LANCASTER, Pa. - Franklin & Marshall hung onto a 7-4 halftime lead to escape with an 8-7 win over The United States Merchant Marine Academy on Sunday. Peter Moon scored a pair of critical goals for Franklin & Marshall in the win.

Moon struck twice at the close of a quarter to provide the difference in the outcome. He netted the game-winning goal with 1.6 seconds showing in the third quarter. It was F&M's (3-0) only goal in the second half. His goal with two seconds left in the first quarter made it 3-3, erasing a 3-0 lead built by King's Point (1-1).

The Mariners lit the scoreboard first posting three goals in a span of 2:04. Two of the goals came on the extra man. Having gone ahead 1-0 on a Robert De Pol goal, USMMA asked for a stick check on an F&M defenseman. The illegal crosse yielded a three-minute advantage for the Mariners, which encapsulated a slash. Zachary Gray cashed in on the advantage converting a Hunter Smith pass at 5:45 with two men in the box. Brennan Doughtery collected a Brian Flannery pass to make it 3-0 in favor of the guests.

The Diplomats countered in the final four minutes of the first period. Shane Brennan ran a 30-yard curl up the sideline to the front of the net to get F&M on the board with 3:21 showing. He went on to score an identical goal early in the second quarter that gave F&M its first lead of the day, 4-3.

USMMA drew even when Flannery set up Robert Atkinson four minutes later. Flannery finished the game with four assists. The tie didn't hold up for long with Mark Hild scoring back-to-back goals almost three-minutes apart in the closing stages of the first half. Ryan Hutchins scored his first career goal 15 seconds later to make it 7-4 heading into the half.

The Mariners chipped away at the lead in the second half scoring a pair of third quarter goals before Moon answered in the final tick. Diplomats' keeper Chris Marcozzi turned away eight shots in the second half, and stood tall in the face of man-down situations. Three of his saves came in the closing five minutes. The Mariners caught iron twice in the same stretch.

Gray scored his second with 1:35 left in the game. USMMA won the enduing faceoff, but turned the ball over with just under 45 seconds left in the game.

Robert Boyd worked the second half for King's Point making five stops and surrendering the Moon goal. Keegan Boyle started the game for the Mariners. He recorded five saves as well.

The Diplomats dominated faceoffs winning 14 of the 17 in the game. Franklin & Marshall is 3-0 for the first time since 2003.

F&M returns to action next Saturday against Messiah. The game will be played at Boys' Latin in Baltimore.

Box Score

2008-03-02