Air Force Academy
Mercer
Air Force beat Mercer, 10-7, in lacrosse
4/11/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Lacrosse
U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. -- Chris Walsch and Nick Hruby each scored three goals to help lead Air Force to a 10-7 win over the Mercer Bears, Saturday, April 11, in Macon, Ga. Air Force has won three straight and improved to 7-5 overall this season. Mercer fell to 4-6 overall. Keith Dreyer and Nate Hruby each scored two goals and Walsch added a game-high three assists as the Falcons have now won seven of the last nine games.
Dreyer, Nate Hruby and Walsch gave the Falcons a 3-0 lead in the first quarter. Mercer answered with the next two goals as Tim Geran scored late in the first and Chris Baxa scored early in the second. Nate Hruby's second of the game came at 2:59 of the second quarter and Mercer answered when Jackson Kleintz scored a man-up goal at 2:19 as the Falcons had a 4-3 lead at the half.
Dreyer and Baxa traded goals in the third quarter as Air Force held a 5-4 lead. The Falcons then scored the next four goals of the game. Nick Hruby scored late in the third and then Walsch scored early in the fourth quarter. Nick Hruby completed the hat trick with goals at 12:59 and 7:58 for a 9-4 Falcon lead. Walsch then completed his hat trick with 6:00 left in the game for a 10-4 advantage. Mercer scored three goals in the final 2:01 to make up the final margin. Bryan Gibson scored at 2:01, Chris Rahill scored at 1:20 and Geran scored with 11 seconds left in the game.
Air Force outshot Mercer, 37-31, in the game. Mercer won the ground ball battle, 29-22. Air Force won 12 faceoffs while Mercer won nine. Mercer had 16 turnovers while Air Force had 11. Falcon junior Doug Gouchoe made nine saves in the game.
Air Force returns to action on Saturday, April 18, when the Falcons host the Robert Morris Colonials at 11 a.m. at Falcon Stadium. The Robert Morris game begins a stretch of three straight home games for the Falcons.
--30--
