LEWISTON, Maine -- Keene State came back from an early three-goal deficit to defeat host Bates College 9-5 in the Owls' season debut on Tuesday at Campus Avenue Field. The game was originally scheduled to be played on Wednesday but was moved up in anticipation of inclement weather.

Junior attack Tony Santa Fe, a preseason All-America from Derry, N.H., scored three goals with one assist and junior midfielder Casey Broderson (Derry, N.H.)added two back-to-back unassisted goals that gave Keene State the lead for good in the third quarter.

Mike Medeiros scored twice for Bates (0-2), while Justin Simon, Alex Cronstein and Sam Geller each had a goal. Simon also added an assist.

The Owls were outstanding on defense, holding Bates to 0-for-9 on extra man opportunities, and meanwhile grabbed a 37-22 edge in ground balls.

Keene State senior goalkeeper Matt Johnson (Derry, N.H.) tallied 15 saves; Will Paddock stopped nine shots for Bates.

Bates jumped out to a 3-0 lead with three unanswered goals in a span of less than two minutes. Sam Geller scored the opening goal with 9:57 left in the first period, followed immediately by a Justin Simon goal off of the ensuing faceoff and a Medeiros tally at the 8:36 mark.

Senior midfielder Ryan Hazelton (Chester, N.H.) and sophomore Riley Benson (Chester, N.H.) closed the gap to 3-2 with unassisted goals, but Simon found Medeiros with 7:15 left in the second period to bump Bates' lead to 4-2.

Santa Fe and sophomore Jamie LeSage (Exeter, N.H.) evened the score for Keene State before halftime at 4-4.

The Owls dominated possession in the third quarter, outshooting the Bobcats 11-4 in the period. After Cronstein's unassisted goal gave Bates a 5-4 lead early in the quarter, Keene State scored five unanswered goals, starting with a Josh Nugent (Cheshire, Conn.) goal assisted by Santa Fe to tie the game, and followed by Broderson's two goals and two more by Santa Fe in the fourth quarter.

KSC is off until spring break week when they play a scrimmage against the University of San Diegeo on March 16 and a non-conferecne contest vs. Whittier College on March 19. Bates will host Middlebury College in its NESCAC conference opener on Saturday at 2 p.m.