DANBURY, Conn. - Senior Julian Duque (Mastic, N.Y.) and graduate student Tyler Starrett (Redding, Conn.) netted five goals apiece as the Western Connecticut State University men's lacrosse team erupted with an 11-2 third quarter run en route to a 21-11 victory over visiting Little East Conference nemesis Keene State College on Tuesday evening at the Westside Athletic Complex. Senior middie Matt Sweeney (Rocky Point, N.Y.) chipped in with a hat trick and four assists.

The Owls notched the first goal of the game and led 3-2 late in the opening stanza before graduate student midfielder Liam Ford (New Fairfield, Conn.) buried his 29th marker of the season to even the count at 3-3 heading into the second. The contest remained tight and Ford would notch his second goal off yet another feed from junior middie Tristan McMahon (Farmingville, N.Y.), giving WestConn a 7-5 advantage at the break.

What seemed destined to be another contested finish turned into a route in the third quarter. The Wolves racked up 10 straight goals while marching onto victory and sending the Owls home with their fifth consecutive loss between the two squads. Duque got things started with his team-leading 45th goal of the season before graduate student face-off phenom Jonathan Russack-Baker (Groton, Conn.) notched one of his 23-of-26 wins at the X before bursting down the alley to find the back of the twine, rounding out the flurry and giving WestConn an 18-7 lead heading into the fourth.

The Owls did not have an answer. Sweeney concluded the scoring with his 20th goal of the year off a fast break feed from sophomore James Kreig (Port Jefferson, N.Y.). The Wolves outshot the Owls, 58-29, while dominating the ground ball column, 45-12. 

With the victory, WestConn remained undefeated in LEC play, improving to 11-6 overall and 8-0 in the league to wrap up regular season play. The Owls dropped to 7-8 and 4-3. The Wolves get at least a week to gear up for the LEC Championship Tournament which is slated to begin on Tuesday.