Springfield, Mass. - May 7, 2016 -The Springfield College men's lacrosse team defeated Babson College, 12-7, on Saturday afternoon at Stagg Field to claim the 2016 New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Championship.

With its seventh straight win, Springfield improved to 11-7 and claimed its ninth-consecutive conference title and earned the NEWMAC's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. Babson concludes its season at 10-8.  It marked the fourth-straight season that Springfield and Babson have played for the title.

Springfield will find out who it will play in the first round of the NCAA Tournament when the Division III field is announced at 9 p.m. on Sunday night.

Springfield College sophomore goalkeeper Jake Reynolds (Scituate, Mass.) was named the Most Outstanding Player of the NEWMAC Championship after he tied his career-high with 17 saves to go along with a third-quarter assist. Dom Abate (Beverly, Mass.) delivered four goals and an assist and Kevin Dean (Westhampton, N.Y.) chipped in two goals and three helpers.  Brendan Dooley (Setauket, N.Y.) caused four turnovers and picked up five ground balls, and Tom Hurley (Goffstown, N.H.) posted two goals and two assists. 

For the Beavers, Scott Doten (Western Springs, Ill.) led the way with two goals and an assist, while Niall Dillon (Duxbury, Mass.) found the back of the cage twice.  Jordan Shapiro (Pleasantville, N.Y.) made 10 saves in the setback and Zach Cattaruzza (Guilford, Conn.) picked up a game-high 11 ground balls to go along with four caused turnovers.  

Babson, which entered the game riding a school-record nine-game winning streak, opened up the game with a man-up strike at the 9:20 mark when Doten ripped a shot into the top shelf off a feed from Brendan Duffy (Duxbury, Mass.).  Abate evened things following his goal just 20 seconds after Doten's marker, before Hurley delivered an unassisted goal at 5:53 to put the Pride up for good.  Tony LaGuerre (Shrub Oak, N.Y.) tacked on back-to-back goals, including finishing an incredible look from Hurley with 1:29 remaining in the quarter, to give the hosts a 4-1 lead.

Ty Daugstrup (Rocky River, Ohio) and Doten traded goals in the first 3:13 of the second quarter before the Pride strung together three-straight goals to go ahead 8-2. Dylan Sheehan (Massapequa, N.Y.) started the burst at the 10:10 mark before Abate found the back of the cage at 8:59 and 4:54, as his goals were assisted by Sheehan and Daugstrup. Dillon scored his first of the afternoon with 2:57 left in the half to send Springfield into the break with an 8-3 advantage.

After killing off a penalty to begin the third, Reynolds cleared the ball himself before connecting with Dean in transition for the unlikely assist just 53 seconds in the half.  Dillon responded with the only other tally of the stanza when he shook his defender down the left alley for the unassisted goal at 10:09.  

Neither team could get into an offensive rhythm for much of tte fourth until a flurry of goals in the final five minutes of play.  Dean pushed the lead to 10-4 when he finished down low, only to have Spencer Low (Natick, Mass.) sting a corner 37 seconds later. Hurley answered right back with a goal nine seconds later and Abate gave the hosts a six-goal cushion when he ripped his fourth of the game with 3:20 on the clock.  Babson made one final push, with Brendan Coan (Towson, Md.) and John Harrison (Pembroke, Mass.) netting goals in the last 1:30, but the Pride was able to hang on for the win.