Keydets Earn First Win of Season Over Mercer, 15-9

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Keydets Earn First Win of Season Over Mercer, 15-9

MACON, Ga.- Juniors Colin Bosse and Andrew Nieminski scored three goals apiece while junior Keith Long had four helpers as the Keydets picked up their first win of the season in the first home game in Mercer lacrosse history 15-9  Weds., Feb. 16 at Bear Field in Macon. Ten different players scored for the Keydets while VMI won the faceoff battle 21-6 and the held a 55-36 groundball advantage in VMI head coach Brian Anken's first win as the Keydet head coach.

Tied 1-1 heading into the second quarter, the Keydets (1-1) opened up a 4-2 lead, as Bosse, returning to the lineup after missing the Navy game due to injury, gave the Keydets the 2-1 lead, scoring unassisted 16 seconds into the second frame. After the teams traded goals to bring the score 3-2, junior defensive-midfielder Dallas Wiggins took a feed from Long and found the back of the net to send the score to 4-2 on Long's second assist of the day heading into the half.

The third quarter was where VMI put the game out of reach, as the period started off with VMI striking early once again, as senior Bobby Davis gave the Keydets a 5-2 lead 42 seconds into the third. Mercer (0-2) was able to bring the score to 6-4 with 11:56 left in the frame, but VMI then rattled off three unanswered scores, beginning with Bosse at the 9:48 mark, followed by Nieminski and Stephen Robarge goals to run the score to 9-4 with 7:44 left in the third.

After a man-up goal by Mercer's Brett Eisenmann with 4:45, VMI countered with one of its own, the first man-up goal of the season, as senior Lowell Patterson scored on a crank-shot off a pass from Long to send the score to 10-5.

Only 23 seconds later, freshman Tim Boersig gave VMI the 11-5 lead on Long's fourth helper of the contest as the Keydets carried an 11-5 advantage into the final quarter of play.

Mercer would not go down easily, even after VMI added goals by Bosse and Nieminski in the opening four minutes of the fourth to extend the advantage to 14-6. After the sides exchanged goals to bring the score to 15-6 in favor of VMI with 7:17 to play, Mercer went on a 3-0 run to close out the contest, bring the final score to 15-9, VMI.

Junior Kelly McMinn played the first 53 minutes of the contest, stopping nine shots as he earned the win. Freshman Pat Johnston entered the contest with 8 minutes remaining, and made three stops and allowed a trio of goals. Mercer's Justin Bateman took the loss, as he allowed 15 goals while making 11 stops. The Bears had nine different players account for scores in the defeat.

The 15 goals are the most VMI has scored in a contest since the 2008 season, as the Keydets defeated Presbyterian College 15-4 on Feb. 27. The Blue Hose were coached that day by Jason Childs, who is the head man of the Mercer program.

The Keydets return to action on Sat., Feb. 19, as VMI plays host to Army, who was ranked No. 13 in the Nike/Inside Lacrosse Preseason poll. Admission is free for the game, which will be played at VMI's Foster Stadium and will begin at 1 p.m. Live stats, as well as Twitter updates, can be accessed via VMIKeydets.com.
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Players Mentioned

Tim Boersig

#39 Tim Boersig

A
6' 2"
Freshman
Colin Bosse

#4 Colin Bosse

A
5' 10"
Junior
Bobby Davis

#12 Bobby Davis

M
5' 11"
Senior
Keith Long

#7 Keith Long

M
6' 3"
Junior
Kelly McMinn

#30 Kelly McMinn

G
5' 10"
Junior
Andrew Nieminski

#22 Andrew Nieminski

M
6' 1"
Junior
Lowell Patterson

#18 Lowell Patterson

M
5' 11"
Senior
Stephen Robarge

#37 Stephen Robarge

M-F/O
5' 10"
Junior
Dallas Wiggins

#27 Dallas Wiggins

M
5' 7"
Junior

Players Mentioned

Tim Boersig

#39 Tim Boersig

6' 2"
Freshman
A
Colin Bosse

#4 Colin Bosse

5' 10"
Junior
A
Bobby Davis

#12 Bobby Davis

5' 11"
Senior
M
Keith Long

#7 Keith Long

6' 3"
Junior
M
Kelly McMinn

#30 Kelly McMinn

5' 10"
Junior
G
Andrew Nieminski

#22 Andrew Nieminski

6' 1"
Junior
M
Lowell Patterson

#18 Lowell Patterson

5' 11"
Senior
M
Stephen Robarge

#37 Stephen Robarge

5' 10"
Junior
M-F/O
Dallas Wiggins

#27 Dallas Wiggins

5' 7"
Junior
M