Victor, N.Y. – Graduate student attackman Carter Collins (Prior Lake, Minn./Prior Lake/Lindenwood) registered five points to lead the top-ranked Le Moyne College men's lacrosse team to a 10-9 victory over seventh-ranked Mercyhurst University on Saturday afternoon at the Pinnacle Athletic Complex.

"Anytime that Le Moyne and Mercyhurst get together, it's certainly going to be entertaining and I don't think today disappointed," said head coach Dan Sheehan. "I don't know that I'm thrilled with our performance. Last week when we were preparing for Wingate, I thought we had one of the best weeks of practices I've been around for 25 years and I'd say this week preparing for Mercyhurst was not. We've got some work to do, but another win in February against a top-10 team, I guess it's good for the resume."

"I thought Sam Kury battled the entire day at the 'x'. I'm happy for Sam, battling injuries all last year and now he's back and healthy. I thought he did really well"

Mercyhurst opened the game's scoring just 49 seconds into the contest as Todd Redman scored an unassisted goal.

The Dolphins, who improved to 10-0 all-time against the Lakers, including 7-0 in the regular season, answered with three consecutive goals. Collins evened the score at one with 10:44 left in the first quarter with his fourth goal of the season. Graduate student attackman Devin Andrews (Canandaigua, N.Y./Canandaigua Academy/Stony Brook) put the Dolphins in front at the 4:58 mark with his second goal of the season. Graduate student midfielder Evan Kelly (Honeoye Falls, N.Y./Aquinas Institute) pushed the lead to two with his first goal of the year with 2:40 left in the quarter.

Myles Hamm pulled the Lakers within one at the end of the quarter with a goal with his back to the net with eight seconds left.

The teams alternated goals in the second quarter. Fifth year midfielder Zach Pierce (Gansevoort, N.Y./Schuylerville/Onondaga C.C.) extended Le Moyne's lead to two with his second goal of the campaign just 50 seconds into the quarter. Ethan Landymore answered back 41 seconds later off a pass from Bryce Johnson. Only 54 seconds later, Collins made it 5-3 with 12:35 left. Nicholas Mabe followed with his goal of the year only 70 seconds later. After almost six minutes of scoreless play, senior midfielder John Bergan (Camillus, N.Y./West Genesee) tallied Le Moyne's final score of the half with 5:32 left. Landymore finished off a feed from Redman in an extra-man situation with 2:29 remaining to pull the Lakers within 6-5 at halftime.

Graduate student midfielder Ben McCreary (Cicero, N.Y./Christian Brothers Academy) kept the alternating scores going with his fourth goal of the season at the 13:08 mark of the third quarter after collecting a pass from Collins.

Off the ensuing faceoff, Shawn Doran scooped up the ball and raced up field to net his first goal of the season just nine seconds later. Hamm netted his 11th goal of the season with 9:28 remaining off a dish from Mabe to tie the score at seven.

Le Moyne took the lead back with 5:48 later as Collins found the back of the net for the sixth time this season off a feed from Andrews.

The Dolphins extended their lead to two with 13:12 remaining in the fourth quarter on McCreary's fifth goal of the year after receiving a pass from Collins.

Jacob Emerson pulled the Lakers back within one with 10:04 left off a feed from Redman in an extra-man situation.

Pierce netted the eventual game-winning goal with 8:10 to play.

Landymore finished off the game's scoring with 3:21 left.

The Lakers had two more possessions, but hit the post with a shot on the first and committed a turnover with 44 seconds remaining on the other.

Redshirt senior goalkeeper Frank Delia (Baldwinsville, N.Y./C.W. Baker/Onondaga C.C.) earned the victory between the pipes after making 10 saves, including three in each of the third and fourth quarters. Brett Olney tallied 16 saves, including five in the second quarter, in the loss for the Lakers. Senior faceoff specialist Sam Kury (Oakdale, Conn./Montville) went 10-for-20 at the dot against Doran, who went 19-for-23 against the Dolphins in the NCAA semifinal matchup last May.

Le Moyne (2-0) continues its season-opening stretch of games against top-10 teams on Saturday at fifth-ranked Mercy College at 2:00 p.m.