Courtesy Wesleyan Sports Information

MIDDLETOWN, Conn. - Meeting for the first time since the conclusion of a six-year regular-season series between 1997 and 2002, Wesleyan (15-3) and Eastern Connecticut (15-4) were paired for an NCAA Tournament second round game here this afternoon. Though Eastern Conn. had won the last four contests vs. Wesleyan, the Cardinals extended their streak of winning opening NCAA tournament games to four behind a 4-0 run in the fourth period, good for an 8-4 victory.

Wesleyan now faces NESCAC rival Middlebury, a 15-11 victor against St. Lawrence in its second-round game, for the third time this year in an NCAA quarter-final in Middetown Wed., May 13. Wesleyan has the only two wins over Middlebury this year, 15-14 in overtime May 2 in a NESCAC tournament semi-final, and 8-7 in Middletown during the regular season March 14.

With the score tied 4-4 heading into the fourth quarter, Wesleyan took the lead for good vs. Eastern Conn. when recently crowned NESCAC Rookie of the Year freshman John Froats received a pass from junior Lonny Blumenthal on the right side and sent a soft bouncer through a crowd into the net for a 5-4 Wesleyan edge at the 13:55 mark. The teams went scoreless for the next nine minutes before junior Jon Killeen scored his second goal of the game and 25th of the year, completing a fast break. Senior first-team all-NESCAC pick Spike Malangone caused an Eastern turnover in the Wesleyan zone, scooped up the ground ball and passed ahead to senior Jason Ben-Eliyahu. Ben-Eliyahu found Killeen in front to make it 6-4 with 4:45 left. Just 1:19 later, senior Russ Follansbee, also a first-team all-NESCAC choice and Wesleyan’s top scorer with 69 points, finished off his hat trick for a 7-4 advantage. Senior Kwasi Ansu set the fast-break in motion with a takeaway at the top of the Cardinal zone. He fed senior Dan Latzman who spotted Follansbee alone in the Eastern box, allowing him to go one-on-one with Eastern senior and Little East first-teamer keeper Kyle Savage. Savage finished the game with 16 saves as his efforts over the opening 45 minutes were the key to the Warriors success to that point. He had 14 saves and only four goals against heading into the final stanza.

Wesleyan got its final goal from senior Jeff Strittmatter, who was inserted into the lineup in the final three minutes to give the Cardinals some fresh legs in the offensive end. He responded by beating a Warrior double team from behind the net, up the right side and into the middle, before attacking the crease for a low tuck-in shot with 2:14 on the clock.

Eastern had drawn first blood in the game, taking its only lead at 8:46 of the first period on sophomore Brian Fechtmann’s 19th goal of the season. He received a sharp pass from senior top-scorer Matt Savage. Savage, a first-team all-Little East pick, also added a second period goal, his 53rd of the year and 77th point, to trim Wesleyan’s lead to 4-3 at intermission. Little East Offensive Player of the Year senior DJ Simmons tied the game at 4-4 with the only marker of the third period, firing in a bouncer from long range midway through the frame. He racked up 63 points on the year (49-14-63). Eastern faceoff man sophomore Eric Vasil demonstrated why he leads the country in ground balls and is second nationally in winning percentage as he controlled nine of 14 attempts (.643), just below his better than 70 percentage efficiency coming into the game. His 10 ground balls also was slightly under his seasonal average of 11.4.

Ben-Eliyahu had gotten Wesleyan even at 1-1 in the first period and Wesleyan never again trailed though the score was tied three times before Wesleyan asserted itself in the final period. Wesleyan improved to 6-3 in NCAA tournament play in its fourth-ever appearance, having beaten Springfield, RIT and Middlebury in its previous opening games. Eastern fell to 1-6 in NCAA play, having made its sixth trip to Nationals.