Bridgewater, Va.- On March 7, the Eagles men’s lacrosse team dug deep to pull out a win against Misericordia with a late-game surge to put them on top. 

The cougars came out firing on Tuesday, netting the game’s first two goals. The Eagles responded with a win from junior face-off specialist Gabriel Alexander who ran the ball down the field, connected with the back of the net and gave the Eagles some momentum. 

The teams traded ground balls and shots before junior attacker Colby Smith followed up with a goal to tie the game and end the eight-minute scoring drought. The Cougars responded with two more goals to put them ahead 4-2 and close out the first quarter. 

The Eagles rushed out of the gates in the second quarter, netting the first five goals and putting them up 7-4. Misericordia responded with a goal, but graduate-student attacker Chris Martel kept the Eagles up and netted his second goal of the game. 

The cougars ran away with three goals in the last four minutes of the second quarter, closing the first half in a tie of 8-8.

The third quarter was neck and neck between the Eagles and the Cougars, but the Cougars opened the scoring with two goals. 

Martel would stop the cougars and score his third of the day assisted by senior attacker Connor McLean. First-year midfielder Riley Stewart kept the momentum and scored his first goal which was followed by first-year attacker Luke Wendler’s second goal of the game.

Misericordia would notch one last goal with four minutes left in the third to tie the game 11-11.

“We are a very young group this year and a lot of the younger guys have been stepping up in a big way,” said McLean. 

The fourth quarter opened up with a goal from the Cougars and a goal from junior midfielder Grant Nyland. Misericordia would put one last goal in before being shut down by Bridgewater’s lockdown defense.

Martel converted on two shots to cinch the win for the Eagles late in the fourth quarter. The last four minutes of the game were intensifying as the Cougars tried to get off several shots, but were denied by junior goalie Tyler Carney. 

The Eagles received two penalties but denied the Cougars from getting ahead and secured the 15-13 win for their home opener on Jopson field. 

“The overall game went well. It was a hard, tough game to play in. They were a good, tough team,” said sophomore midfielder Owen Cogan.

The Eagles will be back in action Saturday, March 18 against Ferrum at 1 p.m. on Jopson Field.