FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – Alex Gritz logged the eventual game-winning goal with his first professional tally, and Austen Long scored twice in the third period to add insurance as the Fayetteville Marksmen maintained their first-place standing and defeated the Macon Mayhem 6-2 at the Crown Coliseum Saturday.

Fayetteville began Saturday’s action with strong play, but it would be Macon that would get the first goal of the game, six minutes in. The Marksmen answered quickly, and Ryan Nolan (2) tipped in a Grant Loven (8) shot to tie the game just 43 seconds later. Traffic in front of Macon’s net continued to provide issues for the visitors, and after another five minutes of controlling play, Dalton Hunter (5) re-directed in a shot from Tyler Love (5) to give Fayetteville a 2-1 lead. John Moncovich (2) set up the play to secure the go-ahead goal at 11:50 and the Marksmen took their lead into the second period, looking to add more offense.

Gritz (1) notched the only marker in the middle frame with Fayetteville on the powerplay to send a 3-1 game into the third period. It wouldn’t be easy though, for the Marksmen to skate away with the win, as shortly after a 4-1 goal was scored off another deflection by Long (2), Macon responded. The Mayhem cut their deficit back to two goals before Grant Loven netted his fifth of the season from Nolan (7) and Nick Parody (3), and Long (3) locked in his two-goal performance with 61 seconds left. Mason Beaupit recorded his first win with the Marksmen in his team debut, stopping 25 of 27 shots.

The Marksmen will take to the road for two games before returning to the Crown Coliseum for Blackout Wednesday at 7 p.m. on November 27. For single-game tickets to all 2024-25 Marksmen home games, visit marksmenhockey.com and click the ‘tickets’ tab.