BRISTOL, R.I. - The Roger Williams University Men's Lacrosse team saw its season come to a close Saturday afternoon, falling 10-16 to Western New England University in the First Round of the Conference of New England Tournament at Bayside Field.
The Hawks came out strong, grabbing an early 5-3 lead after the first quarter with goals from Malcolm Steegstra (Gloucester, Mass.), Matt Hemmert (Braintree, Mass.), Ryan Vendetti (Farmington, Conn.), Carter Shelton (Castle Rock, Colo.), and Jack Kester (Londonderry, N.H.). Hemmert, who posted four goals and an assist, opened the scoring and continued to pace the Hawks' offense throughout the afternoon. Kester delivered a strong all-around performance for the Hawks, finishing with one goal and three assists, while Vendetti added two goals and an assist. Shelton scored twice, and Steegstra found the back of the net once for the Hawks.
Despite the Hawks fast start, Western New England took control with a six-goal second quarter, holding Roger Williams to just one goal in that frame. The Golden Bears' run continued into the third, as they outscored the Hawks 5-0 to extend the lead to 14-6 heading into the fourth.
The Hawks Eric Brooks (Milford, Mass.) led the team with 12 shots but was limited to one assist. Faceoff specialist David Rizzo (Methuen, Mass.) battled throughout, winning 12 of 27 draws and picking up seven ground balls.
Goalkeepers Aaron D'Aversa (Sea Cliff, N.Y.) and Max Kimmel (Milford, Conn.) combined for eight saves on the day, facing relentless pressure as Western New England fired 42 shots, 24 of them on goal.
Defensively, the Hawks caused nine turnovers, with standout efforts from Kyle Zirn (Chester, N.H.) and Brady Lee (Mattapoisett, Mass.). However, the Golden Bears' balanced attack, led by Jacob Roy, James Wrynn, and Griffin LaRochelle, who each posted hat tricks, proved too much down the stretch.
Roger Williams finishes the 2025 season with a 9-9 overall record and a 5-3 mark in conference play, highlighted by several key victories and a strong late-season push to secure a home playoff game. The Hawks will return next academic year in pursuit of another Conference Tournament appearance on their hunt for the title.
