KEENE, N.H. -- The second-seeded Keene State College Owls scored eight consecutive goals to open the game and never looked back en route to a 16-4 victory over the third-seeded University of Southern Maine Huskies in a Little East Conference Tournament men's lacrosse semifinal game Thursday evening.

Southern Maine, which reached the LEC semifinals for the first time, finishes its most successful season in school history at 11-7. Keene State improves to 9-3 and will take on top-seeded Eastern Connecticut State University for the championship on Saturday. Eastern Connecticut advanced to the final with a 10-5 win over Plymouth State University.

Freshman Griffin Meehan (Simsbury, Conn.) sparked the Owls early outburst scoring three first-quarter goals, and one in the second, before the Huskies got on the board. Meehan finished the game with four goals.

Senior Rodney Arganese (Trumbull, Conn.) contributed three goals and two assists to the Owls offense, and senior Tony Santa Fe (Derry, N.H./Pinkerton Academy) had a game-high six points on one goal and five assists. Sophomore Cam Sousa (Hollis, N.H./Hollis Brookline) netted three goals in the game.

Senior Preston Gilbert (Saco, Maine/Cheverus) led the USM offense with two goals and an assist. Freshman Kayle Hamilton (Buxton, Maine/Bonny Eagle) and sophomore Cason Carlson (Brattleboro, Vt.) had the other USM goals. Senior goalie James Suriyodorn (Deer Park, N.Y.) registered seven saves.

Keene State, which defeated USM 19-5 five days ago, dominated the first quarter, outscoring USM 7-0 and out shooting the visitors 14-6. After Meehan's fourth goal made it 8-0, Gilbert broke the string of KSC goals with 7:05 left in the second quarter. Keene State netted the next four goals before Carlson tallied in the final minute of the half to make it 12-2 at halftime.

2009-05-01