A dominant start unraveled in the fourth quarter, leading to a heartbreaking home-opening loss for the No. 14 Stony Brook women’s lacrosse team.
The Seawolves (3-1) hosted the No. 11/13 Johns Hopkins Blue Jays (4-2) at Kenneth P. LaValle Stadium for their season home opener. Despite leading for 43 minutes, Stony Brook lost the match in regulation after the Blue Jays converted on late opportunities.
Holding a commanding 13-8 lead to start the fourth quarter, Stony Brook got contributions up and down the line-up through the first 45 minutes. Attacker Charlotte Wilmoth and midfielder Isabella Caporuscio were the biggest contributors to that point, with Wilmoth posting four goals and Caporuscio recording a hat trick.
Johns Hopkins began to chip away at that five-goal lead instantly. Just 24 seconds into the fourth, attacker Taylor Hoss found midfielder Lacey Downey open inside the fan for a quick strike. Midfielder Laurel Gonzalez won another draw control right after the goal, quickly sending her team back into the offensive end. The Blue Jays continued to mount the comeback, as Hoss controlled possession once again, setting up Downey open for her second goal, cutting the deficit to three within the first minute.
“It went from a five goal game to a three goal game instantly,” head coach Joe Spallina said in a postgame interview. “Big games are big games because both teams are good, you have to be able to respond to a hit with a hit.”
Once a ground ball was picked up off the ensuing draw by Downey, Johns Hopkins quickly got attacker Ava Angello the ball and she barreled down the fan for another goal. Angello’s tally marked the third goal within just a minute and four seconds of the fourth quarter, leading to a 13-11 scoreline.
The game slowed down after Angello’s goal, with both teams getting looks in the offensive third, but it was once again the Blue Jays who capitalized on an opportunity. After taking a foul, Angello lined up from the right side of the fan, and as the whistle blew, she ripped a low shot past goalkeeper Francesca Viteritti. With 5:49 left in regulation, Johns Hopkins now trailed 13-12.
A yellow card with 3:04 remaining gave the Blue Jays the final spark they needed to break the Seawolves. First it was attacker — and Johns Hopkins leading goal scorer — Ashley Mackin to tie the game with 2:04 left. They completed the comeback thereafter, as, with another draw control win by Gonzalez, the Blue Jays gave the ball to Angello one last time and she nailed the go-ahead goal into the top right corner.
“I am proud of our competition today,” Spallina said. “Obviously a heartbreaking loss at home. I thought we played a really good game. We don’t do moral victories at this program, I think that’s about as tough as a loss that I have had here.”
A lack of draw control wins and saves eluded the Seawolves through the game. Attacker Courtney Maclay got the majority of the opportunities against Gonzalez, with midfielders Gianna Forte and Braeden Siverson getting some looks as well. The one consistent factor in the draw circle was Gonzalez’s dominance, winning 13 reps and setting her team up to win an additional six.
“I think the draw is an important part of it,” Spallina said. “The possessions are important, it’s a way to stop runs. Lacrosse is a sport where if you’re not winning [draws] it’s really hard to change the flow of the game.”
In just her second start of the season, Viteritti struggled, allowing 14 goals on 17 shots for a season-low .176 save percentage. Additionally, Johns Hopkins beat Viteritti on four of four free-position shots.
“We need some saves,” Spallina said. “The goalie situation, we’re trying to work through that. You gotta get more than three saves to win a big game.”
The Seawolves will have to brush themselves off quickly as they hit the road to play the Rutgers Scarlet Knights. The Scarlet Knights are 3-2 following a 12-6 loss to No. 4 Yale on Saturday. Opening draw is set for 6 p.m. on Wednesday.
