Gulls Advance In NCAA Division III Tournament By Beating Keene State 11-10

Keene, NH - Dan Ryan's (Billerica, Mass.) goal with 38 seconds left to play lifted Endicott College to a 11-10 victory over Keene State College in a first round game of the 2005 NCAA Division III Men's Lacrosse Championship played Wednesday at Owl Athletic Complex. Situated 15-yards out, Ryan bounced the ball into the net for the game-winner giving Endicott (15-3) its first NCAA win in three tries. Keene State, which was making its first NCAA appearance, concludes its season with an 11-5 record.

The Gulls scored the first four goals of the game on the way to taking a 4-1 first quarter lead. Keene State outscored EC 5-2 in the second quarter to the tie the game 6-all. Sean Panora (South Windsor, Conn.) netted three of the Owls' goals.

The game was decided in the fourth quarter. KSC took its first lead of the game (9-8) on a goal by Greg Richard (Nashua, N.H.) at the 10:38 mark. Endicott came back with a pair of goals to go up 10-9. Defenseman Ron Ward (Derry, N.H.) knotted the game once again with his first goal of the season. Following a couple of saves by KSC goalie Matt Johnson (Derry, N.H.), Ryan put in the go-ahead goal.

Sam Chidester (Elliot, Me.) scored three goals and Parker Sowles (Cumberland, Me.) and Josh Gilbert (Simsbury, Conn.) had two goals each to lead Endicott which advances to play Middlebury in the second round.

In goal, Ryan Walsh (Weymouth, Mass.) made eight saves for the Gulls while Johnson finished with 15 saves for the Owls.

Story courtesy of Keene State Sports Information Office