Teams: Men's Lacrosse: Schedule & Results

WESTERN NEW ENGLAND COLLEGE ADVANCES PAST TUFTS INTO NCAA QUARTERFINALS, 12-9

COLLEGE MEN'S LACROSSE FINAL SCORE
NCAA Tournament 2nd Round
Western New England College 12, Tufts 9

At Medford, MA
Saturday, May 9, 2009

Game Box Score

Senior Kevin Williams scored a career-high three goals in the game

MEDFORD -- Spurred by a 4-0 third period, the Western New England College men's lacrosse team defeated Tufts University, 12-9, in the second round of the 2009 NCAA Division 3 Tournament on Saturday afternoon at Bello Field. The Golden Bears (17-2) advance to the national quarterfinals for the third straight season, where they will face Cortland State on Wednesday.

Junior Tim Santye (Skillman, NJ) and senior co-captain Brody Savoie (Wilbraham, MA) both scored three times for the winners and freshman Brewster Knowlton (Somers, CT) was strong in goal with 18 saves, including seven in the final quarter. Tufts (13-5) got three goals from senior Kevin Williams (Merrick, NY) and 16 saves by senior goalie Matt Harrigan (Darnestown, MD).

The #12 Jumbos had taken a 15-4 win over #9 WNEC when the teams met during the regular season on April 7, but this one was a battle from the start. Williams scored all three of his goals in the first period, but the Golden Bears were equal to the task and tied the score at 3-3 on a goal by freshman Nick Jez (Somers, CT) with 1:18 remaining in the opening quarter.

Two goals by Santye put the Golden Bears up 5-4 at 7:31 of the second, but Jumbo senior tri-captain Clem McNally (Far Hills, NJ) scored back-to-back goals staking Tufts to a 6-5 advantage. WNEC tied it, but the Jumbos went to halftime with a 7-6 lead when junior Zach Groen (New Haven, CT) scored his first goal of the season with 13 seconds to go before intermission.

When WNEC's Patrick White (Milton, MA) scored 52 seconds into the third period, it produced the seventh tie of the team already at 7-7. It also began a four-goal run that would give the Golden Bears a 10-7 lead heading into the fourth quarter. Sophomore Marty O'Brien (West Springfield, MA) at 13:26, Savoie at 2:30 and Santye at 1:55 also tallied for WNEC. The Jumbos only put one shot on net in the third.

Tufts twice got within two goals in the fourth, but couldn't get closer. They scored the first goal of the fourth, by sophomore Ryan Molloy (Setauket, NY) at 8:31, to pull within 10-8. WNEC answered with Colin Houlihan's (Yorktown Heights, NY) score at 5:38. Molloy scored again at 3:15 to make it 11-9, but Knowlton and the Golden Bear defense held the fort and Savoie crowned the victory by scoring with nine seconds left.

Santye had four points for WNEC, including an assist, and White scored two goals. Junior Bill Greider (South Windsor, CT) won 12 face-offs and had nine ground balls. Senior Matt McAnneny (Wakefield, MA) scooped up five ground balls, while senior Jared Pabis (Wilbraham, MA) and sophomore J. Michael Nardella (Beverly, MA) finished with four each.

Sophomore D.J. Hessler (Monkton, MD) added three assists to the Tufts attack. Defensemen Eytan Saperstein (Hewlett, NY) and Evan Crosby (Yarmouthport, MA) played well with six ground balls apiece. Freshman Nick Rhoads (McLean, VA) won nine of 17 face-offs.

Not surprisingly, the stats were even except for WNEC finishing with an advantage of 58-49 in shots. Only two penalties were whistled against each team, none in the second half.

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