Box Score

BEVERLY, Mass. -- Five players scored two goals each to lead second-seeded Endicott College to a 17-5 victory over the University of New England, in The Commonwealth Coast Conference (TCCC) Men's Lacrosse Championship quarterfinal round on Saturday.

The Gulls (13-4) -- ranked 16th in the latest USILA Coaches' Poll -- advance to face No. 3 Gordon College (a 10-7 winner over No. 6 Salve Regina University) in the semifinals on Wednesday.

Big Blue concludes its winningest season in program history (8-10), topping the previous mark of six wins set during each of the last two years. The seventh-seeded Nor'easters also posted double the number of TCCC wins (4) over any season before.

UNE got on the board first, with senior Luke DiFiore (Gloucester, Mass.) scoring a man-up goal from sophomore Tyler Thomas (Mount Pleasant, N.Y.) 3:29 in. The score remained until 5:05 left in the first period, when Endicott senior Chris Cotter (Lordship, Conn.) tallied his first of two markers on the day. Classmate Jack Curtis picked up one of his three assists on the play.

Junior Sam Ozycz (Cheshire, Conn.) won the ensuing face-off and took it straight in seven seconds later to put the hosts up, 2-1. For the game, Ozycz took 16 of 21 restarts, and grabbed a game-high 13 ground balls to go with two goals and an assist.

The Nor'easters evened things up late in the quarter on a goal by senior Nick Wilson (Amherst, N.H.), but the Gulls opened up the second with six straight scores to assume control of the match (8-2). Sophomore Brian Estes (Derry, N.H.) scored twice during the stretch.

UNE managed to get one goal in each of the last three frames, coming from senior Billy Davis (North Kingstown, R.I.), junior Michael Pennacchio (Peabody, Mass.), and Thomas. Senior Michael Woods (Kittery Point, Maine) registered an assist on the final goal of the match.

For Endicott, senior Kyle Jordan (Falmouth, Maine) and sophomore Connor McCormack (Norwalk, Conn.) added two goals apiece. Senior Andrew Pochebit (Portland, Maine) caused four turnovers on the defensive end, and sophomore goalie Mike Klein (Darien, Conn.) made eight saves in 45 minutes of action.

Sophomore Jay Letendre (Southington, Conn.) recorded 14 saves in his first career start for Big Blue, which was out-shot, 57-24.