WNEC Responds to Snub, Upsets No. 12 Bowdoin
from press release
DALLAS - 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.
