Seahawks hold off Salem State, 11-10

Salem, Mass. - Evan Gates (Ridge, NJ) scored the game-winning goal for the Salve Regina University Seahawks in a 11-10 victory over the Salem State University Vikings Tuesday afternoon at Alumni field. Gates tallied four points (1-3-4) in a matchup where Salve Regina relinquished the lead only once. However, Salem State scored six goals in the fourth quarter to bring the game to a missed shot away from an overtime period.

Goaltender Brett Pimental (East Falmouth, Mass.) turned away 15 of 25 shots on goal as the Seahawks improve to 3-2. Viking Brendan Gill (Chemsford, Mass.) stopped 11 of 25 shots. Salem State falls to 1-3 on the season.

Gates assisted Chris Walker (Marshfield, Mass.) at 8:48 of the opening quarter for the first goal of the game. Jesse Fentross (Tewksbury, Mass.) and Brandon Cali (Leominster, Mass.) responded with back-to-back goals to give the Vikings a 2-1 lead at the end of the period.

Salve Regina's offense exploded with a six goals second quarter. The lone Viking goal in the period came from Ryan Ostler (Billerica, Mass.) with the assist credited to Gates. Sam Barnum (Holderness, N.H.) bookended the period for the Seahawks with a goal at 14:34 and another with 33 seconds left in the half for 7-3 lead at halftime.

The teams exchanged a pair of goals in the third. Greg Shidler (Peabody, Mass.) took a feed from Jeremy Fanning (Gloucester, Mass.) to beat Pimental for the fourth Viking goal. Gates earned his third assist when he connected to Brendan Carroll (Garden City, N.Y.) with 1:16 left in the quarter to end the period with an 8-4 advantage.

Salem State's fourth quarter rally began with a goal by Will DeRoo (Peabody, Mass.) 11 seconds into the period. The teams exchanged goals until Salve Regina's Donovan Kelley (Lee, N.H.) and Gates scored back-to-back goals for a 6-11 lead. Two goals scored by Shidler sandwiched another goal scored by Cali to bring the Vikings within two points with twenty-nine seconds left on the clock. Fanning beat Pimental with only sixteen seconds left in regulation to bring Salem State within a goal.

The Seahawks had a distinct advantage in the face off circle—winning 19 of 24. The officials opted to check to the stick of Salve Regina's faceoff artist Curtis McKeon (West Haven, Conn.). McKeon's stick was found to be in violation of the rules and possession was awarded to the Vikings. However, the last Salem State shot was wide of the net and the Seahawks escaped with the 11-10 victory.

The Salem State University Vikings will host the Bisons of Nichols College on Thursday at one o'clock. Salve Regina University will host the Curry Colonels next on Saturday afternoon.

(Courtesy of Salem State sports information)