HENNIKER, N.H. – The New England College men's lacrosse team comes close on senior day against visiting Saint Joseph's College of Maine in Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) action on Saturday afternoon at Don Melander Field in Henniker, New Hampshire. 

THE BASICS 
Score: Saint Joseph's College (ME) 12, New England College 10 
Records: Monks 9-7, 6-3 GNAC | Pilgrims 3-11, 2-7 GNAC 

HOW IT HAPPENED 

• In a packed confine of roughly 200 people across both parties, St. Joe's opened up the first seven minutes of the game with three straight goals from three different players. A slingshot from junior midfielder Will Levesque (Marlow, N.H.) started the run for his team which he tould tack on an assist on score number two to the Monks leading scorer graduate midfielder Xavier Michaud (Wales, Maine). Thirteen seconds after the subsequent faceoff, junior midfielder Aidan Dennis (Hooksett, N.H.) drove it in for goal number three. 
• But then came NEC's leading scorer in junior attacker Henri Pfeifle (Darien, Conn.) who made an incredible straight shot man-up goal to finally put the 'Grims on the board. It would not last long as St. Joe's would answer 13 seconds later with a quick setup play off the faceoff where senior attacker Tim Goodfellow (Wayland, Mass.) dropped it in. Then with 3:53 left in the period, freshman attacker Joseph Kiedaisch (Westminster, Mass.) would roll it in for another goal, giving the Monks a 5-1 lead after the first quarter. 
• Down but not out, NEC would make a push in the second quarter where freshman midfielder Duncan Fleming (St. Paul, Minn.) would force the shot into the net a minute and 20 seconds into the second quarter. A little over a minute later Fleming would again notch another goal where he would power his way through the defense to get it in, bringing his team down only 5-3.  
• The visiting team of St. Joe's would halt any more significant activity on the opposing side as Michaud was able to lead his team to four straight goals on the 'Grims in which two of them came from himself earning him a hat-trick for the day. Goodfellow passed along two helpers in that span as well. NEC would have their seniors' attacker Matt Daley (Plymouth, Mass.) and attacker Thomas Norton (Mansfield, Mass.) contribute a couple of goals in the final five and a half minutes where Pfeifle would be on the passive end, racking a couple of assists in that sequence having the 'Grims down only 9-5. 
• Coming out of halftime, NEC changed its intensity as Pfeifle would rifle the ball into the net and start a little momentum. Two and a half minutes later senior midfielder Kyle Hamilton (Londonderry, N.H.) would earn his first goal of the season at an impeccable time when he forced it in off a rebound to make the score 10-7 in favor of the Monks. With the lead trimming drastically, St. Joe's notched in two goals within 40 seconds of each other with less than seven minutes remaining as Michaud kept the fire in him burning, scoring his fourth while graduate midfielder Nathaniel Girardin (Brunswick, Maine) would follow with a point-blank shot that somehow flew in. Not a minute later Pfeifle would hit a remarkable milestone of 50 goals in a season where he was able to slash one in from several yards out. However, Michaud would steal Pfeifle's thunder with his fifth goal in the game to put the monks up 12-8. 
• The final quarter of play would not see any substantial turn of events as both teams battled back and forth for almost the whole period until with 44 seconds remaining, Pfeifle would get a shot off close to the opposing goal to add to his historic day. Fourteen seconds later, Daley would tack on one more scoring play for the day as he forced in the shot off an angle but would not be enough as the 'Grims would fall to the Monks 12-10. 

INSIDE THE NUMBERS 

• NEC freshman goalkeeper Nate Finn (Norwood, Mass.) would tally nine saves in the eventful afternoon matchup. 
• St. Joe's goalkeeper Reed Wescott (Windham, Maine) would help his team come out on top with racking up 12 saves in the process. 
• Despite the loss, the 'Grims had a 40-32 advantage on total shots in a contested setting. 
• The Monks won the faceoff battle 15-9. 
• NEC was an efficient 22/23 on clears while St. Joe's was a solid 19/25 on the attempts. 

SENIOR DAY 

• Prior to the game, Hamilton, junior midfielder Cam Hebert (Plantation, Fla.), senior face-off specialist Evan Zonderman (Dracut, Mass.), senior midfielder Joey Olsen (Mansfield, Mass.), senior midfielder Thomas Doe (Windham, N.H.), and senior long-stick midfielder Richard McMahon Jr. (Boston, Mass.) were recognized by the men's lacrosse team and the NEC athletics department as part of Senior Day. The six were honored by coaches, teammates, family members and fans for all of their accomplishments at NEC both on and off the field. Although their time with the program may be coming to an end, they will forever be a part of the 'Grims family. 

UP NEXT 

• NEC is back on the field on Wednesday, April 24th when they head down to Elms College to take on the Blazers at 8:00 PM on the Timothy J. Leary Feild as it marks their last game of the regular season. 
• St. Joe's plays their final regular season game at their home field at the SJC Athletics Complex where they will face the Saints of Emmanuel College (Mass) on Wednesday, April 24th at 4:00 PM. 

For continuing coverage of New England College Athletics, visit athletics.nec.edu and follow the Pilgrims on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.