ALLIANCE, Ohio (Feb. 26) – The Saint Vincent men's lacrosse team used a strong second half to come back from a third quarter deficit and defeat host Mount Union 7-5 in a defensive non-conference battle in Ohio.
 
Trailing 4-3 midway through the third quarter, the Bearcats (2-0) scored four unanswered goals over the final stages of the third stanza and opening portion of the fourth to pull away for the win.
 
Alec Richard scored the game's first goal, with the unassisted tally giving the Bearcats a 1-0 lead just over five minutes into the opening quarter. The Bearcat offense continued to control play over the next several minutes, with SVC taking seven of the game's first eight shots, but the Raiders would find the scoreboard next with a man-down goal to tie the game at 1-all with 6:47 left in the quarter. Three minutes later, Jordan Billet put the visitors up 2-1, assisted by Matthew Cassidy, to close out the scoring for the quarter.
 
Mount Union wasted little time in tying the game, netting a man-up goal just 22 seconds into the second quarter. The Bearcat offense would again go on the attack, out-shooting the Raiders 6-2 over the next three minutes, but Mount took a 3-2 lead with 10:43 left in the opening half. Just over four minutes later, Richard responded with his second goal of the day, off of another assist from Cassidy, to tie the game at 3. The teams traded 10 shots over the final six minutes of the half, but neither was able to find the net, and the game would remain tied at the intermission.
 
The Bearcats controlled play in the early stages of the third quarter but were unable to find the net, before the Raiders took a 4-3 lead with 7:37 left in the frame. It would be the final lead of the day for the hosts, however, as Caleb Hawkins tied it for the Bearcats with 3:06 left in the quarter, with another assist from Cassidy, before Andrew Coholich gave the lead back to SVC just 62 seconds later with his second goal of the year. The score would remain 5-4 in favor of the Bearcats heading into the final 15 minutes.
 
Saint Vincent carried the momentum into the fourth quarter, as Richard continued the Bearcat run with his second goal of the day to up the lead to 6-4 with 11:50 left to play.
 
Richard continued the Bearcat run with his third tally of the day to up the lead to 6-4 with 11:50 left to play, before Coholich took advantage of a Mount Union penalty with a man-up goal, assisted by Cassidy, to make it 7-4 with 6:42 remaining. The Raiders scored with 4:28 left in regulation, but the Bearcats held them at bay down the stretch to win their second straight.
 
Billet corralled six ground balls to lead the Bearcats, with Richard and RJ Kenna gathering five apiece. Kenna and Ethan Cavin shared SVC's team-lead with three caused turnovers apiece, while Noah Sperling made five saves to earn the win in goal.
 
The Bearcats out-shot the Raiders 46-21 on the day, with Mount Union goalie Kyle Reihner posting 25 saves in the losing effort.
 
Saint Vincent will now have a week-long layoff before opening up their 2022 home slate with an 11 a.m. non-conference matchup with McDaniel College at UPMC Field.