The Raiders celebrate a goal during their season-opening win at Merrill Field on Wednesday. (Courtesy photo by Kyle Prudhomme/Rivier Athletics)

NASHUA, N.H. – The Rivier men’s lacrosse team, fueled by a five-goal effort from graduate student Connor Eck, secured a 10-7 victory over Wheaton (Mass.) in Wednesday night’s season opener at Merrill Field.

The Raiders improved to 1-0 for the second straight season as the Lyons dropped to 2-1 overall.

Wheaton got on the board twice in the opening 3:39 before Rivier responded with a pair of its own as senior Sawyer Hall scored to put the Raiders on the board at the 8:24 mark before Eck knotted the game up with 5:50 left in the first. After the Lyons scored on a man-up opportunity, Eck netted his second of the quarter to tie the game at 3-3.

Rivier scored three goals in the final 5:51 of the second quarter to take a 6-3 lead at the half. Senior Chris Heitmiller scored twice in that span as Eck notched a hat trick.

Heitmiller added to the Raiders’ lead 8:50 into the third quarter to make it 7-3. Less than one minute later, Wheaton recorded a goal to cut its deficit back to three.

The Raiders and Lyons traded goals in the fourth as Eck scored his fourth and fifth while Heitmiller added his fourth to secure the three-goal victory.

Heitmiller led the team in points with six on the night while graduate student Michael Zapatka and senior Michael Ference each registered three assists. Graduate student Coby Mercier posted assists on the final two Rivier goals of the contest. Graduate defenders Adam Hailey and Robert DelPrete each recorded three caused turnovers. Graduate goalie Sawyer Gagnon made 11 stops on 18 shots faced.

Rivier narrowly outshot the guests, 31-29, and secured 33 ground balls to Wheaton’s 21. Mercier led the Raiders in the category with five of his own. Both teams turned the ball over 21 times and won 10 faceoffs. Rivier was unable to score on four man-up opportunities while the Lyons went 2-of-3 (66.7%).

The Raiders will open Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) play on Saturday, March 1 in a road matchup at Lasell with a 1:00 p.m. start scheduled from Grellier Field.