MACON, Ga. – Still seeking their first victory of the season, the question that was looming over the Macon Mayhem on Sunday afternoon was how well they would respond.

A night after a 9-0 drubbing at the hands of Knoxville, Macon had the chance to show what kind of fight that it had within itself as a team.

That tenacity showed on Sunday afternoon at the Macon Coliseum, even in a 3-1 loss to Fayetteville.

Although Macon spotted the Marksmen three goals within the first 12 minutes, the Mayhem didn’t fold. Dillon Kelley kept Macon in it from there, not allowing a goal the rest of the way.

The Marksmen, by the way, got some redemption of their own a night after squandering a 4-1 lead in an 8-5 loss to Birmingham. Fayetteville is now 7-3-0 with an upcoming stretch of seven games, six at home.

Cody Rodgers got the Mayhem on the board 12:19 into the second period with assists from Kyle Soper and Chase DiBari, but the short-handed goal, Rodgers first as a professional, would be all that Macon could mount during an afternoon in which it was outshot 32-24.

The goal was the only shot to get past Marksmen goalie Jason Pawloski, who had 23 saves. Kelley gave the Mayhem what they had missed the past two games – steady play between the pipes. In Macon’s previous two outings, the Mayhem gave up a combined 15 goals, and both of those saw that game’s starting goalie not make it to the finish.

Sunday afternoon’s showing was certainly a step in the right direction for Macon in the net as it settled in after the game’s first 12 minutes, as the Marksmen got goals from Wyatt Noskey, Bryce Farrell, and Carlos Fornaris.

Macon and Fayetteville will see one another again next weekend, with the two teams scheduled to play on Friday and Saturday at the Crown Coliseum.