'KEENE, N.H. 3/8/04 - Joe Branciforte (Cromwell, Conn.) had five goals and three assists to lead the Keene State College men's lacrosse team to a season-opening 15-7 victory over Endicott College on a snow-covered Owl Athletic Complex field on Monday night.

Keene State avenged a 13-12overtime loss to Endicott in the semifinals of last year's ECAC Tournament. 

The Owls scored the first four goals of the game and held a 6-2 lead after the first quarter.  After a scoreless second quarter, the Gulls narrowed the deficit to one goal   (6-3) to start the third quarter.  But consecutive goals by Eric Momnie (South Windsor, Conn.) and Greg Gonzalez (Yorktown, Heights, N.Y.) pushed KSC's lead up to 8-3.

Gonzales, a freshman netted four goals in his first game for the Owls.  Greg Richard (Nashua, N.H.) notched three goals and Momnie finished with a goal and three assists.

Burt Fahy (Needham, Mass.) scored three goals and Sam Chidester (Eliot, Me.) had two goals and an assist to lead Endicott.

Eric Delisle (Amherst, N.H.), who made several sparkling stops for KSC, finished with 15 saves for the Owls.  Matt Bagshaw (Framingham, Mass.) had four saves before giving way to Jeff Pardue (Kennebunk, Me.) who made eight saves in the final two quarters.

KSC will play a pair of games in Orlando, Fla, during Spring Week.  They face Franklin & Marshall next Monday and Amherst College on Tuesday.