CASTLETON, Vt. – The Eastern Connecticut State University men's lacrosse team could not connect on its first – and ultimately, only – possession in overtime and Castleton University made the Warriors pay 14 seconds later as the Warriors dropped an 11-10 decision Saturday afternoon in the first Little East Conference contest ever between the programs.

Eastern (3-6, 1-2 LEC), which had beaten Castleton (4-7, 2-2 LEC) the previous two time they had met in non-conference play by a combined 42-4 count, has dropped six of its last seven since a 2-0 start. The Spartans won for the second straight time following a four-game losing streak.

With Castleton in the penalty box due to an infraction in the last 30 seconds of regulation, the Warriors had the first crack at the sudden-death win, but had their shot blocked after being given possession to start the extra session. Castleton's Luc Issa picked up his ninth ground ball of the game to return possession to the Spartans, who wasted little time ending the game. The hosts cleared the zone and got the ball to 20-goal scorer Cameron Russell, who potted his third of the game (first in 26 minutes) on an assist from Jason Venezia (his only point of the game) to deliver his team the win.

Eastern never trailed in the match until the final ten minutes of regulation, using a six-goal third quarter to carry a four-goal lead into the final 15-minute quarter. Castleton scored five unanswered goals over four minutes to move into a 10-9 lead with ten minutes left in regulatioin and the Warriors needed senior Matthew Rougeot's  (Cheshire) fourth goal of the match on a helper from freshman Payten Nevins (Hamden) with 5:20 left to force overtime.

Over the final 5:20 of regulation, Castleton outshot Eastern, 4-2, with Eastern junior goalie Jack Farrell (Stratford) coming up with the last of his 12 saves with just over two minutes left to keep the game knotted. Eastern enjoyed a man-advantage when Castleton was flagged for slashing with 27 seconds left in regulation, but after a timeout, could not get off a shot as time expired.

Rougeot became the 12^th player in program history to reach 100 career goals with his second of four markers in the opening minutes of the second half. Junior Anthony Choronzy (Clinton) chipped in two assists and a goal and sophomore Jake Liebowitz (Trumbull) two goals and an assist.  Freshman pole Jack Lombardo (Berlin) picked up a team-high four ground balls and sophomore Tyler Stein (Milford) won nine of 17 faceoffs (the third time in the last four matches that he has won at least half) and sophomore Michael Parker (Colchester) three of six.

The overtime match was only Eastern's fifth in the last nine years, Eastern winning the previous two that ended in 11-10 scores.

Eastern hosts Western Connecticut Tuesday at 7 p.m. in a conference match.