HENNIKER, N.H. – New England College's Steve Parsons recorded a game-high six goals to lead the Pilgrims past Maine Maritime Academy 16-5 in the North Atlantic Conference (NAC) Men's Lacrosse Semifinals on Wednesday. With the win, the Pilgrims improve to 11-6 on the season and advance to Saturday's NAC Championship game. The Mariners close out the 2012 campaign with a record of 6-9.

Parsons scored four of the Pilgrims first five goals, getting help from James Putney on the first pair. Putney finished his day with a goal and four assists. Maine Maritime managed to get it to a 6-4 game with 87 seconds left in the first half when Andrew DiSalvo (Glastonbury, Conn.) found the net, but Sam Freihofner delivered a backbreaker, scoring shorthanded with 34 seconds in the quarter.

Frehofner's goal sparked a 10-goal run that stretched deep into the fourth quarter. He finished the game with four goals and two assists. The Frehofner-fueled run came to a close with 6:50 left in regulation when DiSalvo fed Brian Corain (Berwick, Maine) for a shorthanded marker, breaking a nearly 35-minute drought imposed by Pilgrims' keeper, Nick Acquaviva.

Acquaviva stood tall posting 14 saves. His counterpart, Erik Milles (Bangor, Maine) posted 13 saves against the NAC's most prolific offense. DiSalvo finished the day with two goals and an assist, while Corain had a goal and an assist.

New England peppered the Mariners' cage with 45 shots, while Maine Maritime fired off 30. The Pilgrims won 15-of-22 faceoffs and cashed in on half of their 10 extra-man chances.

Maine Maritime (6-9) vs. New England College (11-6)

SCORE BY PERIOD       1  2  3  4  Tot

Maine Maritime......  1  3  0  1 -  5

New England College.  3  4  6  3 - 16

Maine Maritime SCORING: GOALS: Andrew DiSalvo 2; Brian Corain 1; Tom Houle 1; Bronson Guimond 1.

ASSISTS: Brian Corain 1; Andrew DiSalvo 1; Alex Hermes 1.

New England College SCORING: GOALS: Steve Parsons 6; Sam Freihofner 4; Adam Shute 2; James Putney 1; Brian Gillis 1; Matt Goyette 1; Chris Collins 1.

ASSISTS: James Putney 4; Sam Freihofner 2; Brian Gillis 2; Nick Acquaviva 1; DJ Sellick 1.

SHOTS - Maine Maritime 30; New England College 45.

SHOTS ON GOAL - Maine Maritime 19; New England College 29.

Penalties - Maine Maritime 13/10:00; New England College 13/12:30.

MAN-UP OPPORTUNITIES - Maine Maritime 0-11; New England College 5-10.

TURNOVERS - Maine Maritime 25; New England College 25.

FACEOFFS - Maine Maritime 7-22; New England College 15-22.

CLEARS - Maine Maritime 12-24; New England College 20-25.

GOALIES - MMA: Erik Milles 2-5 (60:00 minutes, 29 shots-13 saves, 16 GA); NEC: Nick Acquaviva 10-6 (60:00, 19-14, 5).