FROSTBURG, Md. – Senior Paul Ruppert scored four goals to help lead Frostburg to a 15-14 overtime win over Lake Erie, Saturday afternoon in the season opener at Bobcat Stadium.
 
Early this season, Lake Erie was receiving votes to be nationally ranked in USILA top 25 poll.
 
Frostburg advances its overall record to 1-0 while Lake Erie falls to 0-3 on the season.
 
Frostburg took a 3-0 advantage in the first four minutes of the game off goals from junior Reid Patton, sophomore Matthew Ward, and junior Jason Clinton. Lake Erie battled back with four straight unanswered goals to end the first quarter with the lead 4-3.
 
The Storm opened the second quarter with 2 goals from Tommy Bischel and Matthew Cromie increasing the Lake Erie lead 6-3. Two goals by Ruppert cut the Bobcat scoring deficit to 7-5 at 9:47 in the quarter. A Bobcat goal from senior Mike Sipes put Frostburg within two points 9-7 with 2:40 left in the half. The Storm finished the scoring in the first half off a goal from Neil Gardner increasing their lead 10-7 going into halftime.
 
Frostburg had a strong third quarter outscoring the Storm 4-1. Sipes opened the scoring for the Bobcats with a goal at 13:53. Sophomore Jake Bowman netted back-to-back unassisted goals at 11:46 and 4:08 to cut the scoring gap to one 11-10 until a goal from Ruppert at 2:17 tied the game and closed out the scoring for the third quarter.
 
The Bobcats came out hot in the fourth quarter scoring three goals within 90 seconds thank to efforts from sophomore Tanner Donaldson, junior Nick Gallagher, and Sipes to take a 14-11 lead with ten minutes remaining. Lake Erie went on to force overtime after scoring three consecutive times ending regulation at 14-14. Sophomore Sam Natvig went on to win the opening faceoff in overtime which allowed the Bobcats to capture the sudden death victory off a goal from Ruppert with an assist from Patton.   
 
Ruppert led the seven Bobcats who got on the scoring sheet with his four goals off of eight shots. Sipes earned three goals off four shots while Bowman and Donaldson both netted two goals on the day.  
 
Tommy Bischel scored four goals and adding one assist for the Storm while Neil Gardner also netted four goals.
 
The Bobcats return to action on Tuesday when they travel to Alderson Broaddus. Game time is set for 4:00 pm.