DANBURY, Conn. – Sophomore midfielder Nate Caldwell scored the game-winning goal with 20 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, helping Western Connecticut State University defeat the Keene State College men's lacrosse team 18-17 Tuesday at the Westside Athletic Complex. The victory puts WestConn in first place in the Little East Conference heading into its final game of the regular season.
 
Records

• Keene State: 8-5, 6-1 LEC
• Western Connecticut State: 12-4, 6-1 LEC

 
How it Happened
Keene State entered the game with an opportunity to clinch its first LEC regular season championship since 2019. The Owls showed their urgency early in the game by going up 2-0 on goals by junior midfielder Colby Quiet and junior attacker Andrew Miller. The Wolves got a goal back, courtesy of senior midfielder Stephen Cicchetti at 10:28. But KSC would respond with two more goals, both from Miller. WestConn made its comeback after that, with three unanswered goals to tie the game at three. But up a man late in the quarter, the Owls went back ahead on a goal by senior midfielder Nathan Sickles with six seconds remaining in the frame.
 
Up 5-4 heading into the second quarter, Sickles continued the scoring for the Owls by getting another goal with his team up a man. After that, WestConn took over the momentum by scoring three straight goals to go ahead 7-6. From then on, it was a back-and-forth contest between the two teams. Senior attacker Cooper Cioffi and sophomore midfielder Giacomo Tedone each scored for the Owls, while sophomore attacker Julian Duque, who already scored once for the Wolves, added two more goals. Down 9-8 with less than 3:40, Cioffi helped the Owls regain the lead. He scored twice, once seven seconds after WestConn's last goal and again with 19 seconds left in the quarter to give the Owls a 10-9 heading into halftime.
 
In the third quarter, the Owls scored two of the first three goals thanks to sophomore attacker Rex Maccarini and Quiet. WestConn then went on its largest scoring run by getting four straight goals, two of which were from senior attacker Trey Aronow. Once again, Sickles came through when the Owls were a man up as he scored with 16 seconds remaining in the quarter to bring Keene State back within one heading into the fourth.
 
The Wolves started the fourth with a goal to go up 15-13. Two straight goals by Tedone and Quiet helped the Owls tie the game at 15 with 10:06 remaining. WestConn responded with two straight goals before Keene State got two straight of its own 12 seconds apart by Cioffi and Miller. The two teams were tied at 17 with 1:47 remaining in regulation.
 
With less than a minute remaining, Miller had a chance to put the Owls ahead with a shot near the crease, but it was stopped by junior goalkeeper Brendan Grove. The Wolves then sprinted down the field with the ball, before Caldwell fired in the go-ahead goal. Maccarini would get off one more shot for the Owls, but it was blocked, giving the Wolves the victory.
 
Inside the Crease

• Keene State has an all-time record of 21-3 versus Western Connecticut State.
• Junior goalkeeper Charlie Giuliotti made 13 saves for the Owls. He ranks fifth in the LEC in saves per game (10.15) and eighth in saves (132).
• Maccarini finished with a game-high four assists, putting him in third in the LEC in assists per game (2.15) and fifth in assists (28).
•  Quiet ranks fifth in the LEC in ground balls per game at 5.85 after finishing the game with six.

 
Up Next
Both teams play their final regular season game on Friday, April 28 at 5 p.m. Keene State plays at in-state rival Plymouth State University, while WestConn hosts Salem State University. If WestConn wins, they clinch the LEC regular season championship and the No. 1 seed in the LEC tournament. Keene State wins the LEC regular season championship with a win against Plymouth State and a WestConn loss to Salem State.