'WILLIMANTIC, CONN. - The Eastern Connecticut State University
men's lacrosse team survived its closest Little East Conference
match ever, holding off Keene State College 12-9 to clinch a share
of its fourth straight regular-season conference title Tuesday
afternoon at Thomas Nevers Field.
A winner of seven straight overall, Eastern (8-5, 5-0 LEC)
remained unbeaten all-time in conference play with its 28th win and
improved to 58-3 all-time at Thomas Nevers Field. Keene (7-5,
3-2 LEC) lost for the eighth straight time to Eastern. The
Warriors won last year's conference playoff final over Keene
18-9.
With the win, Eastern clinches the No. 1 seed in the upcoming
conference playoffs and can clinch outright the regular-season
title with a win over the University of Southern Maine or a
Massachusetts Dartmouth loss Saturday to Plymouth State.
Eastern, ranked ninth in New England, never trailed after
scoring three straight goals to wipe out a 1-0 deficit. The
largest lead, however, was only four goals. Leading 4-3 after
one quarter, Eastern scored the first three goals to take a 7-3
lead with 6:47 left before the half.
Both teams were balanced, Keene getting points from six
different players and Eastern eight.
Senior attack Amir Loghmanieh (Amherst, N.Y.) equaled his career
high with five goals and finished with a career-high seven points
for Eastern, which took 36 shots against Keene junior goalie Eric
Delisle. A second-team all-conference selection last year,
Delisle made 17 saves, 13 in the first half.
Loghmanieh's most important goal came with 35 seconds left in
the third quarter after the Owls had closed to within 10-7 on a
goal by senior all-conference attack Joe Branciforte. After
Branciforte's goal, Eastern sophomore midfielder Rob Quamily
(Mamaroneck, N.Y.) scooped up the face-off and raced downfield,
feeding Loghmanieh, who beat Delisle from in close.
Freshman goalie Chris Harinsky (Lake Ronkonkoma, Conn.) won his
seventh game in nine starts, making 13 saves.
Keene State closes out its regular season against UMass-Boston
on Thursday (4 p.m.) at Owl Athletic Complex.
(courtesy Eastern Conn. Sports Information)
