BOX SCORE

LATROBE (Feb. 22) - The Saint Vincent men's lacrosse team was unable to hold a one-goal lead with under two minutes to play, dropping the 2014 season opener to Mount Union, 12-11, on the SVC Turf.

The loss drops the Bearcats to 0-1 on the year, while Mount Union evens their record at 1-1 after starting the season on Thursday with a loss at Wooster.

After the Purple Raiders scored 1:39 into the game, SVC responded with a pair of goals 30 seconds apart to take the lead. Bryce Pasquariello started the scoring off a pass from Tim Oxenreiter and then Steven Cosgrove recorded an unassisted tally with 10:52 showing in the first quarter.

Mount Union knotted the game, 2-2, at the 8:17-mark, but SVC closed the period with three goals to boast a 5-2 lead after 15 minutes. Sean Kretovics registered the first goal at 5:12 and then Oxenreiter found Cosgrove for his second goal of the game and Pasquariello took a pass from Cosgrove with 58 seconds to cap off the score, 5-2.

The guests out-scored SVC, 4-1, in the second quarter, thanks to three goals in the first 7:51. Pasquariello put the Bearcats back ahead, 6-5, with 4:21 left in the half, but Mount Union's Evan Bauer tied the game with 2:51 before the break to send the team's into the half tied, 6-6.

Matt Mackey started the scoring in the second half, tallying a goal 2:31 into the third quarter, assisted by Nick Pensyl. Mount Union, however, scored the next two goals and took an 8-7 lead into the fourth quarter. The Purple Raiders added to their lead just 24 seconds into the final period on a man-up goal to take a 9-7 advantage.

SVC then scored four goals in a three-minute span to open up a two-goal lead, 11-9. Oxenreiter started the streak off the Pasquariello assist at 11:28. Just 50 seconds later, Cosgrove recorded the hat trick from a Pensyl pass. The two reversed roles just over a minute later as Cosgrove assisted on a Pensyl goal at the 9:27-mark and the final goal came by Pasquariello from Kretovics with 8:31 to play.

Mount Union made it a one-goal game, 11-10, with 7:25 to play, but neither found the back of the net until the 1:40 mark where the Purple Raiders tied the game before scoring the game-winner with 29 seconds on the clock. SVC won the ensuing faceoff and called a time out with 10 seconds on the clock and the ball in the offensive attack box, but were unable to capitalize and fell, 12-11.

Pasquariello (four goals, one assist) and Cosgrove (three goals, two assists) led the Bearcats in scoring with five points apiece. Oxenreiter and Pensyl each posted a goal and two assists for three points and Kretovics had two points.

Mount Union edged SVC in shots, 40-39, including 24-14 in the second half. The Bearcats picked up more ground balls, 38-32, and won 15 of 26 faceoffs. Peter Hronis won 9-of-17 face-offs and Charlie Russo won 5-of-7 draws.

Logan Hoffmann took the loss in goal, playing all 60 minutes and making nine saves.

SVC will be back in action on Wednesday, Feb. 26 with a 6 p.m. game at Ohio Wesleyan.