With both players starting since their freshman year, rooming with one another and hailing from British Columbia, the tandem of senior attackmen Brody Eastwood and midfielder Challen Rogers has grown side by side to produce two of the most storied careers in Stony Brook lacrosse history.
Rogers’ facilitation, which pegs him as the team-leader in assists, seamlessly complements the finishing ability of Eastwood, who led Division I lacrosse in shot percentage for three straight years.
And with a 16-11 win Sunday afternoon over conference foe Binghamton, the pair each cemented their names in men’s lacrosse record books.
Eastwood is now in sole possession of the program’s career goal record, while Rogers became just the fifth Seawolf to tally 200 career points in the program’s 37-year history.
After freshman long-stick midfielder Ryland Rees scored unassisted 15 seconds into the game, Eastwood responded to a 10-minute scoring drought with his 176th career goal off of a dish from senior midfielder Chris Hughes.
Eastwood, who entered the game tied with 2011 graduate Jordan McBride for 175 goals, capped off the afternoon with three goals and an assist.
The No. 8 Seawolves went on to score seven unanswered goals, establishing a commanding 7-0 lead with 11:46 left in the second quarter.
Each team then traded three goals, the last of which coming off of the stick of Rogers, good for his 200th career point that sent his team into the locker room ahead 10-3.
Rogers would lead all players with six points, finding the back of the net three times and feeding dishes another three.
The Bearcats owned the third quarter, posting three points and preventing the Seawolves from scoring, cutting their deficit to four.
But senior attackman Matt Schultz answered with three fourth quarter goals, leading way to an eventual 16-11 finish.
Schultz notched a career-high five goals, coupled by one assist, and now leads his team with 34 scores on the season.
The Seawolves dominated groundballs, a primary focus in practice, scooping 29 to Binghamton’s 17.
Senior goalkeeper Zach Oliveri stopped nine shots for the Seawolves in goal, as he played an important role in the team’s dominant first half.
With this win, Stony Brook clinched an America East playoff berth. The Albany Great Danes have eliminated the Seawolves in the past three playoffs, preventing them from reaching the NCAA Tournament.
But with two-time Tewaaraton winner Lyle Thompson having graduated, Stony Brook has its best chance in years to eclipse their America East playoff hump.
Stony Brook hosts Hartford on Saturday, April 30 for its final regular season game.
The Seawolves will be tested on faceoffs against the Hawks, who lead the nation in controlling the draw.
The America East playoffs begin Thursday, May 2.
