(Game Box) 

            PLYMOUTH, N.H. - Freshman Griffin Meehan (Simsbury, Conn.) scored a pair of goals 40 seconds apart midway through the fourth quarter Tuesday afternoon, lifting Keene State College to a 6-5 victory over rival Plymouth State University in a key Little East Conference men's lacrosse game at rainy Panther Field.

            The Owls' comeback came after Plymouth State had battled from behind with three unanswered goals to start the fourth period, which gave the Panthers their first lead of the game.  KSC answered with the two quick goals by Meehan, and then held PSU at bay down the stretch.  Keene State is now alone in second place in the LEC at5-1 in conference play and 7-3 overall, while Plymouth State is in fourth in the Little East at 3-3 in the conference and 5-7 overall.

            The Owls scored the only two goals of the first period, a man-up goal by senior Rodney Arganese (Trumbull, Conn.) and an even-strength marker by junior Jamie LeSage (Exeter, N.H.) with seven seconds left in the quarter.  The Panthers answered with the only two scores of the second period, as senior Dan Maiorana (Walpole, Mass.) put PSU on the board with 2:20 remaining and junior Tim Hadley (New London, N.H./Kearsarge) tied it up at 2-2 with a man-up goal with 29 seconds remaining in the half.

            Keene State regained the lead with the only two goals of the third period, both by senior Casey Broderson (Derry, N.H./Pinkerton).  But just as they did in the second period, the Panthers came out and tied the game in the fourth and eventually took the lead.  Junior Matt Johansmeyer (Shelburne Falls, Mass.) cut the deficit to one with 11:43 remaining, and junior Brian Giroux (Wolfeboro Falls, N.H.) scored for PSU at 11:43 and 10:50 to give the home team its first lead of the day.

            Meehan's two goal midway through the fourth period stood as the difference as Keene State posted its eighth straight victory over the Panthers.

            Both goalies were solid in their respective nets, with KSC sophomore Alec Corliss (Waltham, Mass.) finishing with 15 saves and PSU sophomore Kevin Hayes (Beverly, Mass.) making seven stops.  PSU finished with a 47-28 advantage in shots, yet KSC won eight of the 13 face-offs.  The Panthers had a slight 40-38 margin in ground balls.

            Both teams wrap up the regular season with LEC games this Saturday, PSU at home for the Senior Day affair against the University of Massachusetts Boston (1:00 p.m.) and KSC visiting the University of Southern Maine (12:00 p.m.).

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