March 27, 2006
BEVERLY, MA - Endicott senior Kevin Lally (Derry, NH/Pinkerton) set up Burt Fahy (Needham, MA/Needham) for the game-winning goal with 12.9 seconds remaining in regulation as the Gulls scored their first-ever win over a New England Small College Athletic Conference team, beating Bowdoin, 6-5, Monday night at Endicott Stadium.
The Polar Bears, who are ranked 13th in the nation, would not go quietly. Bowdoin (4-2, 1-0 NESCAC) stormed back from a 5-1 fourth quarter deficit, scoring four unanswered goals, the last by junior Kevin Mullins (Duxbury, MA/Duxbury) knotted the game at 5-5 with only 2:28 remaining in the contest.
Endicott (4-3, 2-0 CCC) would not be denied, however, and Lally put the game - as he has his whole career - into another player's hands for the perfect Gulls' ending. Lally, set up at the top of the box, found Fahy camped on the left post and delivered a perfect feed to the righty, who fired a quick-stick past Bowdoin goaltender Charles Legg (Baltimore, MD/Gilman School) for the game-winning goal.
The goal propelled Endicott third straight victory and fourth in its last five attempts, but senior goaltender Ryan Walsh (Weymouth, MA/Weymouth) would save his best efforts of the night for the closing seconds. Walsh was able to get a piece of senior longstick midfielder Brian Duggan's (Danvers, MA/Danvers) laser from 10 feet out on the left side with two ticks remaining on the clock to become just third team in New England to beat a NESCAC in the history of the conference.
Lally finished with a goal and three assists for Endicott while Fahy and Josh Gilbert (Simsbury, CT/Simsbury) each notched two goals. Dan Ryan (Billerica, MA/Billerica) had the other EC tally and freshmen Brandon Dube (Danvers, MA/Danvers) and Eddie O'Reilly (Beverly, MA/Beverly) each dished out one assist.
Legg finished with eight saves while Ford Barker (Southborough, MA/Loomis Chaffee), Tom McKinley (San Fransisco, CA/University School), Ryan Hurd (Carlisle, MA/Belmont Hill), Mullins and Rob Halliday (Sudbury, MA/Lincoln-Sudbury) each scored once for the Polar Bears.
Endioctt plays at UNE Wednesday (3:00 PM) while Bowdoin travels to Connecticut College Saturday night (7).