Box Score Lakewood, N.J.- On a day more reminiscent of April than February, the Georgian Court University men's lacrosse squad kicked off the second campaign in program history as the Lions hosted Mercy College Saturday afternoon in the GCU Track & Field Complex.
With the anticipation for the new season, and the temperature (61 degrees), rising by the minute, it would be the Mavericks that would ride off into the sunset on this day as the visitors topped the Lions, 16-6, to improve to 2-0 on the year.
GCU (0-1) lit up the scoreboard first in the outing as
Joe Ramirez put the home team ahead just 37 seconds into the contest with his initial tally of the season. Mercy would proceed to net four of the next five scoring efforts to take a 4-2 lead after the first 15:00 of action. The Mavericks dominated the second stanza by outscoring the Lions, 6-1, to take a comfortable 10-3 advantage into the half.
The third period would open with a "did you see that!" moment as GCU goalkeeper,
Austin Geissel, collected a save off a Mercy shot and then proceeded to sprint the entire length of the field and deposit the Lions' fourth goal of the afternoon. The Mavericks would send in three goals of their own in the frame to build a 13-5 surplus heading into the final quarter.
The victors corralled three of the four successful scoring efforts in the fourth frame to secure the road triumph. Mercy outshot the Lions, 40-24.
Mercy presented a protean offense as eight different players registered goals in the win.
Bobby Chillianis (So.-Bethpage, N.Y.) led the way for the Mavericks with his game-high four tallies.
Chris Martinez (Jr.-Uniondale, N.Y.) followed with three of his own while three other players collected two apiece.
CJ Francisco paced the Lions as the senior netted three goals on the day.
Ryder Verdoni also found the back of the net for GCU.
Ryan Gibbons (So.-Seaford, N.Y.) improved to 2-0 in the Mavericks' net, compiling four saves in 30:00 of action. Geissel, when not scoring goals of his own, collected 11 saves for GCU in the complete-game effort.
The Lions return to action next Sunday, February 26, with a road contest at Dominican College (12:00 p.m.). GCU fell to the Chargers in last season's opener, 9-4, in a game played at Georgian Court (2/20/16).
