GETTYSBURG, Pa. – Junior Tommy Heller (Livingston, N.J./Livingston) and sophomore Brian Kolen (Bridgewater, N.J./Bridgewater-Raritan) each scored three goals and 13th-ranked Gettysburg College capitalized on a big third quarter to get by Messiah College 12-9 in a non-conference men's lacrosse contest at Shirk Field at Musselman Stadium Saturday afternoon.
 
Gettysburg (1-0) improved to 18-0 all-time against Messiah (0-1), but the Bullets were in danger of falling for the first time to the Falcons after falling behind 6-3 to start the third quarter. Heller, Koler, and junior Will DeMartin (Summit, N.J./Saint Peter's Prep) each tallied a pair of goals during a seven-goal outburst to help propel the Bullets to victory.
 
Heller picked up an assist to tie freshman Jack Fletcher (Charlotte, N.C./Providence Day School), who tallied two goals and two assists in his debut, for high-point man for Gettysburg. Kolen's goal output was a personal best, while DeMartin finished with two goals and one assist.
 
Sophomores Mitch Wykoff (Fairfield, Conn./Fairfield Ludlowe) and Eric Carr (Huntingdon Valley, Pa./Academy of the New Church) led the defense with six ground balls. Wykoff added a pair of caused turnovers, while Carr forced a clutch turnover with 2:30 to play after Messiah had pulled to 10-9 on the scoreboard.
 
Senior goalie Tim Brady (Charlotte, N.C./Providence) posted eight saves for the Bullets. Senior Geoff Fulgione (North Andover, Mass./Brooks School) won 15-of-23 face-offs and picked up a pair of ground balls.
 
Liam Lilienthal tallied three goals and one assist for Messiah, while Joseph Franken and Hunter Bellows each produced two tallies. Evan Stocker racked up a game-high 17 saves.
 
Gettysburg broke out of the gates with a pair of quicks scores as Fletcher set up Kolen at 12:38 and then tossed in his first goal 34 seconds later. The Falcons dialed up six of the next seven scores with back-to-back tallies by Bellows at the end of the first half and beginning of the second leaving the Bullets behind 6-3.
 
Heller started the run with a man-up goal following a feed by junior Andrew Garstka (Springfield, Va./Paul VI Cathollic) at 12:25 in the third. DeMartin posted back-to-back solo efforts before Heller struck again. Kolen completed his first career hat trick on assists by Fletcher and junior Jack Harvey (New Providence, N.J./New Providence). Fletcher closed the streak following a pass from sophomore Christian Atalese (Long Valley, N.J./West Morris Central) with made it 10-6 with 3:41 left in the third quarter.
 
The Falcons rallied with the final score of the period and two more to start the final frame. After pulling to 10-9 on a goal by Franken with 4:49 to play, the Falcons won the ensuing face-off only to turn the ball over as senior Cullen Minion (Garden City, N.Y./Garden City) intercepted a pass. Messiah managed to get the ball back, but Carr swiped the ball away from the attackman and scooped up the ground ball.
 
Gettysburg marched down the field and after a missed shot, Heller slipped through the defense and tossed in his third goal of the game. Harvey added a man-up goal in the final 15 seconds to seal the win.
 
Gettysburg finished with the advantage in shots (53-29) and ground balls (34-22), while winning 16-of-24 face-offs. The Bullets also held the Falcons to 16-of-24 on clears.
 
The Orange and Blue resumes action at Goucher College on Wednesday, Feb. 21, at 4 p.m.