GREENVILLE, Pa. – Mount Union opened their 2023 season with a 28-7 win over Thiel Saturday afternoon.
 
The Purple Raiders (1-0) were led by sophomore Liam Erwin (Victor, N.Y.) and senior Logan Gebhart (McDonald, Pa./Canon-McMilan) with six goals each.
 
Thiel (0-1) was led by Chase Lawler with four goals.
 
Mount Union opened the first period with two goals from Erwin and senior Eli Ciotti (Canonsburg, Pa./Linsly). Gebhart managed to get on the scoresheet. Senior Logan Addonizio (Wixom, Mich./Walled Lake Western) and junior Axel Magarell (Tualatin, Ore.) would score the team's fourth and fifth goal. Thiel would score four goals throughout the first period of play to make the score 5-4.
 
Gebhart would open the scoring of the second period for Mount Union as they took a 6-4 lead. Sophomore Connor Addison (Mishawaka, Ind./South Bend) would score his first goal of the season while a goal would come from Erwin, Ciotti, and Addonizio to lead 10-4. Thiel managed to score one goal as the Raiders led 10-5 at halftime.
 
Mount Union outscored Thiel 18-2 in the second half. Gebhart scored four goals with Erwin and Ciotti scoring two goals each in the third period. Sophomores Mark Zusman (Wiloughby) and Grant Dunmire (Allison Park, Pa./Hampton) each managed to score one goal in the period as Mount Union led 21-6 after the third period.
 
In the final period, sophomore Robert Belknap (Concord / Gilmour Academy) scored his first two goals of the season in the fourth quarter. Erwin also managed to score two goals while Noah Grigson, Addonizio, and senior Isaac Kinaitis (Uniontown/Green) scored one goal apiece to help the Raiders to a victory.
 
Mount Union's next game is in Latrobe, Pennsylvania as they travel to take on Saint Vincent next Saturday at 1 p.m