POTSDAM, N.Y. – The Union College men's lacrosse team outscored Clarkson University by an 8-3 margin in the second half to finish off a 14-10 victory in the Garnet Chargers' Liberty League opener on Saturday afternoon at Hantz Field.
 
Junior Walker Popko and sophomore Mike Wall led Union (3-4, 1-0 Liberty League) with four points apiece, with Popko scoring two goals with two helpers and Wall dishing out three assists to go with one goal. Senior Hazen Pike matched his career high with three goals and both senior Peter Kip and first-year Finbar Holland scored twice with one assist apiece as part of a well-rounded effort that saw eight different players score.
 
Senior Luke McHugh had a good day at the X, winning 18-of-26 faceoffs and grabbing 10 ground balls, while sophomore Nick Lynch had another good outing in goal with 18 saves, helping to counteract Clarkson's 47-29 edge in shots.
 
Clarkson (6-3, 0-1 Liberty League) scored the first two goals of the game to take an early advantage, but Union came back with the next four and six of the next seven to take a 6-3 edge in a high-scoring first frame. Popko assisted on goals from Kip and Pike 41 seconds apart and then scored 69 seconds after Pike to give Union its first lead of the game. McHugh then won the subsequent faceoff clean and went to goal for his first collegiate tally to give the visitors a 4-2 advantage with 6:57 left. After a Clarkson score, Kip and Popko both found the net for the second time to end the period.
 
The Golden Knights turned up the pressure in the second stanza, outshooting Union by a 19-3 margin and scoring the only four goals of the frame to take a 7-6 lead into halftime. Lynch made six saves to limit the damage and keep his team close despite the lack of offense in the period.
 
The momentum reversed coming out of halftime, however, as Union regained its footing on both ends of the field. Holland and Pike scored two goals each to help the Garnet Chargers keep pace in the third quarter before sophomore Mekhi Taylor added a goal with 13 seconds left to put the visitors up 11-9 headed into the fourth. Union then outscored Clarkson 3-1 in the final frame, with junior Emmett Lyne scoring twice and Wall adding a goal and an assist to help put the game away. Lynch made six saves for Union in the final frame as well.
 
Union countered Clarkson's shot advantage by holding a decisive 40-29 edge in ground balls and winning 19-of-28 faceoffs.
 
Union will return to action on Tuesday, when the squad finishes off its non-conference schedule with a matchup against defending national champion and top-ranked Tufts University beginning at 6 p.m. at Frank Bailey Field at Bertagna-Class of 1985 Stadium.