Box Score Game Statistics

DALLAS, Tex. - Senior attacker Tim Santye (Skillman, NJ) scored the game-winner with 2:19 left in the second overtime period as the Western New England College men's lacrosse team upset No. 12 Bowdoin 11-10 Monday evening (March 15) at the Parish Episcopal School in an opening game of the Patriot Cup Tournament.

The Golden Bears, who dropped out of the USILA Top 20 poll despite winning two games last week, now have a 3-2 record. The Polar Bears fall to 1-1.

"I was extremely impressed with the effort this team made in battling back from a poor third quarter," said Western New England College coach John Klepacki. "This young team is learning how to compete at a high tempo. This unified effort in the overtime periods was a great moment in WNEC history."

Junior attacker Joe O'Keefe (Branford, CT) had the assist on the winning shot to cap a six-point performance. He finished with four goals and two assists in his best performance since returning to the lineup after missing last year with an injury.

The teams played to a 2-2 tie after the opening period before Western New England College took their biggest lead at 6-2 following a goal by sophomore midfielder Patrick White (Milton, MA) with 6:58 remaining before halftime.

Senior midfielder Steve Thomas (Lutherville, MD) made it a three-goal game by scoring with 13 seconds left before the break. 

Bowdoin tied the game at 6-6 by scoring three goals in a 1:05 span to begin the third quarter.

Thomas (who had a team high four goals) started things with a goal at 11:19 followed by a shot that hit the net by junior attacker Russell Halliday (Sudbury, MA) just 26 seconds later. Sophomore midfielder Mark Flibotte (Cohasset, MA) tallied his goal at the 10:14 mark.

O'Keefe put the Golden Bears ahead for a brief time with a shot at 8:53 before the Polar Bears answered with three straight goals, the last coming by junior midfielder Ben Chadwick (Needham, MA) for a 9-7 advantage with a little more than four minutes left in the period.

Western New England College came back by scoring the first three goals of the final stanza. O'Keefe found the net at the 11:50 mark and sophomore attacker Andrew Mariani (East Brunswick, NJ) tied the game 59 seconds later. 

Junior midfielder Mike Santare (South Salem, NY) then put the Golden Bears ahead with 8:14 left to play. Santare enjoyed one of his best game for the Blue and Gold with three goals.

Bowdoin senior attacker Adam Tracy (Providence, RI)) sent the game into overtime by firing in the equalizer with 1:53 left in regulation.

WNEC made only one penalty in the game, but it came at a bad time with 46 seconds left in the fourth quarter. The Golden Bears were able to kill the minute miscue and set the stage for their comeback win.

Halliday and sophomore attacker Nathan Fritts (Portland, OR) each had a goal and assist for the Polar Bears. Tracy and senior defender Henry Andrews (Owings Mills, MD) each picked-up five grounds.

Junior middie Gregory Kamford (Darien, CT) won 10-of-12 face-offs while junior goalie Jake McCampbell (Medfield, MA) compiled 10 saves.

Western New England College sophomore Brewster Knowlton (Somers, CT) stopped 15 shots in another terrific performance.

Santye had two goals and an assist while White contributed a goal and assist. Senior defender Nick Zaleski (Somers, CT) and freshman defender Brian Leistikow (Fort Collins, CO) each recorded five ground balls.

Bowdoin dominated the final stats in shots (49-33), ground balls (38-22), and face-offs (18-for-26), but the Golden Bears had enough at the end to gain their first win over a nationally-ranked opponent this season.