BRUNSWICK, Maine - The Bowdoin College men's lacrosse team used a 5-1 second half run to pull away from Keene State College in a 13-11 victory at Ryan Field on Wednesday afternoon. The Polar Bears improve to 2-2 this season with the non-conference victory while the Owls drop to 3-2 overall. It was the first meeting between the two teams.

Bowdoin's Billy Berger paced the Polar Bears with four goals while Patrick Lawlor and Ben Chadwick added two apiece. Mark Flibotte had a goal and three assists for the victors. Griffin Meehan (Simsbury, Conn.) led all players with five goals and an assist for Keene State. Jonathan Roderick (Plaistow, N.H.) also chipped in with two goals. Bowdoin dominated in the face-off circle, as Brendan Hughes (11 wins) and Brian Durkin (eight wins) combined to go 19-for-27.

Five different Polar Bears scored as the hosts jumped out to a 5-1 lead after the opening quarter. The Owls were able to claw back with a 3-1 advantage in the second quarter and, after gaining a man-up advantage shortly before intermission, converted on a Meehan goal just 39 seconds into the third quarter to trim the Bowdoin lead to 6-5. After the teams traded goals, Meehan brought the Owls even with a score at 4:33, knotting the game at seven apiece.

Bowdoin rolled off a 5-1 surge over the next 6:28, however, to take control of the contest. Ben Chadwick got the run started with a score at 3:21 and Russ Halliday and Own Smith also converted to push Bowdoin's lead to 10-7 at the end of the third. After Taylor Jette (Simsbury, Conn.) trimmed the lead to 10-8 early in the final period, Bergner netted a pair of goals - both off of Filbotte assists - to increase the Polar Bear lead to 12-8 with 11:53 to go. Bergner added another goal later in the fourth period as Bowdoin was able to hold off a late two-goal rally by the Owls.

Jake McCampbell made 13 saves in net for the Polar Bears, who held a 38-33 advantage in shots and 39-19 edge in ground balls. Jason Lesser stopped 14 shots in the cage for Keene State. 

Keene State is at Lasell College on Saturday (2:30 p.m.)