Erie, Pa. – The Mercyhurst University Lakers scored two second-half goals to record a 2-0 Northeast Conference win over the Le Moyne College men's soccer team on Thursday evening at Saxon Stadium.

The Dolphins and the Lakers entered the match tied for first in the NEC Standings as the only remaining unbeaten teams in conference play, but the dynamic of the match was altered in the fourth minute when Le Moyne received a red card and was forced to play the final 86:32 with 10 men.

Both teams recorded just one shot on target during the first half. Le Moyne sophomore goalkeeper Wyatt Dupell (Cicero, N.Y./Cicero-North Syracuse) dove and punched away a shot off a free kick taken by Mercyhurst senior midfielder Dylan Sumner in the sixth minute, then in the 10^th minute Le Moyne redshirt-freshman forward Justin Pham (Liverpool, N.Y./Liverpool/Dayton) drove a free kick into the box that was knocked away from goal by Mercyhurst senior goalkeeper Danilo Abayo.

A shot taken by redshirt-junior midfielder Ziad Abdul-Malak (Manlius, N.Y./Fayetteville-Manlius) in the 31^st minute was blocked by the Mercyhurst defense, then graduate forward Noah Sperduto (Elmira, N.Y./Elmira) ripped a shot from inside the Mercyhurst penalty area with under three minutes remaining in the first half, but the effort was blocked once again. The score remained tied 0-0 at halftime.

With 30 minutes remaining in the second half, Sumner took a one-time shot from just outside the 18-yard box, but Dupell leapt into the air and deflected the shot over the crossbar for a corner kick.

With just over 25 minutes remaining in the second half, a slide tackle from junior midfielder Bryce Koagel (West Monroe, N.Y./Paul V. Moore/Medaille) won possession back for Le Moyne in their offensive half. Redshirt-freshman midfielder Diego Martinez (Veracruz, Mexico/Gulf Coast (Fla.)) carried the ball forward and a drove a right-footed shot that flew just over the top left corner of the goal.

Le Moyne created another chance on a corner kick in the 73^rd minute, but the Mercyhurst defense was able to clear the ball away from goal.

Martinez sprung a quick counterattack for Le Moyne with a little over 15 minutes remaining in the second half, sending a pass up the left wing into the path of Pham. Pham carried the ball into the left side of the box, made a move past a Mercyhurst defender then hit a left-footed shot that went just wide of the left post.

Dupell saved another shot from Sumner in the 77^th minute, but Mercyhurst broke through a minute later when junior forward Luis Felipe Santos played a ball from the right wing into the Le Moyne penalty area for sophomore forward Cade Wurstner who redirected the ball into the right side of the net to tally his second goal of the season and put the Lakers in front, 1-0.

The Dolphins nearly found their equalizer in the 81^st minute when freshman forward Rhys Allport (Wirral, England/Reaseheath) struck a left-footed volley towards the bottom right corner of the Mercyhurst goal, but Abayo dove to his left and knocked the shot towards the sideline.

Mercyhurst doubled its lead with just over five minutes remaining when freshman defender Ryan Mrvcic sent a cross on the ground from the left wing into the box where Sumner knocked the ball into the net with his right boot. The goal was Sumner's seventh of the campaign.

With the loss, Le Moyne drops to 6-3-4 overall, including 3-1-1 in league play. Thursday's match marked the first time that Le Moyne lost a game by more than one goal this season. The Dolphins are now tied for second in the NEC Standings with Saint Francis.

Le Moyne will return to action on Sunday when they celebrate Senior Day at Ted Grant Field prior to a 12:00 p.m. conference match against Howard.