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KEENE, N.H. - Keene State College scored six goals in the second quarter and seven more in the fourth and the Owls defeated Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), 18-11, in a non-league men's lacrosse game on Saturday. The game was the season opener for both teams.

Rensselaer got off to a quick start as senior Zach Lukas and freshman Jason Bram put the visitors ahead with the first two goals of the game. The homestanding Owls answered to tie the game, but RPI saw Lukas find the back of the net two more times for a 4-2 lead after the first 15 minutes. 

Keene pulled to within one just nine seconds into the second frame, but senior Cliff Kigar made it 5-3 only 16 seconds later. The Owls tied the contest at 5-5, but Lukas notched his fourth of the game with a man up goal with just under seven minutes left in the half. An extra-man goal on the other end was the first of three straight markers for Keene, who led 8-6, before Lucas Bastarache scored with 29 second left to pull RPI to within a goal at halftime.

The Owls struck for the first three goals of the second half, including two early in the third quarter, but Rensselaer made it an 11-9 deficit when Lukas and Feenstra scored back-to-back goals. Keene countered with five straight goals in the fourth quarter to take a 16-9 lead before Kigar's second of the contest off a feed from Tyler Hancock made it 16-10. RPI's Matthew Gilman's scored with under a minute left for the game's final tally.

Five players had multiple goals for Keene State, led by Connor Nolan and Paul Beling, both of whom had four. They both also had one assist. Mathew Howe made 17 saves for the victory.

Lukas finished with five goals and an assist, while Kigar scored twice. Gilman had a goal and an assist and JT Kelly had two helpers. Parker Smith started in goal and took the loss for the Engineers, who were 1 for 10 on the man-up. 

RPI makes its home debut next Saturday at 1pm when it welcomes Montclair State for a non-league contest.