LEWISTON, Maine -- A game that came loaded with expectation for the Bates men's lacrosse team started out with some nervous moments. But as the Bobcats overcame a four-goal deficit in the first quarter to defeat visiting Keene State College 16-11 in the opening round of the 2015 NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championship tournament, Wednesday evening's atmosphere tided over into triumph and euphoria for Bates and its supporters.

It was Bates' first ever NCAA tournament game, and the first playoff game hosted by any Bates team on 116-year-old Garcelon Field, which has been the home to Bates men's and women's lacrosse since 2011. (Bates football, the field's longtime tenant, does not participate in postseason play.) Well over 1,000 spectators attended the game on a balmy, 70-degree evening -- likely the largest crowd ever to witness a Bates lacrosse game.

Sophomore Charlie Fay (Falmouth, Maine) scored four goals for the Bobcats (11-5), while senior Jack Strain (Montclair, N.J.) and junior Jack Allard (Ridgewood, N.J.) added three apiece. Bates ties its team record for victories in a season with the 1984, 1985 and 1986 teams.

The Bobcats advance to face a familiar foe in the second round in NESCAC rival Tufts, which defeated Emmanuel 21-6 in its opening-round game. The Bobcats shocked the defending NCAA champion Jumbos on April 7 by a 12-8 score, ending Tufts' 24-game winning streak. Saturday's game will be played at Tufts' Bello Field at 1pm.

The Little East Conference champion Owls finish the year with a 12-5 record in their sixth NCAA tournament appearance, and their second in a row. 

Tyler McKelvie scored a game-high five goals to go with one assist for KSC, and Hunter Arnold tallied four scores. Ryan Hart added a goal and two assists as well as five ground balls. Goalie Dylan Florian made 11 saves, as Bates outshot KSC by a 46-35 margin, including a 27-17 difference in shots on goal.

Senior Conor Henrie (Lexington, Mass.) contributed two goals and an assist for Bates. Sophomore Jake Walsh (Baltimore, Md.) dished out a game-high three assists and sophomore Andrew Melvin (Medfield, Mass.) added a goal and two assists.

The Owls jumped out to a 4-1 first-quarter lead with McKelvie supplying two goals and an assist. Bates sophomore Kyle Weber (Chagrin Falls, Ohio) scored on Henrie's assist to close it to 4-2, but the Owls responded with their first of two man-down goals, with Ryan Askham assisting Arnold for a 5-2 lead. McKelvie tallied again with 4:50 to go for a 6-2 Keene State lead, quieting the Bates crowd. 

Keene State's second penalty of the game occurred on the ensuing faceoff, and the Bobcats capitalized with Fay's second score of the game, on Walsh's first assist, closing the deficit to 6-3 at the end of one period.

Bates made it a 5-0 run in the second quarter to assume its first lead, at 7-6, before Kevin Carey evened the game 7-7 at intermission with an unassisted tally.

The Owls scored the first two goals of the third quarter for a 3-0 run and a 9-7 lead. Despite opening the quarter a man down, Keene forced a Bates turnover and Arnold scored the Owls' second man-down goal, assisted by Ryan Hart. Arnold tallied again with 10:08 to go from Frank Bacarella's assist.

The game of runs continued, as the Bobcats closed out the third quarter with four goals in a row, including two extra-man goals. Melvin fed Fay and Allard back-to-back to tie the game at 9-9, and Strain scored the go-ahead goal unassisted with 2:34 to go in the period. With 48 seconds left, Fay added his fourth score on Walsh's third assist, Bates' fourth man-up goal of the contest.

The Bobcats then earned a man-down goal of their own 2:20 into the final period, as Henrie collected a loose ball in front of midfield line, then found an open alley on the left before firing for a 12-9 lead. 

Arnold fed McKelvie for the Owls' first goal in 16 minutes of game time to close the gap to 12-10, but the Bobcats answered with three straight, completing a decisive 8-1 run that opened up a 15-10 lead. Junior Charlie Hildebrand's (Berwyn, Pa.) pass over Keene's goal to an open senior Reed Lewallen (Portland, Ore.) kicked off the final streak that stemmed any thoughts of a Keene comeback.

Bates senior Tucker White (Burlington, Vt.) won 11 of 19 faceoffs, the most he has taken in his career, while sophomore Sam Francis (Newburyport, Mass.) won 6 of 11. Melvin and sophomore Charlie Gravina (Fair Haven, N.J.) controlled four ground balls apiece for Bates.