LOUISVILLE, Ky. – John Alie matched a Bellarmine program record with six goals as Bellarmine took down Robert Morris 15-12 Wednesday afternoon Owsley B. Frazier Stadium. The Knights used a 9-0 run over 20 minutes of gameplay to battle back from a four-goal deficit and seize control en route to the win.
 
"This was as complete a team win as we've had since I've been at Bellarmine," said head coach Andrew Whitley. "To end an eight-year losing streak to a program the caliber of Robert Morris with this type of come-from-behind effort is a credit to every person affiliated with our program."
 
The six goals for Alie established a new career high after he previously scored five goals against both St. Bonaventure and Mercer.
 
There were also more milestones reached by Bellarmine's senior leaders, Benny O'Rourk and Kyle Playsted.
 
O'Rourk scored the first goal of the game on a nice series of dodges from behind the cage for the 100^th of his career. He became the second Knight, after Playsted, to reach the plateau. In doing so, he also extended his consecutive game scoring streak to 35. The captain midfielder finished with two goals on the day.
 
Playsted, as he established Bellarmine's 100 Goal Club two games ago and its 200 Point Club on Saturday, today established its 100 Assist Club. In typical fashion, he helped Alie with a touch pass dime on a fast break early in the fourth quarter as the Knights were making their big run. The senior attackman, who earlier this week was named Valor MVP of Bellarmine's entire athletic program, finished with four assists, one shy of his program record, and added a goal, his program-leading 104^th of his career.
 
"I could not be happier for Kyle and Benny," Whitley said. "They are in such rarified air that I don't really have the words anymore to describe their impact on this program. They are just great competitors to be around and wonderful people to have representing our program."
 
The Knights (8-5, 4-2 ASUN) jumped out to a 3-1 lead with 4:45 left in the first before allowing the Colonials (3-8, 2-4 ASUN) to rattle off six straight goals to flip the scoreboard for a 7-3 lead.
 
"Robert Morris had a terrific game plan and did a tremendous job of executing it through the first 25 minutes," said Whitley.
 
Starting with Alie's goal with 5:02 remaining in the second period, however, Bellarmine rattled off nine straight scores over the remainder of the first half and the entire third quarter to lead 12-7 heading into the fourth.
 
Whitley credits his staff for helping with in-game adjustments and his players for executing them, leading to the midgame turnaround.
 
"I have the best group of assistants in the country in Nicholas Marks, Mike Ondrusek and Jackson Draper," Whitley said. "We completely scrapped our game plan in the second quarter and made wholesale tactical adjustments that were designed to mitigate Robert Morris's transition. To our players' credit, they rolled with the adjustments and executed them flawlessly. That resilience is something guys in our program take pride in."
 
The Colonials made it interesting, outscoring the Knights 5-3 in the final stanza, before Bellarmine was able to hang on and win by a comfortable three-goal margin.
 
A large portion of the Knights' offensive effort today can be attributed to their faceoff unit, which held serve against a strong RMU duo, splitting the battles evenly 15-15. Cole Messick led the charge going 12-for-20 (.600). RMU entered the game leading the ASUN by winning 54 percent of their faceoffs.
 
Freshman goalie Jack Bryant was inserted into the game at the start of the second quarter and saved 13-of-21 shots (.619) to earn his first career win.
 
"We got a multitude of contributions from some unexpected places," Whitley said. "Jack Bryant coming off the bench to make 13 saves and Cole Messick going 12-for-20 just showed the preparedness of our guys to make plays whenever they are called upon."
 
Christian Della Rocco added two goals and a matched a career high with three assists while Justin Wescoat, Denton Macdonald, Wilson Murphree and Tommy Fialkowski all tallied single scores for the Knights.
 
On defense, captain midfielder Brennan McDermott picked up a season-high five groundballs.
 
"We challenged some guys on Monday to better after their performances against Air Force," Whitley added. "Christopher Reynolds, John Alie, Justin Wescoat and Pat Anderson all responded like the impactful players we know they can be. Those four guys played like we know they are capable of and we are tough to beat when they play like they did this afternoon."
 
David Burr paced the Colonials with six points on four goals and two assists. Elliot Holden scored once and handed out three assists for four points as RMU dropped their second straight game.
 
The Knights are right back at it on Saturday at Frazier Stadium against Cleveland State (7-5, 4-2 ASUN). Opening faceoff is set for 12 p.m. ET.
 
For more coverage of Bellarmine athletics, follow @BUKnights on X, Instagram and Facebook.