ERIE, PA. – Junior Colby Frigon (Providence, R.I.) scored the game winner, while redshirt-sophomore James Donnelly (Ottawa, Ontario) set a new Division I program record with eight points, as the UMass Lowell men's lacrosse team (1-1) earned a thrilling, 14-13 victory over the Mercyhurst Lakers (0-3) in double overtime on Saturday afternoon.

"I'm so proud of our team to come back and win today," said Head Coach Drew Kelleher. "Mercyhurst had a great plan, but we were able to overcome it and battle. Winning is never easy in college lacrosse, and we had a rough trip getting here. I'm really proud of our players, athletic trainer, and coaching staff for finding a way to get it done."

After the first five-minute period of overtime proved to not be enough, Mercyhurst and UMass Lowell continued their defensive battle well into the second overtime period. With less than two minutes on the clock, the visitors found the game winner, as Frigon collected the ball from over 20 yards out before racing down the sideline and behind the net.  Coming around the other side of the net, the junior saw an angle even with two defenders on him, launching a shot into the top left corner of the net while falling over, giving the River Hawks the 14-13 victory in double overtime.

Frigon, one of seven goal scorers for the River Hawks, also added an assist and two ground balls. Donnelly, meanwhile, was all over the box score, totaling five goals and three assists, both personal bests, while also adding two ground balls and a caused turnover. Right behind him, sophomore Alex Lafreniere (Chelmsford, Mass.) added four goals, while juniors Nolan Marshall (Oakville, Ontario) and Ryan Cho (Acton, Mass.), sophomore Griffin Sumwalt (Aquebogue, N.Y.), and freshman Ryan Proctor (Uxbridge, Ontario) all chipped in with a goal each. In net, sophomore AJ True (Manchester, N.H.) made 10 saves in his first start of the season.

Despite Mercyhurst opening the scoring just over a minute in, the River Hawks' offense roared to life, as Cho and Donnelly both found the back of the net less than a minute apart, giving their squad a slight, 2-1 lead. Minutes later, with the score remaining the same, Donnelly found Marshall, who promptly fired a shot past the keeper, extending the lead to two. The Lakers answered right back, adding a pair of goals, but Lafreniere tallied one of his own, this time with 1:49 to play, giving UMass Lowell a 4-3 lead after one.

In the second quarter, the hosts came out strong, scoring the first three goals of the quarter to jump in front. The River Hawks refused to back down, though, as Lafreniere used a man-up opportunity to net his second goal and cut the deficit to 6-5. The Lakers added two more goals over the next two minutes, and although Lafreniere completed the hat trick with 1:57 on the clock, a last-second score by the opposition made it a 9-6 game heading into the break.

Coming out of the break, Sumwalt was quick to get his squad on the board, launching a rocket from 15 yards out, zipping the shot past the goalie, and pulling the visitors back within two. The River Hawks proceeded to lock down defensively, allowing only one goal over the next eight minutes. Meanwhile, Donnelly tallied his second goal of the afternoon to pull the squad closer, but the Lakers added one final goal in the quarter to take an 11-8 lead into the final 15 minutes.

Looking to pull off a comeback in the fourth, the River Hawks got to work right away, as Donnelly recorded his third goal of the game less than a minute in. Mercyhurst answered right back 50 seconds later, but back-to-back goals by Proctor and Lafreniere cut the deficit to one with under 10 to play. Both sides locked down defensively, not allowing a goal for over five minutes, before the hosts ended the scoring drought and extended the difference to two with 3:59 remaining. UMass Lowell, however, rallied, as Donnelly scored 23 seconds later, before beating the buzzer, scoring his fifth goal of the afternoon with six seconds to play, setting up the thrilling finish.

Next up, the River Hawks return home next weekend when they welcome Wagner to town on Saturday, February 21. Opening faceoff is set for 12 p.m. at Cushing Field.