Box Score Rome, GA — The Piedmont Men's Lacrosse team came up short this afternoon, dropping their first match of the 2014 season with a 12-6 loss at Berry College. The Lions were late to start in both halves of play with the Vikings shutting out the Lions in the first and third periods.

Mick Baker started the goal for the Lions once again and was faced with offensive pressure shortly after the first faceoff. At 11:40 remaining in the first half, the Vikings attack found the right shot finally and took an early 1-0 lead.

Berry continued to force shots on the Lions defense and Baker came up with plenty of brilliant saves to keep Piedmont alive through the first period. The Vikings found their second goal at five minutes left in the period. After one period of play, Berry held a 2-0 lead, outshooting the Lions 24-0.

Piedmont came back from the intermission with midfielder Sumner Gantz winning his first faceoff of the day. The Lions would allow a goal two minutes later, but made up for it with goals at 9:33 and 4:16 by Steve Blanchard and Spencer Ortis. Ortis took advantage of a man-up opportunity, scoring on a Gantz assist.

Following a timeout with three minutes left, the Lions jumped into action. Branson Mikell grabbed a ground ball and pushed the ball to Ortis in the offensive third. The junior eyed the goal and swung, striking the net with his second goal on the day. In the last minute of play though, Berry scored two more to defeat the tie and go into the halftime break 5-3 over Piedmont.

Coming back from halftime, Baker and the Lions defense again faced heavy opposition. Baker would make eight saves in the period, but the Lions couldn't stop six others including three Berry man-up goals.

In the fourth period, Sophomore Holin Axley took to the field with a purpose. Brandishing his crosse, the Lions attacker scored three goals in a row in the period – man-up, solo, and the final goal assisted by Mikell. The Lions fought til the end, earning the penultimate faceoff and the final faceoff following Berry's last goal but couldn't find the net anymore.

Baker held his post well in goal for the Lions today, making 22 saves on 34 shots against. Axley and Ortis led the offensive with 3 goals on 4 shots each.

With the 12-6 loss, Piedmont moves to 3-1 with the sole loss on the road. The Lions will host Birmingham-Southern College this Saturday, March 1st for a 6:00 PM faceoff before five more away games fill up the schedule.