'WILLIMANTIC, Conn. -- Freshman goalie Chris Harinsky (LAKE RONKONKOMA, NY) made a career-high 16 saves and the Eastern Connecticut State University men's lacrosse team scored five straight goals to take command in the third quarter in defeating Keene State College 12-9 Saturday afternoon at Nevers Field to win its fourth straight Little East Conference playoff title.

     With its tenth straight win, No. 7 regionally-ranked Eastern qualifies automatically for its fourth straight NCAA tournament, sixth straight post-season tournament overall. The NCAA tournament gets underway May 12 with first-round matches.

Trailing by a goal for the second and final time, Eastern struck for five straight goals -- four to close out the third quarter with a 9-6 lead and another two minutes into the fourth quarter to move out to a 10-6 lead. Third-seeded Keene (10-6), which had won three straight after losing to Eastern (12-9) at Nevers Field just 11 days ago, scored twice in just over a minute to pull to within 10-8 with 3:24 left before senior midfielder Bill Morgan (WINDSOR) scored his third goal of the match on a pass from junior attack Brian Hebron (HICKSVILLE, NY) to make it 11-8 with just over two minutes left. All four of Hebron's assists came in the second half.

Senior defenseman Andrew Handras (BETHPAGE, NY) was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player. Keene's top attack line of  senior Joe Branciforte, junior Eric Momnie and freshman Greg Gonzalez combined for six goals. Gonzalez and Momnie had combined for ten goals in the Owls' 15-2 semifinal-round win over second-seeded Massachusetts Dartmouth Thursday.

Eastern had beaten Keene 18-9 in last year's championship match but the two three-goal decisions over the Owls this year represent the team's closest conference matches ever.

Harinsky made 11 of his 16 saves in the second half for the Warriors.  Eric Delisle finished with 10 saves for the Owls. 

Keene State hopes to earn their third straight ECAC bid.