Box Score SPRINGFIELD, Mass.--Senior goalie Emily Castleman recorded a career-best 20 saves, and classmates Jessica Scannapieco and Kaitlynn Stevens both pumped in a game-high nine points, as the regionally No. 9-ranked Western New England women's lacrosse team clinched the top seed in the upcoming Commonwealth Coast Conference Championship Tournament with a 15-12 victory over visiting Endicott on Senior Day at Golden Bear Stadium on Saturday. The Golden Bears improve to 13-2 overall and 7-0 in the CCC on the season while the Gulls drop to 9-5 and 5-2 in the conference.

Scannapieco finished with game highs of six goals and 10 draw controls while Stevens scored three goals and a game-best six assists. Junior Tori Cirocco added four goals and classmate Brooke Kumnick also had four points with two goals and two assists.

Endicott was led by Ellie Clayman who had five goals, six points and six draw controls. Emily Whitney posted four points (3 assists) and three draw controls, and Kirsten Thor had three (2 goals) plus two ground balls and a caused turnover.

Clayman gave the visitors a 1-0 lead at the 25:43 mark on a feed from Whitney. That would be the last time the Golden Bears trailed and then they saw Endicott in their rear-view mirror the rest of the afternoon.

Fueled by a 6-1 run and Castleman's stellar play in the cage, WNE raced to a 6-2 lead by the 8:28 mark. Kumnick started the spark with the tying goal, 1-1, from Stevens at 20:18 and then Stevens put the Golden Bears ahead to stay at 19:01.

Western New England forged to a 7-4 halftime lead despite getting outshot 16 to 11 in the first 30 minutes. Castleman, who stopped numerous shots from close range, had 10 saves in each half, plus she had five ground balls

Western New England opened a 9-4 lead in the second half as Stevens fed Scannapieco for both goals.

Whitney and Thor had a goal and an assist during a 4-1 Endicott run in 6 minutes and 4 seconds to pull within 10-8 with 16:14 left in the contest. But 13 seconds after a Clayman goal, Cirocco scored the first of two goals in a 3-0 run to make it 13-8 the Golden Bears at the 13:06 mark.

The Golden Bears prevented the Gulls from getting any closer than three points the rest of the way.

Western New England will have its regular-season finale on Wednesday (7 p.m.) at CCC foe Wentworth.

#Play4Jody