WILLIMANTIC, Conn. --  First-team All-America junior Eric Anderson (Scituate, MA) had a goal and assist as 20th-ranked Babson College gained its first win over Eastern Connecticut State University in three years with a 2-1 victory Sunday afternoon at Thomas Nevers Field.

Now unbeaten (11-0-2) in its last 13 matches, Babson (11-2-2) scored in the final minutes of the first half and made it 2-0 35 seconds into the second to gain its first win in the series' last four matches. Babson entered the game ranked third in New England and Eastern sixth in New England.

Trailing 2-0, Eastern got one back with 15 minutes left as senior Matt Esposito (East Haven) converted a penalty kick which was awarded when the Beavers were whistled for a hand ball in the box in knocking down an Eastern shot in a crowd.

Anderson, last year's New England Women's and Men's Conference Player-of-the-Year, gave Babson a 1-0 lead when he knocked in junior Salomon Guindi's (Mexico City, Mexico) corner kick with a header for his team-leading ninth goal of the season with 2:13 left in the first half. Anderson then took a pass from junior Ayo Iwuagwu (Lagos, Nigeria) and set up senior Ryan Obolewicz's (Bow, NH) second goal of the season with a short pass in the box that Obolewicz sent past Eastern senior keeper Carl Appel (West Windsor, NJ) from close range.

Eastern nearly forced overtime in the final seconds when sophomore Tom Vear (Monson, MA) collected the ball in the box but tipped the ball past the left post as the final horn sounded.

Babson senior Max Walker (Newton, MA), who controlled the tempo throughout the match, nearly scored in the first half when his sizzling 30-yard line drive caught Appel flatfooted but banked off the right post and was cleared by Eastern senior Aaron Smiles (Bedford, MA)

Six-foot four inch senior keeper Peter Crowley (Lexington, MA) was credited with three saves and was aggressive in net throughout the match, punching out corner kicks and hustling off his line to beat Eastern players to the ball. Appel also made three saves.

NOTE: Taken from an Eastern Connecticut State University press release.