BIDDEFORD, Maine -- Dan Auger (JR/Nashua, N.H.) and Mitch Mullin (FY/Cumberland, Maine) each scored four goals to lead the University of New England men's lacrosse team to a 17-8 victory over Curry College in a mutual Commonwealth Coast Conference opener Wednesday night(March 30) at the Big Blue Turf.
UNE picked up its fourth consecutive win to improve to 6-4 (1-0 CCC), while the Colonels suffered their first setback on the season to drop to 8-1 (0-1 CCC).
Auger added a pair of assists and Mullin one, as the duo accounted for 11 points. Andrew Curro (JR/Niskayuna, N.Y.), Tom Luttrell (SO/Greenbrae, Calif.) and J.T. Oliver (JR/Damascus, Md.) contributed two goals apiece for UNE.Curro also set-up a pair of scores.
Curry was led by Matt Serra (SO/Haverhill, Mass.) and Brandon Flaim (JR/Pembroke, Mass.), who each found the back of the cage three times. Tom Cashin (SO/Boxford, Mass.) contributed two assists.
The Nor'easters led from the early stages, doubling-up the visitors in the first quarter (4-2) before taking a 7-3 cushion into halftime. Leading 12-7 heading into the fourth, UNE outscored Curry 5-1 in the final frame to pull away.
Defender Pat Pohle (JR/Weston, Conn.) played a strong match for UNE, totaling four ground balls and three caused turnovers. Starting goalkeeper John Dusel (SR/Wilbraham, Mass.) earned the win with four saves in the first half. David Pearson (JR/Scarborough, Maine) came on to stop four shots after halftime.
Steven Grogan (SO/Sandwich, Mass.) won 14 of 24 face-offs for Curry. Flaim corralled a game-high six ground balls and Jack Boillotat (SO/Hanover, Mass.) added five. Goalkeeper Shane O'Brien (JR/East Falmouth, Mass.) made five saves over the opening 45:57 before being relieved by Josh Teller (FY/Milford, Conn.), who had one stop the rest of the way.
Both teams will play CCC games Saturday. The Colonels host Salve Regina University at noon, and theNor'easters face Roger Williams University on the road at 1 p.m.
(Game Recap Courtesy of the Univesity of New England Sports Information Department)
