Air Force Thunders Past Mercer, 20-5

USAF ACADEMY – Air Force outscored Mercer in ASUN Conference action, 20-5, Wednesday afternoon at Falcon Stadium. The Falcons, now 7-0 in the league, improved to 8-4 overall while the Bears dropped to 2-10, 1-6 ASUN.

For the second time this season, Josh Yago put up a career-best points performance by scoring three goals and dishing five assists. Yago, the ASUN assists per game leader, has 27 assists this season with his career-best five-assist performance. Eight single-game points tie four other players for fourth most in the Air Force record book, while five single-game assists tie three players for fourth-most.

For the first time this season, three Falcons scored a hat trick in a single game. Yago was joined by Wes Peene and Matt Rubino who put up three goals each. AF freshmen Truner Ashby and Ryan Stadelmaier also tacked on a pair of goals in the offensive onslaught. Falcon newcomers Jim Breen, and Jake Park, along with junior Cody Gross notched their first collegiate goals. The Falcons put up a season best 20 goals and 32 points in the offensive effort.

Despite Mercer scoring the first goal of the game, the Falcons were in scoring control for over 50 minutes. Yago was the first to strike for the Falcons at the 6:30 mark. Gross, Ashby, and Rubino rounded out the first quarter AF scorers, giving the Falcons a 4-1 lead heading into the second quarter.

Air Force's seven goals in the second quarter marked the season best for goals in a single quarter. The Falcons previously scored six in a quarter against Lindenwood and Detroit Mercy. Yago notched his hat trick in the second while AF goals leader Caelan Driggs tacked another one on to his tally for 29 this season. Stadelmaier put both of his goals up in the same quarter while Griffith and Peene combined for the two other goals. The Falcons hit the halftime locker room with an 11-3 lead.

AF continued its routing of Mercer in the third quarter as they outscored the Bears, 5-0. Ashby started the scoring streak off just over a minute into the second half. Wes Peene followed up with two straight goals, immediately followed by Matt Rubino's second and third goals. AF held a 16-3 lead heading into the final 15 minutes.

The Falcons were able to cycle every suited player into the game for valuable minutes, marking the first time the feat was accomplished this season. Cunningham, Park, Breen, and Rich accounted for AF's four goals in the final quarter.

At the final horn, Air Force put up a season best 55 shots and 32 shots on goal, scooped up a season high 42 ground balls, and cleared a season high 25 times. At the center X, four Falcons helped the team to a face off victory, winning 14-29 as a face off unit. Jake Knapp went 5-15, Braden Gaab won 4-5, Gabriel Cairns claimed 3-5, and Daniel Haimes won 2-4.

Defensively, AF caused 14 of Mercer's 32 turnovers. Four Falcons had a pair of CTOs each in Yago, James Chastain, Chris Bardak, and Cole Cunningham. Cunningham picked up a team-high six ground balls while Yago scooped up four.

Air Force cycled all four goalies into the game with Jake Marek leading the way, winning his third-straight game in his third start this season.

Next up, the Falcons take on conference heavyweight Jacksonville for Senior Day, Saturday (Apr. 20), at Falcon Stadium. The Falcons and Dolphins are on a collision course to claim the regular season ASUN title and top seed in the ASUN Conference Tournament. Prior to the game, Air Force will honor its 11 seniors in Isaac Abramovitz, Chris Bardak, James Chastain, Sam Ewing, Braden Gaab, Robbie Lionetti, Cooper Rich, Will Stax, Quinn Richards, Jack Stewart (undergrad coach), and Aidan Tolen.

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Team Stats

Matt Rubino

Josh Yago

Wes Peene

Turner Ashby

Players Mentioned

Isaac Abramovitz

Chris Bardak

Jim Breen

Gabriel Cairns

James Chastain

Cole Cunningham

Caelan Driggs

Sam Ewing

Braden Gaab

Cody Gross

Daniel Haimes

Jake Knapp

Robbie Lionetti

Jake Marek

Jake Park

Wes Peene

Cooper Rich

Quinn Richards

Matt Rubino

Ryan Stadelmaier

Will Stax

Jack Stewart

Aidan Tolen

Josh Yago

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