Check the America East Men’s Lacrosse standings and you’re sure to see a sharp divide.
At the top sits nationally ranked #8 UMBC, a team that came into LaValle Stadium earlier this season and beat the Seawolves. #18 Albany, who the Seawolves host on April 25, also sits in the top echelon.
The Seawolves are in the midst of a three game stretch in which they play the three teams at the bottom – 4-8 Vermont, 1-10 Hartford, and 2-10 Binghamton.
Stony Brook will host Binghamton this weekend after going on the road to beat Vermont and Hartford. To be considered in the top group with UMBC and Albany, the Seawolves need to finish off this stretch with another victory.
Although it wasn’t pretty, the Seawolves took care of business the last two weekends.
On April 4, the Seawovles traveled to Burlington to take on the Catamounts. Stony Brook jumped out to a 5-1 lead and held a lead of 9-4 late in the third quarter before holding on for a 10-8 victory.
Charlie Parr was in goal for the Seawolves, and was forced to make 18 saves. Vermont out shot Stony Brook by a 44-23 margin for the game, including 26-12 in the second half.
It was once again British Columbian sophomores Kevin Crowley and Jordan McBride who led the Seawolves attack, scoring two goals apiece. Timmy Trenkle, Tom Compitello, and Robbie Campbell also contributed with a goal and an assist each.
Parr only need to make one save, and the Seawolves blocked two other Vermont shots in the last 3:26 of the game. The Catamounts Liam Thomas had struck quickly to bring the score to 10-8 at the 3:26 mark, but the Seawolves found a way to hang on.
On April 11 they traveled to West Hartford to take on the winless Hawks.
Stony Brook again jumped out to a quick lead, going up 4-0 with 12:38 left in the first quarter. Crowley scored two of the goals and assisted on a McBride goal, while McBride assisted on both of Crowley’s markers.
But Hartford went on a 4-0 run itself, eventually tying the game in the middle of the second quarter. The first 30 minutes ended with the score tied at five.
Hartford tallied the first goal in the second half. It was at that time the Seawolves stepped up and answered back. An assortment of Stony Brook players combined to score eight of the games next 10 goals, and by early in the fourth quarter the Seawolves led 13-8.
Freshman attack Kyle Belton added two insurance goals before Hartford scored two goals at the end of the game to push the final score to 15-11.
In this game the Seawolves held the shot advantage by a 39-26 margin, and sophomore Adam Rand was dominant in the face off circle, winning 25 of 28 face offs.
It may be tough for the Seawolves to not look past Binghamton this Saturday night, as they travel to Hempstead on Tuesday night to take on #6 Hofstra, and return on April 25 to host Albany in the last game of the regular season.
