SCRANTON, Pa. – The Ursinus College men's soccer team polished off a season-opening, three-game road swing with a 2-1 victory at Marywood on Saturday.

Sophomore Rocco Mesoraca and freshman D.J. Briggs each scored their first goals of the season for the Bears (2-1), who picked up a second consecutive one-goal triumph. In addition to Briggs, sophomore Christian D'Ascenzo and junior John Romero, who assisted on the rookie's game-winner in the 65^th minute, each tallied their first collegiate points.

Despite peppering the Marywood net with eight shots on goal in the first half, Ursinus still trailed until late in the frame. Tom Cuffari's 6^th-minute marker had granted the Pacers (1-3) an early lead, and goalie Michael Mejia had made it stand up with six saves in the first half-hour of play.

The Bears' persistence paid off in the 37^th minute, when Mesoraca tucked home an 18-yard blast off a scramble in front of the net.

Mejia stopped five more shots until Briggs put Ursinus ahead to stay, heading in Romero's corner kick from the right side to make it 2-1 with 25:39 left in regulation.

Mostly untested throughout, junior goalkeeper Brandon Lillian made saves in the 73^rd and 75^th minutes. He received a big assist from his defense in the 88^th minute, when Marywood's Dylan McMahon's shot was cleared off the line by junior Alex Sanger.

Ursinus owned a 17-7 surplus in shots and attempted four corner kicks to the Pacers' two. Lillian posted three saves for his second win of the season, while Marywood's Mejia racked up 11.

D'Ascenzo paced Ursinus with four shots, with freshman Jacob Helwig and junior Derek Rudy each contributing three.  

Briggs became the second Bears freshman to score a game-winning goal in as many games, netting the decisive tally three days after Braden Burns' strike with 16 seconds to play at Arcadia.

The men's soccer team takes the Patterson Field pitch for the first time on Wednesday, September 13, when Neumann comes to town for a non-conference match.