FROSTBURG, Md. – First-year Jason Clinton scored four goals in his collegiate debut and sophomore Jimmy Lucas scored the game winner with 3:23 to play in the fourth as Frostburg defeated Ursinus, 9-8, in the season opener for both programs, Saturday.
 
The game was tight throughout as neither team led by more than two goals and the Bobcats opened the season with the victory by rallying from a 5-4 halftime deficit.
 
Ursinus (0-1) held a 2-0 lead and 3-1 edge in the first quarter and Frostburg led 7-5 in the third after opening the second half with three-straight goals.
 
The win avenges last year's opening day loss to Usrinus and ends the Bears' streak of eight-straight season-opening victories. The Bears are ranked 23^rd in the country in the preseason poll according to Inside Lacrosse, while Frostburg is receiving votes in the USILA Preseason Top 20.
 
Clinton found the net three times in the opening half and his third goal knotted the score at 4-4 with 5:16 to play in the second quarter.
 
Ursinus' Reagan Ketchum found the net with 1:16 left in the half for a 5-4 lead at intermission.
 
Frostburg grabbed the momentum in the third quarter when senior Keegan Colegrove found sophomore Justin Carroll at 12:56, senior Ryan Baukhages connected with sophomore Paul Ruppert at 10:58 and Colegrove scored an unassisted tally at 9:08 for a 7-5 Bobcat lead.
 
Clinton opened the fourth quarter with a goal off an assist from senior Adam Gross for an 8-6 advantage.
 
The Bears scored two goals in the fourth to even the count at 8-8 before Lucas scored the game winner at 3:23.
 
Frostburg sophomore keeper Jack Marks stopped a Bobby McClure shot with 4:24 and he saved a shot from Ian Desenberg with 45 seconds left to seal the win.
 
Marks finished with 13 saves, just one shy of tying his career-high. Colegrove finished with two goals and two assists, While Gross handed out three assists.
 
Ursinus outshot Frostburg 38-32 and the Bears won 11-of-19 faceoffs. However, Marks made eight of his 13 saves in the crucial second half and the Bobcat defense killed off all five extra-man opportunities for Ursinus.
 
McClure led the way with three goals, while Peter DeSimone added two.
 
Frostburg returns to action on Saturday when it travels to Franklin & Marshall at 3:00 pm.