Senior tri-captain Ryan Merritt and Brian Flannery scored four goals apiece to help lead the United States Merchant Marine Academy lacrosse team to a 17-13 win over Ohio Wesleyan on Saturday afternoon in a battle of NCAA tournament teams from a year ago at Kings Point. The Battling Bishops had advanced to three straight NCAA Tournaments after winning three consecutive North Coast Athletic Conference Championships. The game featured six ties and two lead changes.

USMMA improved to 2-3 overall with the victory. Ohio Wesleyan dropped to 1-4 overall with the loss. This was the Battling Bishops' fourth straight game against an NCAA Tournament team after taking losses to then-No. 5 Lynchburg, No. 1 Salisbury and No. 2 Gettysburg.

"This was definitely one of biggest wins we've ever had," said tri-captain Michael Maginnis. "Our team really came together and showed what we should've done from the beginning. We worked really hard in practice. We knew we had a big team and a big game to prepare for."

"This was definitely up there as one of our biggest wins ever along with last year's Stevens game (when we beat them to won the Skyline Tournament," added Merritt. "The whole team played at a completely different level. We are still young and have a lot more to prove, but this win gives us a lot of confidence to finish the season in good fashion."

In addition to scoring a career-best four goals, Flannery also had an assist to finish with a career-high five points. Freshman Robert Atkinson had a breakthrough performance with three goals and two assists for five points. Brett Daniels added two goals, including the game-winner, in the fourth quarter and Zachary Gray and Robert De Pol added four points apiece. Defensively, Michael Condron, Maginnis and Kevin Campbell combined to scoop up 16 ground balls while the goalie tandem of Robert Boyd and Keegan Boyle turned half of the Battling Bishops' shots on net.

Ohio Wesleyan was led by Rob Young's four goals and Steve Fowler's hat trick. Harrison Iuliano had three helpers and four points.

USMMA came screaming out of the gates and jumped out to a 4-0 lead just 2:31 into the contest. On the Mariners' first possession, De Pol set up Alexander for the first score at 14:20. Merritt and De Pol added unassisted tallies at 13:25 and 12:47. Atkinson then set up Merritt at 12:29 for the fourth Mariner goal.

"I thought that scoring four goals in the first four minutes of the game really lit everyone up," said Merritt. "It also sparked our defense. The fact that we scored early and often was one of the main factors today."

Ohio Wesleyan came back with three consecutive goals to cut the Mariner lead to one. Fowler scored twice at 11:45 and 10:47 and Young found the back of the net at 8:16 to make it 4-3.

USMMA responded when Atkinson then set up Gray for a score at 8:07. However, Ohio Wesleyan made it a one-goal game again at 5-4 when Harrison Iuliano scored at 4:05. Flannery set up De Pol at 1:12 to give USMMA a two-goal lead again, but Iuliano set up Connor McGowan to make it a one-possession game once more with 25 seconds remaining. The quarter ended with the Mariners clinging to a 6-5 lead.

The teams exchanged eight goals in the second quarter. Playing a man up, Ohio Wesleyan tied the game at 6-6 when Fowler completed the hat trick at 14:03. Afterwards, Flannery of USMMA and Chris Ehlinger of OWU each scored twice. With 39 seconds remaining in the half, the teams were tied for the fourth time in the quarter at 9-9.

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2008-03-15