Box Score

HENNIKER, N.H. -- Junior Damien Carey (Medford, N.Y.) scored four times and New England College held on in the final minutes for a 10-9 The Commonwealth Coast Conference victory over the University of New England in men's lacrosse action Saturday afternoon at Laurie Cox Memorial Field.

With the score tied at 6-all entering the fourth quarter, NEC junior John Gabriel (West Nyack, N.Y.) scored his second goal of the game to put the Pilgrims on top for good with 11:23 to go. Gabriel set up Carey at 10:11 to double the margin to 8-6.

After the second tally of the contest from UNE junior Michael Woods (Kittery Point, Maine) cut the deficit in half, Carey and Gabriel connected again 25 ticks later to restore the cushion to two (9-7).

Trailing 10-7 with less than five minutes left to play, first-year Tyler Thomas (Pleasantville, N.Y.) assisted on a goal by junior Luke DiFiore (Gloucester, Mass.). Thomas scored one of his own at the 2:16 mark to make it 10-9, but the Nor'easters could not find the equalizer before time expired.

Sophomore Jake Flynn (Merrimack, N.H.) put forth a solid performance in the face-off circle for NEC (2-5, 2-1 TCCC), winning 16 of 22 draws and collecting a game-high nine ground balls. Senior goalie Nick Fischer (South Burlington, Vt.) made 13 saves for the win.

Thomas led UNE (4-4, 1-2 TCCC) with three goals, and sophomore Chuck Dowd (Abington, Mass.) picked up a team-high seven ground balls. Classmate Nate Porter (Cohasset, Mass.) matched his career-high in saves with 21.

DiFiore posted his first goal of the match at 5:55 of the first period to give the Nor'easters a 2-0 advantage, and visitors led 3-1 at the end of the first.

The Pilgrims notched the initial three scores of the second frame to grab the lead (4-3), but Woods scored in the final moments of the half to level the contest at the break.

NEC, which won for the fifth straight time against UNE, hosts Nichols College Tuesday.

The Nor'easters return home for a 4 p.m. date Tuesday against Curry College.