Lee's hat-trick beats UNE
Oct. 21, 2008
BEVERLY, Mass. - Sophomore team captain Bryan Lee (Rockport, Mass.) was able to record three goals as the Endicott College Gulls were able to recover from a 2-1 deficit to defeat the University of New England by a score of 3-2 in The Commonwealth Coast Conference action on Tuesday night. The win improves the Gulls record to 4-11-1 overall and 4-8-1 in the TCCC. The Nor'easters loss drops them to 4-7-3 and 3-6-2 in the conference.
The visiting UNE squad was able to strike first as Dan Crear (North Attleboro, Mass.) was able to take a cross from Jason Marks (East Lyme, Conn.) and put the ball past the Endicott goalie Jack DeJesus (Swampscott, Mass.) for a 1-0 lead with less than nine minutes to go in the first half. The Gulls would respond within the next four minutes as Bryan Lee took a short pass inside the box from Kyle Schmutte (Wilbraham, Mass.) and scored off the left post to knot the game at 1-1.
UNE got off to a quick start in the second period as Kiel Hiller (Galloway, N.J.) corralled a missed shot and scored a mere :23 seconds into the half, giving UNE the 2-1 lead. The Gulls would continue their assault on the net and it would pay off at the 27:01 mark in the frame. Lee was able to control a missed Shaun Martin (Salisbury, Mass.) shot and score his second goal of the game to tie the game at 2-2.
With less than three minutes to go in the game, Endicott's Ryan Coates (Wetherfield, Conn.) made a crossing pass to the top of the box where Bryan Lee would score his third goal of the game past the outstretched hands of UNE's Derek Poulin (Scarborough, Maine). The goal would prove to be the game winner as Endicott was able to control the ball in the final minutes and hang onto their 3-2 victory.
Endicott's Jack DeJesus was able to pick up his first career victory as he made three saves in the contest. The Nor'easter's Derek Poulin took the loss as he was able to make seven saves on ten shots.
The Blue and Green return to the pitch on Saturday when it wraps up its TCCC regular season schedule by hosting Anna Maria at 2:30 p.m. The University of New England will continue its TCCC schedule when it travels to Springfield, Mass. to take on Western New England on Saturday at 12:00 p.m.