'KEENE, N.H. 04/12/06 - Freshman attack Tony Santa Fe (Derry, N.H.) scored three key third quarter goals to help lift Keene State to a 15-11 Little East Conference men's lacrosse victory over rival Plymouth State University at Owl Athletic Complex on Wednesday.

With the score tied 6-6 at the half, KSC, after killing off a PSU man-up opportunity, went ahead on Santa Fe's first goal.  Matt Fontenault (North Kingston, R.I.) tied the score at 7-all, but Santa Fe put the Owls in front for good with consecutive man-up goals.  Mike LeSage (Exeter, N.H.) added an unassisted goal to give KSC a 10-7 after three quarters.

"We didn't dictate the game the way we should in the first half," said KSC Coach Mark Theriault. "I think they responded in the second half and played much better.

Tony has been in a rut scoring and today he had the outside shot going."

"We owe a lot of credit to our defense," said Santa Fe, who has 12 goals this season.  "It took me awhile to get going, but I got open at the end and finished off a couple of plays."

PSU closed the gap to 11-9 on a goal by Bobby Dabrieo (Woburn, Mass.) early in the fourth quarter, but KSC maintained its lead with goals from Peter Lauranzano (Beverly, Mass.) and Casey Brodersen (Derry, N.H.).

Ryan Hazelton (Chester, N.H.) and Lauranzano chipped in with three goals each for KSC (8-1, 3-0 LEC), which moved into a first place tie in the LEC with Eastern Conn. Brodersen and Mike Fontaine (Wolfeboro, N.H.) added two goals each for KSC.

Adam Krinsky (Concord, N.H.), Jon Gagnon (New Bedford, Mass.), Dabrieo and John Padua (Hamden, Conn.) had a pair of goals each for Plymouth State (4-7, 2-2 LEC).

KSC goalie Matt Johnson (Derry, N.H.) finished with nine saves.  Steve Valeri (Chelmsford, Mass.) stopped 15 shots for the Panthers.

Keene State has won the last five meetings between the two rivals.

Both teams will be back in action on Saturday, KSC is at Western Conn.while Plymouth State hosts UMass-Boston.