Back-To-Back – WNE Men’s Lacrosse Crowned CCC Champions After 18-9 Win over Endicott

BEVERLY, Mass. (May 6, 2023) – The Western New England men's Lacrosse team traveled to Endicott College for the CCC Men's Lacrosse Championship game, looking to get revenge after losing to the Gulls earlier in the season. Led by Dylan Hanley with eight points (two goals and six assists) on attack and anchored by Carter Randall in net (16 saves on 25 shots), the Golden Bears went on to win the CCC Championship, 18-9.

Records:

• Western New England: 12-8
• Endicott College: 13-5 

How it Happened:

WNE would net the first goal of the game, with Dylan Hanley scoring just 56 seconds into the contest. Endicott would answer soon after, as WNE goalie Carter Randall would make a save in net and Nick Graap would collect the rebound and shoot a shot past Randall, evening the game at one. Hanley would assist James Wrynn at the 12:01 minute mark in the first, to put WNE back up one. The pair would each gain a point again, two and a half minutes later, as Hanley would assist Wrynn again, this time coming from a man-up goal. The Gulls would respond a minute and a half later, as Nick Pagluiso would net his first of the game. Each team would score a goal over the next minute as Hanley found find Jack Houlden for WNE and Pagluiso would keep the deficit to one with 4:47 left in the first. The Gulls would tie the game at four shortly after as Jack Damon assisted Max Kesicki on the tying goal. Following a caused turnover by Alex Henry on a Gulls clear, Hanley would assist Houlden to put WNE up one with 35 seconds left in the first. Neither team would score in the rest of the first and the Golden Bears went into the second quarter up 5-4.

The second 15 minutes of play was all Western New England, they would go on to score four goals and shut out the Gulls in the quarter. Zachary Mein opened the scoring in the second at the 11:53 mark, following two saves by Randall in net. WNE's Mike Bannon would collect his first of the game, firing a shot past Endicott's keeper, extending the Golden Bears lead to three goals. With under a minute to play, the Golden Bears got huge contributions from Thomas Labbe and Jack Houlden, as the two attackmen would score six seconds apart from each other with under 15 seconds to play in the first half as Western New England took a 9-4 lead heading into the break, a big momentum swing for the blue and gold. 

Top seeded Endicott would take exception to the two allowed late goals as the hosts would fire back early in the third quarter by grabbing four goals in the first five minutes of the third frame, getting within one goal of the blue and gold. Jack Damon led Endicott with two goals during the stretch. After a key timeout called for the Golden Bears when the momentum was in the hands of the Gulls, Western New England would respond and close out the third quarter with the final six goals, giving WNE a commanding 15-8 lead after 45 minutes of play and 15 minutes remaining from being crowned CCC Champions. Brian Madden, Zachary Mein (3), Dylan Hanley, and Mike Bannon would all contribute for the Golden Bears as WNE would lead by seven. 

Endicott came out hot to open the fourth quarter, grabbing a quick goal on their opening possession to cut the lead to six. WNE would take over full control of the final 13 minutes of play as Jack Houlden and Mike Bannon would score for WNE within 28 seconds of each other to clinch the victory for the Golden Bears. Bannon would add an extra mark with under two minutes left to play, as Western New England would win back-to-back championships and their tenth overall championship in program history. 

Inside The Crease:

• Dylan Hanley led the way for the Golden Bears in their second straight CCC Championship, scoring two goals while dishing six assists, while scooping six ground balls in the win. Hanley sits at 115 points in his career, continuing to add to his program record. 
• Mike Bannon, Zachary Mein, and Jack Houlden all added four goals apiece for the Golden Bears. 
• GK Carter Randall made 16 saves for Western New England. Endicott's Tim Luciano stopped 12 shots while allowing 18 goals. 
• WNE avenges their defeat to the Gulls from earlier this season after Endicott had the upper hand, 16-7. Western New England drops 18 goals on the Gulls for the second consecutive CCC Championship game after beating the Gulls 18-10 a season ago. 

Up Next on the Schedule:

• Western New England will await the NCAA Selection Show, which will air on Sunday, May 7 at 9:00 PM est. to find out who they will play in the NCAA Division III Men's Lacrosse Tournament.