POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (March 12, 2015) – Vassar scored six unanswered goals to end the game, erasing a six-goal deficit in the first half to overtake Western Connecticut State 9-8 Thursday evening. After scoring just once in the first half of play at Tenney Stadium, the Brewers caught fire in the fourth quarter, scoring five goals in the final seven minutes to complete the comeback.

Senior Scott Brekne (Stony Brook, NY/Ward Melville) led the way for VC with three goals and an assist, while junior Noah Parson (Cary, NC/Panther Creek), sophomore Chris Billups (Watchung, NJ/Oratory Preparatory) and junior Shane Flattery (Brewster, NY/Brewster) all turned in two goals apiece to pace the Brewers to the victory. Vassar improves to 2-1 on the season with the win, while Western Connecticut drops to 0-4.

Down 7-1 to start the second half, VC receieved a much-needed offensive boost from Brekne in the opening minutes of the third quarter to get back in business. On nearly identical plays less than a minute apart, Brekne put away a pair of shots from the left side on feeds from sophomore Brandon DeStasio (West Hempstead, NY/Chaminade) to pull within four at the 10:01 mark.

West Conn's Nate Wilson scored one of his game-high four goals later on with 4:07 to play to extend the Colonial lead to 8-3. Flattery got one back for Vassar with 28 ticks left in the third to pull the hosts within four heading into the final quarter of play.

The Brewers couldn't find the net early in the fourth quarter, missing their first six shots as time ran below seven minutes. VC did well to limit the Colonials offensively though, allowing the visitors only two total shots in the quarter to keep the comeback bid alive.

Billups started the rally for VC at the 6:25 mark, coming from behind the right post to power a shot past the keeper into the right corner. Down three, Brekne scored his third of the night with 4:42 left to play on an open look from in front of the net off a great dish from sophomore Sam Houston-Read (Waban, MA/Newton South).

Parson scored his first of the night a minute later on another assist from Houston-Read, finding an open seam in front of the cage on the left side to make it 8-7 with 3:27 to play. A penalty on Western Connecticut provided Vassar with a man-up opportunity right from the ensuing faceoff, but a win for the Colonials gave them the ball a man down in VC's defensive zone.

After a big forced turnover from sophomore Brian Kube (Randolph, NJ/Randolph), sophomore Eric Prezioso (Glen Ridge, NJ/Glen Ridge) charged the length of the field to the Brewer offensive zone to find Parson open in transition. A strike from the junior attackman from the middle left beat the keeper for the man-up goal, tying the game at eight with 2:44 on the clock.

Flattery came up clutch for Vassar in the final minutes, burying a shot with 1:37 to play giving VC its first lead since the 5:45 mark in the first quarter. A big faceoff win from Brekne put the ball back in Vassar's possession for the final moments, and the Brewers held off a desperate West Conn defense to secure the 9-8 victory.

The first half played out entirely in Western Connecticut's favor, as the Colonials scored seven straight goals to go up big on the Brewers. Vassar was troubled by penalties early on, and West Conn took advantage scoring on four of six extra man opportunities. The Brewers cut back in the second committing just one infraction to West Conn's three.

Sophomore goalie Brandon Crecco (Carmel, NY/Mahopac) had a big day in the goal, making 12 saves while allowing just one goal in the second half to earn his first win of the year. Flattery notched a career-high nine ground balls, while sophomore Brandon Klein (Merrick, NY/John F. Kennedy) had a game-high four caused turnovers. Five of Vassar's final eight shots of the game went in.   

VC will look to carry tonight's momentum into the team's spring break trip in Colorado Springs, CO. The Brewers will first face Colorado College on Sunday, March 15 at 3 pm.

--VASSAR--