SPRINGFIELD, Mass. -- Springfield College senior forward Tony Distasio came off the bench and recorded a hat trick tonight as the host Pride defeated visiting Brandeis University in a shootout, 4-3.

Springfield (7-7-1) got on the board in the 24th minute on an unassisted goal by Distasio, his eighth of the season. Brandeis (6-7-2) answered with an equalizer six minutes later as junior Alex Mithoefer (Chappaqua, N.Y.) tied for the team lead in scoring with his fourth goal of the season. Senior Evan Duval (Wilbraham, Mass.) contributed his fifth assist of the campaign.

SC need just five minutes and 10 seconds after the equalizer to go back on top as Distasio completed the hat trick with goals exactly two minutes apart at 32:51 and 35:51. Brandeis cut into the lead in the 69th minute on a tally by junior Adam Guttman (Brewster, Mass.), his first of the season, on a feed from sophomore Corey Bradley (Holyoke, Mass.), but the Pride needed just 37 seconds to push the lead back to two on a tally by junior forward Brett Drake. Duval netted an unassisted goal for Brandeis in the 78th minute, but the Judges could not complete the comeback.

Brandeis sophomore netminder Taylor Bracken (No. Andover, Mass.) made four saves in the losing effort. Springfield senior keeper BJ Sturdivant made seven stops and had an assist on Distasio's second goal.