DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. – The 12th-ranked Saint Anselm College men's lacrosse team, propelled by a career-best seven-goal performance from senior Jack Andrews (Cumberland, R.I.), battled its way to the program's second-ever NCAA Division II postseason victory on Wednesday, downing eighth-ranked Mercy College in the opening round of the NCAA tournament, 17-16.

The victory, the first over Mercy College in six all-time meetings, earns the Hawks a NCAA quarterfinal match-up with No. 7 Mercyhurst University on Sunday, May 14 in Erie, Pa. Saint Anselm improves to 10-4 on the season while Mercy falls to 14-4.

With neither team holding more than a one-goal lead throughout the first half and the score knotted at 8-8 at the midway point, the Mavericks opened the third quarter with a three-goal barrage, storming in front 11-8 with 8:55 left in the quarter, building the game's largest advantage.

The Hawks responded with four straight scores, two from Andrews, to take a 12-11 lead in the opening minute of the fourth quarter. The Mavericks again answered, this time with a pair of scores to retake the lead, 13-12. The teams tied and each took a one-goal advantage three times down the stretch of the back-and-forth battle.

Knotted at 16-16 with 5:46 remaining, Andrews scored the game-winner off a Noah Larsen (Northborough, Mass.) assist with just 1:47 remaining, putting the Hawks in front 17-16.

A penalty on Andrews' goal gave the Hawks the man-advantage for the final 1:47, but Mercy still managed to force a Hawks turnover with 13 seconds left, but a last-second shot sailed wide as time expired, sending Saint Anselm to the next round.

Four of Andrews' goals in the second half gave Saint Anselm a lead, all of which Mercy had an answer for except the final tally. Sophomore Joe Lombardi (Holliston, Mass.) finished the game with three scores while sophomore Will Andrews (Cumberland, R.I.) tacked on two. Noah Larsen added two goals and added three helpers to finish with five points, pushing him over the 100-career points mark as he now sits at 104 in his time on the Hilltop.

Andrew Calabria led Mercy with five goals on the day and Brady Kearnan finished with three. Jack Gibbons added two to finish as the only other Maverick to score multiple goals.

Junior Anthony Kubik (Chicago, Ill.) turned aside 12 shots on goal in his second win of the 2023 from the Hawks cage.

The Hawks held a 48-42 advantage in shot attempts but it was the Mavericks who held a 28-25 edge in shots on goal.

Mercy collected 36 ground balls compared to 32 for the Hawks and won 21 of the game's 37 faceoffs. Freshman Quinn Gannon (Scituate, Mass.) led the Hawks with 12 faceoff wins and grabbed a team-high six ground balls.