St. John’s Comeback Falls Short at Mercer, 12-11

Saturday, March 14

Macon, Ga. (Five Star Stadium)

11 a.m.

St. John's University

2-5

Mercer

4-4

St. John's (N.Y.)

Mercer

3/14/2026 3:33:00 PM | Men's Lacrosse

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

The Red Storm is back in action on March 21 to meet Brown in Queens

MACON, Ga. – The St. John's lacrosse team (2-6, 0-0 BIG EAST) fell in a tightly contested 12-11 decision to Mercer (4-4, 0-0 ASUN) on Saturday afternoon in Macon.

The Bears led by as many as five goals in the second half before the Johnnies surged on a 6-2 run and were unable to convert the game-tying goal at Five Star Stadium.
Mitch Campbell led the Red Storm with a career-high four goals and one assist. Noah Plenn, Jake Wright and Jayson Cardenas each added two goals, while Owen Rogers also found the back of the net.

In goal, Matt Nelson recorded 15 saves, marking his seventh game this season with 10 or more stops.

St. John's struck first as Campbell opened the scoring just 50 seconds into the contest, finishing the Johnnies' first possession to give the Red Storm an early lead. The Red Storm later killed off a penalty behind its top-15 nationally ranked man-down unit, but Mercer responded with three straight goals to take a 3-1 advantage with 6:07 remaining in the opening quarter.
After four scoreless minutes, Mercer extended its lead to three before Rogers answered with a low-bouncing shot that beat the Bears' goalkeeper with 1:40 left in the period. Mercer added a goal in the final minute to carry a 5-2 lead into the second quarter.

Mercer opened the second quarter with a goal just 15 seconds in to extend their lead to four. Plenn answered 28 seconds later, recording his first goal of the day to cut the deficit to 6-3. Following several empty possessions, Mercer pushed its advantage back to four with a goal at the 9:27 mark. Two minutes later, Wright beat the Bears' goalkeeper with a strong dodge to bring the Red Storm within three.

After a Mercer penalty, the Red Storm capitalized on the man advantage as Plenn fired a shot into the top corner to make it 7-5 with 5:01 remaining. Mercer closed the half with two unanswered goals to take a 9-5 lead into the break.

Mercer opened the second half with a goal to extend their lead to five. Nelson made a pair of key saves to keep the Red Storm within striking distance before the Johnnies capitalized on a man-up opportunity. Cardenas buried the extra-man chance with 8:52 remaining in the quarter to cut the deficit to four.

St. John's continued to apply pressure as Wright scored just over a minute later to make it 10-7. Mercer answered on the ensuing possession, but Campbell recorded back-to-back goals late in the quarter to pull the Red Storm within two heading into the fourth, 11-9.

Campbell opened the fourth quarter with his fourth goal of the day, setting a new career high and pulling the St. John's Red Storm men's lacrosse within one. Nelson made another key save during a Mercer scoring chance, while the Red Storm's man-down unit successfully killed off a one-minute penalty to keep the deficit at one.

After several scoreless minutes, the Bears broke through with 4:38 remaining to extend their lead to 12-10. St. John's responded late as Cardenas converted on a man-up opportunity with 57 seconds left, but the comeback effort fell just short as Mercer held on for a 12-11 victory.

St. John's will be back in action when it meets Brown at Cox Family Field at Belson Stadium on Saturday afternoon.