Syracuse, N.Y. – Senior attackman Thomas Berry (Tully, N.Y./Tully) tallied a career-high six goals to lead the Le Moyne College men's lacrosse team to a 13-12 victory over VMI in the NEC opener for both teams on Saturday afternoon at Ted Grant Field.

The Keydets opened with the game's first two goals. Jack Duncan-Bloom started the scoring at the 10:40 mark off a pass from Beau Durkin. Dayton Bagwell followed three and one-half minutes later with his 24th goal of the season.

Senior attackman Alec Constable (Penfield, N.Y./Penfield) got the Dolphins on the scoreboard with his sixth goal of the year with 5:50 left in the first quarter off a pass from senior attackman Owen Wilson (Latham, N.Y./Shaker).

Bagwell capped the scoring in the quarter with 4:35 remaining following a pass from Will Gormsen.

The Dolphins scored the first two goals of the second quarter to even the score at three apiece. Sophomore midfielder Macklin Gobiel (Andover, Mass./Andover) netted his first career goal just 46 seconds into the period. Freshman midfielder Connor Lukas (New Hudson, Mich./Detroit Catholic Central), who returned to the lineup following a five-game absence, tied the score at three with 12:20 to go with his second goal of the campaign.

Bagwell gave the lead back to the Keydets with 11:19 left off a dish from Tyler Hicks.

Le Moyne scored the next two goals to take its first lead of the game. Constable tied the score at the 9:54 mark after receiving a pass from sophomore midfielder Emmet McDermott (Pleasantville, N.Y./Pleasantville). Freshman defensemen Ben Clark (Ellicott City, Md./Mount Saint Joseph) gave the Dolphins the lead 48 seconds later by scoring into an empty net from 60 yards to beat the 10-man ride for his first career goal.

VMI countered with the next two goals to regain the lead. Warner Lewis evened the score at five with 5:55 left off a feed from Durkin. Ethan Ostrowski put the Keydets back in front with 2:02 remaining with his sixth goal of the season after taking a pass from Gormsen.

Following a Dolphin timeout, Berry netted his first goal of the game with 15 seconds left in the half after receiving a feed from Gobiel.

The teams traded goals in the third quarter. Berry put the Dolphins in front at the 12:47 mark off a pass from McDermott. Bagwell answered 80 seconds later off another dish from Gormsen. Berry recorded his third straight goal with 7:43 to go to put the Dolphins up 8-7. Gormsen evened the score with 4:01 left following a feed from Durkin. Following a slashing penalty on the ensuing faceoff, Berry finished off a feed from McDermott in the extra-man opportunity with 3:04 remaining. Gormsen tallied another goal with 2:26 left off a pass from Durkin to complete the scoring in the quarter.

Berry started the scoring in the fourth quarter with his fifth consecutive goal after accepting a feed from Gobiel with 14:04 left. Lewis tied the score for the final time with 12:44 remaining off a pass from Durkin.

Le Moyne took the lead for good with 10:55 to play off Berry's sixth straight tally off a feed from Constable. Berry is the first Dolphin to score six goals in a game since Joey Pezzimenti '24 on May 6, 2023 in the NE10 title game against Bentley. Wilson gave the Dolphins their first two-goal lead with his 10th marker of the year with 9:50 left off a dish from senior midfielder Nathan Hoban (Webster, N.Y./Webster Thomas).

Lewis pulled the Keydets within 12-11 with his fifth goal of the season with 7:48 left.

Lukas scored the eventual game-winner with 6:51 to play after collecting a pass from senior midfielder Zack Crosby (Auburn, N.Y./Auburn).

Gormsen tallied the final goal of the game with 4:47 left for his sixth of the campaign.

Following an empty possession by each team, the Keydets put two shots on goal, but both were saved.

After the Dolphins ran 80 seconds off the clock with their next possession, VMI cleared the ball and called timeout. After moving the ball around for 35 seconds, Bagwell put a shot on goal, but junior goalkeeper Lucas Winger (Glenview, Ill./Glenbrook South) turned the ball away and the Dolphins scooped up the rebound and were able to run the clock out.

Winger earned the win between the pipes after making 13 saves, which extended his streak to 20 straight games with at least 10 saves. Adam Norris took the loss after making eight saves.
 
Le Moyne (2-7, 1-0 NEC), which beat VMI to open NEC play for the second straight year (10-9 last year), is back in action next Saturday by hosting LIU at 12:00 p.m.