LOUISVILLE, Ky. – It was a celebration turned melancholy for the lacrosse Knights Saturday afternoon at Owsley B. Frazier Stadium. The program honored 15 departing seniors on Career Appreciation Day before opening faceoff, but Detroit Mercy spoiled the afternoon by battling their way to an 18-10 win once the clock began to roll.
 
The loss locks the Knights into the number four seed in the ASUN Championship after they entered the day in the mix for a top-two seed and a first-round bye.
 
Detroit Mercy (3-9, 3-5 ASUN), fighting for their ASUN Championship lives, weathered a 6-2 first quarter deficit, including a 3-0 run to start the game by Bellarmine (9-6, 5-3 ASUN). UDM flipped the script in the second quarter, rallying to a 7-1 advantage and scoring the final five goals before halftime to take a 9-7 lead into the locker room.
 
The onslaught continued to start the third with the Titans scoring five times to open up a 14-7 lead before the Knights finally found the net nearly seven minutes into the half. UDM outscored the Knights 6-2 in the third before controlling possession for much of the fourth, outscoring Bellarmine again 3-1, to win by an eight-goal margin.
 
Offensively for Bellarmine, Benny O'Rourk scored twice to extend his consecutive-game goal scoring streak to 39. He also dished out three assists for five total points in his final game at Frazier Stadium.
 
Another senior, midfielder Pat Anderson, recorded his first multi-goal game of the season after a pair of angled running charges at the cage. He also handed out an assist.
 
Bellarmine got single goals from four other seniors in their farewell game: Christian Della Rocco, Kyle Playsted, Jack Cunningham and Wilson Murphree. Justin Wescoat and Jaden Wilkins scored the other two goals for an offensive unit that struggled to beat Titans goalie Ryan Richters, who tallied 18 saves, including several on Knights shots at point-blank range.
 
John Alie, the ASUN's leader in goals, was held scoreless for the first time this season, snapping a 17-game scoring streak dating back to last year's regular season finale against Jacksonville.
 
Notably absent from the field were three of Bellarmine's seniors lost to season-ending injuries in goalie JC Higginbotham and midfielders Harrison Pate and Lukas Sinon. Additionally, senior midfielder Brennan McDermott left Saturday's game due to an apparent injury and did not return.
 
Three Titans finished with three hat tricks, including Luke Majick and Chase Mahabir, who scored four times apiece. Aidan Bishop was the third.
 
Bellarmine now turns their attention to a road matchup with Jacksonville next Saturday at 12 p.m. ET to finish the regular season. The Dolphins are tied for first place in the ASUN after a big overtime win on the road at Air Force, who was previously unbeaten in ASUN play. The Knights then head back to Colorado for the ASUN Championship.
 
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