Dragons Shut Down Mercer, 12-5

Saturday, March 26

Vidas Field

1:00

Drexel University

4-5

Mercer

3-5

Mercer

Drexel

Photo by: Greg Carroccio

3/26/2016 2:54:00 PM | Men's Lacrosse

Box Score

Philadelphia - Drexel scored seven straight goals to end the first half and held Mercer without a goal for a span of more than 38 minutes en route to a 12-5 win. Matthew Varian scored three times and Cole Shafer and Robert Frazee each added two as the Dragons improved to 4-5.

Drexel got on the board right away as Mercer was assessed a penalty just six seconds into the contest. The Dragons responded with a man-up goal by Marshal King. Frank Fusco was credited with the assist. Chris Rahill and Chris Baxa answered and four minutes in, the visitors were ahead by a goal. That would be the last time the Bears (3-5) would score in the first half. Varian tied it after wheeling around the net and firing a shot home. The Dragons took the lead for good when Drexel's defense forced a failed clear. On the restart the Dragons got the ball to Cole Shafer, who scored his 17^th goal of the season with 1:54 to play in the quarter.

The second quarter was all Drexel as the Dragons scored all five of the goals in the quarter. Frazee started the scoring when he tucked home a rebound, and three minutes later Matt Klinges, a long-pole, scored his first career goal making it 5-2. Frazee, Varian and Joe Rainoldi closed out the scoring as Drexel went to intermission, 8-2.

Drexel made it an eight goal run midway through the third quarter. Hank Brown set up Shafer in transition, and the junior netter his second of the game. Mercer finally broke its scoring drought with two goals late in the quarter. Dustin White and Cahill each beat Drexel keeper Jimmy Joe Granito to make it a five-goal game at 9-4. The teams exchanged goals early in the fourth before Drexel iced the game with two goals in the final minutes. Matt Soran scored his first career goal and Nick Valentino close out the scoring with 1:52 to play in the game.

Granito made eight saves in goal for the Dragons and allowed just four goals before getting the last eight minutes of the game off as Cal Winkelman replaced him. The Dragons outshot Mercer, 42-32, and won 11 of the game's 20 face-offs. Mercer's Mike Nugent came up with 15 stops in the cage.

The Dragons have now won three of their last four games. Drexel begins conference play next Saturday. The Colonial Athletic Association schedule begins with two road games, the first at nationally-ranked Towson at noon.