BY SHUN HASEGAWAStaff Writer

The Western Connecticut State University men’s lacrosse team snatched the title of the best-scoring team in the Little East Conference (LEC) from UMass Boston. The Colonials made the moment as symbolic as they could at home, shutting out the Beacons in the first half on the way to an easy 15-4 victory on Saturday, April 23.

UMB split a couple of non-conference games to wrap up a busy week with seven matches. The Beacons won over Massachusetts Maritime Academy by 15-10 on April 19, and lost to Wentworth Institute of Technology, 11-6, on April 21.

“I was surprised at the score,” said Beacons 18-year head coach Myles Berry. “We didn’t have intensity both in offense and defense especially at the beginning.”

Saturday’s game was the second loss in the last three conference matches for the Beacons (8-4, 2-3 LEC) who stand fourth among seven teams. Underdog, Plymouth State University, upended UMB 8-6 a week ago.

They will play the last game of the regular season at second-place Eastern Connecticut State University on April 30.

The Beacons (11.5 goals per game) failed to score for the first 41 minutes against a team they rattled last year by 10 points (16-6). Western Connecticut (13.1 gpg) had already gained a 10-1 lead by when sophomore attackman Matt Ficarra finally put UMB on the board with a man-up goal at 4:01 in the third quarter.

UMB countered with another goal in the period by sophomore Ryan O’Rourke. The Beacons added four tallies in the final stanza of the match in which they were outshot by 49-27.

A two-time winner of Little East Conference Offensive Player of the Week this season, O’Rourke led the Beacons with three points (two goals, one assist) in the game, including a man-down goal with eight seconds left in the fourth quarter. Christopher Hanafin and Andrew F. Rowley each had a goal and an assist.

Nick Eaton made 15 saves for the Beacons.

The Beacons opened the season with a six-game winning streak in early April before the current slump (2-4 in the last six games).

Berry said two consecutive defeats against conference hurt his team’s confidence before taking on second-place Eastern Connecticut State University.

“We need to get back to a good shape,” he said. “But if we can get confidence back and play as well as at the beginning of the season, there is no reason that we can’t play with [Eastern Connecticut State University].”

All but the last place team will proceed to the Little East Conference Tournament, starting May 3. UMB can host a first-round match if it finishes the 2005 regular season at either third or fourth place.