'KEENE, N.H. 04/23/05 - The Keene State College men's lacrosse team won the biggest game in the program's eight-year history with a 15-4 victory over perennial Little East Conference power Eastern Connecticut State University at rainy Owl Athletic Complex on Saturday. 

It was Keene State's first ever victory in 10 tries over ECSU, which had captured four consecutive LEC titles. The win by KSC also snapped the Warriors' 35 game LEC winning streak that started when the LEC began sponsoring the sport in 2001.

"This is a special day for our program," said KSC Coach Mark Theriault.  "The players feel this is their year. This win is a tribute to the hard work the players have put in the past four years."

After giving up the first goal of the game, Keene State took over by scoring the next six goals of the games.   Eric Momnie (South Windsor, Conn.), netted two of his four goals during the uprising.  KSC, which extended its lead to 9-4 at the half, held the Warriors scoreless in the final two quarters. 

"I thought it would be much closer, I never expected us to dominate the game" Theriault said.  "We did a great job of executing and staying focused."

"It was a game of heart and who wanted it more," said an emotional Meade McKay, one of nine seniors of the KSC roster.  "We knew we had the stuff to play with them."

Momnie had two assists to go with his four goals while McKay (Stratham, N.H.) finished two goals and three assists.  Momnie is now just six goals shy of the KSC career record of 152 set by Bob Bonnes (1998-00). Greg Gonzalez (Yorktown, Heights, N.Y.) had three goals, Greg Richard (Nashua, N.H.) and Mike LeSage (Exeter, N.H.) had two goals each while Ryan Hazleton (Chester, N.H.) and Sean Panora (South Windsor, Conn.) had single goals for KSC.

Dave Carpenter (Redding, Conn.), Chris Elrod (Riverside, Conn.), Tommy Laverty (Westport, Conn.), and Pete Hamilton (Rutland, Vt.) netted ECSU goals.

The Owls also received a strong game from freshman goalie Matt Johnson (Derry, N.H.) who finished with a season-high 20 saves, two off the KSC record. "I knew the seniors were looking to me to step up, so I wanted to do my best," Johnson said.

Will Holland finished with eight saves for the Warriors.

Keene State hosts Assumption College in a non-conference game on Wednesday (7p.m.) before concluding its regular season at Southern Maine next Saturday.