Box Score

BOSTON -- First-year Mark Pappas (Worcester, Mass.) scored three goals, and the Wentworth Institute of Technology Leopards fended off a second-half rally by the University of New England to earn a 9-8 The Commonwealth Coast Conference men's lacrosse win Wednesday evening.

After Pappas netted back-to-back goals and junior Matt Cox (Granger, Ind.) followed with another, Wentworth led 9-5 with 6:16 remaining in the third period.

The Nor'easters would hold the Leopards scoreless the rest of the way to close the gap. Brothers Tyler Thomas and Dylan Thomas (Pleasantville, N.Y.) scored late in the third to pull UNE within two (9-7), and graduate student Eric Santos (Jamestown, R.I.) notched a marker with 6:02 elapsed in the final quarter to make it a one-goal game.

UNE (4-3, 1-1 TCCC) was unable to come up with the equalizer despite outshooting Wentworth (2-2, 1-1) 14-4 in the final frame and 48-27 for the contest.

Dylan Thomas paced the Nor'easter attack with three goals. Tyler Thomas had a goal and an assist and was the only other UNE player with more than one point.

Senior Sean Tobin (Silver Spring, Md.) and first-year Jared Proulx (Nashua, N.H.) split the game in goal for Wentworth. Tobin registered the victory and was credited with eight saves. Proulx came on to make 12 stops after halftime.

Sophomore netminder Nate Porter (Cohasset, Mass.) had nine saves for UNE.

The two squads played a very clean game as they combined for just one penalty. The Nor'easters held a slim lead in ground balls (43-41) and committed nine fewer turnovers (46-37).

UNE returns to action Saturday with a road game at New England College (4 p.m.). Wentworth heads to Western New England College that same day.