Springfield, Mass. - March 26, 2016 - Sophomore attackman Tom Hurley (Goffstown, N.H.) posted a career-high five assists, but the Western New England University Golden Bears were able to hold off the Springfield College men's lacrosse team, 14-10, on Saturday afternoon at Stagg Field.

With the loss, Springfield falls to 2-5 on the year, while Western New England, which was ranked No. 19 in the latest United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA) National Rankings, improves to 4-2 overall.

The Golden Bears held a 41-37 advantage in shots, while also picking up 35 ground balls to the Pride's 15. The visitors were also a perfect 16-for-16 in the clearing game, while the Pride was 16-for-17 on the day.

Along with Hurley's five points, classmate Dom Abate (Beverly, Mass.) had four points, including two goals and a pair of helpers, while senior attackman Dylan Sheehan (Massapequa, N.Y.) posted two goals and added an assist. In net, Chris Santaniello (West Springfield, Mass.) made nine stops.

The Golden Bears were led by the dominant play of senior David Cedrone (Yantic, Conn.), who was 24-for-28 at the face-off "x", while scooping up 17 ground balls in the win. Offensively, Keegan Dudeck (Longmeadow, Mass.) and Justin Bard (Westfield, Mass.) notched five points apiece, as Dudeck went for three goals and two assists, while Bard tallied four goals and added one helper. In between the pipes, Steven Kerr (Hopkinton, Mass.) made eight saves.

Springfield jumped out to an early 1-0 advantage when Hurley found a cutting Joey Raniolo (Yorktown Heights, N.Y.) in the crease for a quick-stick goal, before the Golden Bears responded with three of its own to end the first stanza with a 3-1 lead. Bard evened the score at one with a near-side shot while falling away from the cage, and Dudeck bounced a shot five-hole on Santaniello to give Western New England a one goal edge. Later in the period, Mike Jednak (Franklin, Mass.) dodged on goal-line extended, before tucking a shot under the cross bar to make it 3-1.

Springfield quickly evened the score at three early in the second half, when Abate beat his defender and shot far post-and-in to make it 3-2, then Sheehan dodged from "x", and while falling to his knees, found Brendan Dooley (South Setauket, N.Y.), who tucked a shot past Kerr to make it 3-3.

As quickly as the Pride evened the score, the Golden Bears regained their two-goal cushion when Dudeck found Jednak on a cross-field pass, who then fired a shot low-to-high that found its way past Santaniello, before Dudeck notched an unassisted goal with 7:46 left in the half to make it 5-3, Western New England at the break.

Patrick Dillon (Baldwin, N.Y.) pushed Western New England's lead to three, before Abate found Tony LaGuerre (Shrub Oaks, N.Y.) in the crease for a goal to keep it a two-goal game just 2:59 later. After a pair more from the Golden Bears to make it 8-4, Hurley dodged from "x", and dumped a pass to Kevin Dean (Westhampton, N.Y.), who ripped a shot past Kerr to cut the Pride's deficit back to five.

With 1:03 left in the third, Jared Ward (Littleton, Mass.) made a dish to Taylor DuBose (Altamont, N.Y.), who registered his only goal of the day, but the Pride struck with 19 seconds left in the frame off the stick of Abate, who was set up by a nice back-door feed from Dooley to make it 9-6 heading into the final stanza.

Trading goals over the first 4:06 of the fourth made it an 11-8, Western New England lead, before Maxwell Abendroth (Sunapee, N.H.) caused a turnover and picked up the loose ball, found Hurley at the midline, who then fired a pass to an open Sheehan, who notched his first of the game, before the senior struck again with 5:54 left to make it a one-goal game.

Clinging to a one-goal lead, the Golden Bears sealed the victory with three goals in the final 5:01, including a pair from Bard and one from Dillon.

Up next, Springfield will host No. 5 Amherst College on Tuesday, March 29 at 7 p.m. on Stagg Field.