ranked Merrimack College, 12-6, on Saturday afternoon in a battle for first place in the Northeast-10 Conference at Martone-Mejail Field.

The Dolphins jumped in front of the Warriors with the first three goals of the game. Sophomore midfielder Brian Rogers (Clifton Park, N.Y./Shenendehowa) started the scoring with an unassisted goal 1:35 into the game. Just over three minutes later, he found the back of the net again for a 2-0 lead. Senior midfielder Joe Corapi (Liverpool, N.Y./Liverpool) scored in an extra-man situation with 3:54 left in the first quarter off a feed from Jenkins, who returned to the lineup for the first time since February 22.

Kyle Guilbert got the Warriors on the scoreboard with 57 seconds left in the quarter.

Le Moyne scored the only two goals of the second quarter to take a 5-1 advantage into the intermission. Out of a timeout midway through the quarter, redshirt senior midfielder Brett Axelson (Cazenovia, N.Y./Cazenovia/Merrimack) found the back of the net in his return to North Andover. Graduate student midfielder Matt Taylor (Manlius, N.Y./Fayetteville-Manlius/Cornell) then tallied an unassisted goal with 4:16 remaining in the half.

John Bassett, the nephew of Le Moyne Athletic Director Matt Bassett, opened the scoring in the second half with a goal from the left side at the 13:35 mark of the third quarter to get the Warriors within 5-2.

The Dolphins then scored four of the next five goals over 10:48 to take a 9-3 lead. Jenkins ignited the run with an unassisted goal just 36 seconds after Bassett scored. Rogers completed his hat trick with an unassisted tally at the 8:38 mark. Following a goal by Ryan Poirier with 7:25 left, senior attackman Kevin Kelly (Basking Ridge, N.J./Ridge) scored just 16 seconds later after taking a pass from Jenkins. Just under five minutes late, Jenkins finished off a feed from Taylor for his third goal of the campaign.

Le Moyne scored the first three goals of the fourth quarter to extend its lead to 12-3. Off a save, junior defensive midfielder Nick Kline (Liverpool, N.Y./Liverpool) scored in transition six seconds later off a pass from senior defenseman Gerald O'Brien (Binghamton, N.Y./Seton Catholic) with 13:32 remaining. Taylor gave the Dolphins an eight-goal lead with his eighth goal of the campaign with 10:51 to go by scoring off a pass from Jenkins in front of the net in an extra-man opportunity. The duo connected again 91 seconds later in 6-on-6 play.

Merrimack (6-1, 5-1 NE-10) scored three times over the final five minutes to deliver the final score. Max Allen scored from the right edge of the crease with 4:58 left after receiving a pass from Jamie Shand. Shand then got into the scoring column 59 seconds later with his eighth goal of the season. Tim Towler, the reigning Northeast-10 Player of the Week, capped the game's scoring with 2:01 left.

Senior goalkeeper Alex Krawec (Kirkville, N.Y./East Syracuse-Minoa/Onondaga C.C.), the reigning Northeast-10 Goalkeeper of the Week, made 11 saves, including seven in the second half, to earn the win between the pipes. Morgan Green stopped 13 shots (against nine goals) over 42:49, including 12 in the first half, in the loss. The Dolphins registered a 48-31 lead in shots, including a mark of 34-7 in the first half, while recording a 35-21 advantage in ground balls, including 19-7 in the opening 30 minutes.

Le Moyne (7-1, 5-0 NE-10), which is the only unbeaten team remaining in the Northeast-10, visits Pace University on Wednesday at 3:30 p.m.