FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. -- Pfeiffer closed on a 5-0 scoring run to earn a 16-9 decision over the Methodist men's lacrosse team on Saturday afternoon at Monarch Stadium.
 
The 5-0 surge by the Falcons (5-3) to close the game came after the Monarchs had pulled to within 11-9 on Matt Layden's fifth goal of the game with 11:16 to play. John Allen answered for Pfeiffer at the 9:15 mark to make it 12-9 and Jared Nelson, who finished with 10 points on seven goals and three assists, scored the game's final four goals.
 
Pfeiffer's late spurt came after a closely contested first half saw the two teams tied at 6-6 at the half. Layden scored the game's first two goals as MU took a 2-0 lead less than two minutes into the contest. Alex Skidmore and Nelson scored two goals apiece as Pfeiffer came back to take a 4-2 into the second quarter.
 
In the second, AJ Mejia scooped up the opening faceoff and scored in transition just 15 seconds into the period to make it 4-3. Layden followed with two more goals to make it 5-4 in favor of MU, and Connor Glenn scored off a feed from Bryce Kephart to put the Green & Gold on top, 6-4, with 8:38 left in the first half.
 
Two goals from Blade Garlow in the final 3:38 of the first period left the scored deadlocked at the break. After the two teams traded goals to open the third quarter, another tally from Garlow made it 8-7 in favor of the Falcons, and three more Pfeiffer goals put the visitors up 11-7 by the 3:43 mark of the third period.
 
For the game, Methodist outshot Pfeiffer 42-35, but the Falcons had a slight edge in shots on cage at 24-23. MU won 18 of 28 faceoffs and had 39 ground balls to 36 for Pfeiffer, though Pfeiffer won the turnover battle 14-18.
 
Clay Stevenson made eight saves in the cage for MU, while Jacob Michel countered with 14 saves for the Falcons.
 
In addition to his five points, Layden picked up six ground balls and caused one turnover. Kephart handed out three assists, and Mejia finished with a goal, an assist and three ground balls. Luke Van der Muelen won 12 of 18 faceoffs with six ground balls, while Nick Lemieux was 6 of 10 at the faceoff X and had two ground balls. John Tartline and Brenden Siemen each had two caused turnovers and picked up four ground balls.
 
Garlow finished with four goals and four ground balls for the Falcons, while Alex Skidmore added three goals, and assist and four ground balls. Tyler Matthews caused three turnovers and picked up  three ground balls.
 
Methodist is back in action on Wednesday at Greensboro beginning at 4 pm.