KEENE, N.H. - The Keene State College men's lacrosse team fell to nationally ranked Bates 12-9, in the home opener today at the Owl Athletic Complex.

Records

• Keene State: 1-4
• Bates: 6-1

How It Happened 

Chase Chamberlin made his first start of the season in net for KSC making 15 saves, but the Owls ultimately fell short to Bates on Tuesday evening. The visiting Bobcats wasted little time in the early going when Brendan Mullally scored 34 seconds in, off a pass from Andrew Small. Five minutes later, the Bobcats doubled their lead on a man up goal from Small. At the 8:19 mark of the first quarter, Anthony Marcella scored a fantastic unassisted goal to bring the Owls within one. Only seconds later, Eli Cooper won the faceoff and took it all the way to put Bates up 3-1 for the last score of the first quarter.

It took over eight minutes for a goal to be scored in the second quarter, before Connor Nolan scored a man up goal off a Joe Nutting pass. The back and forth quarter continued when Matt Kelleher gave Bates a 4-2 lead with an unassisted finish. John Morgan then set up Nutting for an Owls goal, before Frank Spitz gave Bates a 5-3 lead heading into the half. Chamberlin did his part keeping the Owls right in the game with 12 saves in the half.

The Bobcats came out of the locker room hot, scoring four straight goals to open the third quarter. Curtis Knapton, Walker Cooney, Otis Klingbeil and Mullally gave Bates a 9-3 lead. With 8:17 to go in the quarter, Shane Molloy got on the board when he beat the netminder by himself, cutting the lead to five. Matt Chlastawa beat Chamberlin for his first goal of the game shortly after, as Bates reagined a 10-4 lead. Michael Schenk came in and gave KSC a big boost in the face-off circle, as they ended the quarter with three straight goals. Nutting scored his second on a man up opportunity off a great feed from Dave Wiedenfeld. Marcella then scored his second off another Wiedenfeld pass, before Molloy gave the Owls big time momentum scoring with four second left in the quarter off a Bobby Carey assist.

Bates responded at the start of the fourth with two goals of their own, coming by way of Chlostawa and Mullally. Which put the game out of reach at 12-7. Wiedenfeld finished a spectacular run with an unassisted goal of his own, before Nolan finished off a nice feed from Nutting for the Owls final goal. Ultimately, the Bobcats stout defense held KSC in check over the final three minutes, as the visitors came away with a 12-9 win.

Inside the Crease 

• Brendan Mullally led all scorers with a hat-trick and an assist for Bates. Matt Chlastawa finished with two goals as well.
• Joe Nutting led KSC with two goals and two assists. While Shane Molloy, Anthony Marcella and Connor Nolan all finished with two goals each.
• Rob Strain picked up 12 saves for the Bobcats in the win. Chase Chamberlin had 15 saves in the loss for KSC.
• The Owls picked up 38 ground balls to the Bobcats 35. Charles Molloy IV had eight ground balls for the KSC.
• Bates rattled off 41 shots to KSC's 38, and 13 faceoff wins to the Owls 11.  

Up Next 

• Keene State opens up LEC play on Saturday, March 23 at 1:00 p.m. against UMass-Boston at the Owl Athletic Complex
• Bates travels to Williams College on Saturday, March 23 for a 1:00 p.m. start.