WESTERN NEW ENGLAND COLLEGE

Game Statistics

Andrew Mariani

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - Sophomore attacker Andrew Mariani (East Brunswick, NJ) scored the winning goal with 4:02 remaining as the Western New England College men's lacrosse team rallied to defeat Salve Regina 10-9 for its first win of the season Wednesday night (March 10).

This was The Commonwealth Coast Conference (TCCC) opener for both squads who now have identical 1-2 records.

The Golden Bears, ranked 17th nationally, trailed 8-5 heading into the final period before staging their dramatic comeback.

Western New England College didn't score in the third period, but finally hit the scoring column when freshman defender Aaron Harris (Eliot, ME) scored on a man-down situation 1:23 into the fourth stanza. Senior defender Nick Zaleski (Somers, CT) had the second of his two assists on the play.

Senior attacker Tim Santye (Skillman, NJ) got the Golden Bears within one with a man-up shot just 1:04 later with an assist from freshman attacker Corrigan Harreys (Essex, CT).

Twenty-one seconds later WNEC had a goal by Santye waived off because of too many men on the field.

Three minutes later Salve Regina went ahead 9-7 when freshman midfielder Taylor Braun (Commack, NY) scored with 8:31 remaining.

Western New England College again came back pulling within one on a goal by junior attacker Joe O'Keefe (Branford, CT) just 20 seconds later. Santye netted his second goal at the 6:46 mark with an assist from sophomore midfielder Patrick White (Milton, MA). 

Santye also had an assist in the game for a three-point night as did O'Keefe who finished with two goals and an assist in making his first appearance since 2008. O'Keefe was TCCC Rookie-of-the-Year before missing last year with an injury. Harreys finished with a goal and assist.

Junior midfielder Colin Houlihan (Yorktown Heights, NY) had a game high 11 ground balls. Sophomore goalie Brewster Knowlton (Somers, CT) compiled 11 saves. 

Salve Regina received a tremendous effort from sophomore attacker Chris Walker (Marshfield, MA) who fired in five goals while assisting on two others. He also picked-up a team high seven ground balls. Junior attacker Brendan Rooney (West Newton, MA) contributed a goal and two assists. 

Junior midfielder Evan Gates (Ridge, NJ) chipped-in with a goal and assist.

Freshman goalie Christopher Connors (Garden City, NY) had a solid effort stopping 16 shots.

WNEC took an early 2-0 lead before the Seahawks tied the contest after the opening period. SRU went ahead 5-4 on a goal by Rooney (with an assist from Walker) with 4:44 left in the second period. Freshman midfielder Zach Robinson (Middlebury, VT) tallied an unassisted goal with a little more than two minutes left as the Golden Bears tied the game 5-5 at halftime.