Box Score Scoring Summary

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Senior midfielder Mike Santare (South Salem, NY) scored two goals with two assists and junior goalie Brewster Knowlton (Somers, CT) had his best game of the season with 14 saves as the Western New England men's lacrosse team posted an exciting 8-4 victory over city rival Springfield in a non-league outing Tuesday afternoon (April 5).

The Golden Bears improved their record to 7-3 after beating the Pride for the fifth straight time. Springfield, which leads the series by a 10-8 margin, falls to 5-4.

SC took an early 1-0 lead when senior midfielder Shawn Runyon (Fairport, NY) scored just 1:54 into the contest with an assist from junior midfielder Matt Hudson (Centereach, NY). Western New England tied the game following a goal by junior attacker Andrew Mariani (East Brunswick, NJ) with 2:06 left in the period. Freshman attacker Adam Knapton (Canandaigua, NY) earned the assist.

The Golden Bears dominated the second quarter by scoring three times to take a 4-1 advantage at halftime.

Santare gave the hosts the lead they would never relinquished with an unassisted goal with 8:20 remaining before intermission. Junior midfielder Patrick White (Milton, MA) added another unassisted score at the 3:02 mark before junior midfielder Nick Jez (Somers, CT) scored with just five second left following another nifty assist from Knapton.

Springfield re-grouped and quickly got back in the game with two goals in the third period beginning when junior midfielder Jared Johnson (Orlando, FL) tallied an unassisted goal at 11:05. The Pride pulled within 4-3 after junior midfielder Shane Ferguson (Mamaroneck, NY) fired in a shot with 6:06 left in the period with an assist from junior attacker Mike Delia (Wading River, NY).

This time Western New England came back and outscored SC 4-1 in the final quarter to take the win.

Sophomore attacker Corrigan Harreys (Essex, CT) found the back of the net following a great feed from White to give the Golden Bears a 5-3 lead with 10:02 remaining in the game.

The Pride made it a one-goal game for the third time just 48 seconds later on a goal by Runyon with an assist from Ferguson.

Western New England scored three times in the final 6:52 to put the game away. Knapton increased the lead to 6-4 with an assist from Santare, and then Santare rifled home his second goal at the 3:33 mark. Harreys added the final goal with another assist from Santare 36 seconds later.

Knowlton played a key role in the victory recording six of his saves in the second period to keep the visitors off the board. He also turned away four shots in the final quarter.

Senior midfielder Joe Martin (Springfield, MA) took 9-of-16 face-offs while Knapton and sophomore defender Brian Leistikow (Fort Collins, CO) each picked-up four ground balls.

Freshman goalie Connor Nash (Burnt Hills, NY) also played well finishing with 11 saves and four ground balls. Senior midfielder Mark Eaton (Westford, MA) and junior defender Ross Marchegiani (North Andover, MA) also had four ground balls apiece.

The statistics were close with Western New England holding a slim 36-31 advantage in shots and Springfield a narrow 27-25 margin in ground balls.

Western New England coach John Klepacki played for SC's Keith Bugbee in the 1990's and their much-anticipated annual game has developed into one of the nation's top rivalries.

Both teams are having successful seasons again this year and each squad received votes in this week's United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA) Division III poll.