Box Score  
WHEELING, W.Va. – A staunch defensive effort wasn't enough for the No. 11 Wheeling Jesuit men's lacrosse team to overcome the No. 4 ranked Mercyhurst Lakers, falling 5-7 in a tight ECAC conference showdown.
 
The Cardinals drop to third place in the ECAC standings behind the only two teams to beat them so far this season, Lake Erie and Mercyhurst, with a 5-2 conference record (10-2 overall). 
 
Senior goalkeeper Joe Amsler was outstanding for the Cardinals, taking an almost unheard of 19 saves on the afternoon to keep the Laker attack at bay.
 
Offensively, WJU went into the game two attackmen down with regular starters Tyler Wickett and senior Brian Frank out nursing injuries.
 
Tyler Buchan opened the scoring in the game for the Cardinals, putting the home team out to a 1-0 lead midway through the first quarter. Both teams were patient with ball in hand in the opening stanza, holding possession for long periods of time, and picking shots wisely.
 
Mercyhurst's Trevor Vargo then rattled off three of the Lakers next five goals to give the visitors a decisive 5-1 lead as halftime neared.
 
WJU's Sean Wright then got the Cardinals back in the game with a goal with 3:55 left in the half to put momentum back on the home side of the field.
 
In the second half, Tyler Johnson put in two goals for WJU, but only after the Lakers' Brandon Thompson scored two himself to open the half.
 
Last week's Lacrosse Magazine DII player of the week Bryce Bruchu scored with 2:31 left to play to start a Cardinal comeback, followed by Johnson's second goal 30 seconds later, but it was to little, too late as WJU walked off with a very respectable 5-7 loss.
 
WU will take on non-conference foe Mars Hill College next Saturday at home to celebrate the team's senior day.