BIDDEFORD, Maine -- Junior Mike Santare (South Salem, N.Y.) scored three second-half goals to help lead the Western New England College Golden Bears to a 12-8 The Commonwealth Coast Conference men's lacrosse win over the University of New England Saturday afternoon at Barbara J. Hazard Field.

The two-time reigning TCCC champion Golden Bears improved to 8-4 overall and 7-1 in conference play. UNE now stands at 4-8, 1-6 in TCCC matches.

Sophomore Billy Mason (Southborough, Mass.) and first-year Zach Robinson (Middlebury, Vt.) chipped in two goals apiece for WNEC, while sophomore goalie Brewster Knowlton (Somers, Conn.) went the distance between the pipes, registering seven stops.

Sophomore Joe Martin (Springfield, Mass.) was brilliant for the Golden Bears, winning 18 of 21 faceoffs and scooping up 11 ground balls. Senior Nick Zaleski (Somers, Conn.) was credited with a game-high 14 grounders.

Junior Michael Woods (Kittery Point, Maine) scored three goals to pace the UNE attack. Sophomore Matt Anderson (St. Paul, Minn.) scored twice, while classmate Nate Porter (Cohasset, Mass.) made 19 saves in goal.

Thanks in part to a pair of goals by Mason, WNEC jumped out to a 4-1 first-period lead. The Golden Bears would hold UNE scoreless in the second to extend their advantage to 6-1.

After Santare notched his first goal of the afternoon 2:51 into the third frame to give the visitors a 7-1 cushion, the Nor'easters came roaring back to tally five of the next six markers to close the deficit to 8-6 after three periods.

Western New England popped home the first two goals of the final period to open up some breathing room before the two squads split the next four goals to close the contest.

The Golden Bears host Tufts University on Tuesday for a non-conference game starting at 7 p.m. UNE heads to Regis College for a 6 p.m. start Wednesday evening.