COLUMBUS, Ohio (2/5/2022) -- Junior Luke Majick posted a career-high three goals and the Titans had an early lead, but a big second-half run by Ohio State was the difference as the University of Detroit Mercy men's lacrosse team dropped an 18-7 decision at the Woody Hayes Center on Saturday afternoon.

The game was the season opener for both schools.

Along with Majick, graduate senior Brett Erskine, senior Matt Blevins and sophomores Cole Gellatly and Will Edell all had goals.

Graduate senior Paul Manuszak tied his career-high with four caused turnovers and picked up a team-high six ground balls, while redshirt freshman Jakob Hemme made 13 saves in his first collegiate start. 

Detroit Mercy saw Ohio State take a 2-0 lead quick, but Majick cut that in half with his first goal. The Buckeyes then went ahead 3-1, but back came the Titans on a 3-0 run to jump out in front.

Gellatly made it a 3-2 game and then Blevins knotted it up at 3-3 at the 8:45 mark. Just a minute later, Erskine was able to dodge two defenders and his tally gave the red, white and blue a 4-3 advantage with 7:32 left.

Ohio State led 6-4 early in the second when Majick again got the Titans back in the game with a goal, but the Buckeyes led at the break 8-5.

Majick tallied his hat trick just five minutes into the third to get the Titans within four, 10-6, but Ohio State was able to score seven in a row to take control of the contest. 

The Titans were outshot, 49-27, but did record 10 caused turnovers 

Junior Kyle Loken had two caused turnovers and a ground ball and freshman Jake Wooldridge had a caused turnover and two grounds balls.

The Titans will now get ready for another Big Ten team as the red, white and blue are at Michigan next Saturday, Feb. 12, in a 1:00 p.m. start

First Period:

• Off a caused turnover, Majick got the Titans on the board, cutting the deficit to 2-1 at the 11:19 mark
• Hemme made his first save with 10:06 on the clock
• Gellatly started a 3-0 run by beating the defense to make it 3-2 at 9:23
• Off a faceoff win, Blevins was able to tie the game at 3-3 with 8:45 remaining
• Erskine dodged a couple of defenders and was able to find the back of the net for a 4-3 advantage with 7:32 left
• Despite two Hemme saves, Ohio State scored twice in the final six minutes for a 6-4 lead after one

Second Period:

• Off a Hemme save, Majick would strike again in the first minute to make it 6-5
• Beacom and Bruinius had caused turnovers and Hemme made another save, but the Buckeyes went ahead 7-5 with 6:04 left
• Hemme made two more stops the rest of the way as Ohio State took an 8-5 lead at the break

Third Period:

• Hemme made two saves and Majick got his hat trick with 10:31 left as the Titans trailed 10-6
• Loken and Wooldridge came up with caused turnovers to stall the Buckeyes offense
• Ohio State led 12-6 after three

Fourth Period:

• Hemme had a save and Manuszak came up with a caused turnover
• Ohio State scored five goals for a 17-6 advantage 
• Edell ended the run with a marker with 2:52 left

Game Notes:

• The Titans are now 1-10 all-time versus the Buckeyes, which includes an 0-9 mark on the road
• Ohio State was the first-ever opponent in program history back in 2009 when the red, white and blue fell, 21-1.
• This was the sixth time that Detroit Mercy opened its season against Ohio State
• Detroit Mercy is 4-10 all-time on opening day and 1-13 in road openers with the win coming in Jacksonville in 2020
• Majick's previous high in goals was against St. Bonaventure last season, when he had four total points
• Manuszak also had four caused turnovers last season against St. Bonaventure
• Manuszak now has 162 career ground balls, two shy of Jason Weber for sixth in school history, while his 43 career caused turnovers moved him past John Dwyer and Pat Masterson for seventh in school history, nine away from former teammate Alex Akins
• Erskine now has 72 career goals, four shy of former teammate Matthew Vangalen for fourth in school history