All started off well for the Stony Brook men’s lacrosse team, who picked up an early 1-0 lead against Brown University on Saturday afternoon at Kenneth P. LaValle Stadium.
However, things drastically changed as the team eventually was defeated by the Bears 18-11.
Freshman attacker Jack Walsh got things started for the Seawolves just 3:40 into play, breaking the scoreless tie and putting his team up early. Following Walsh’s goal, Stony Brook did not lead for the remainder of the matchup.
The Bears followed the Seawolves goal with two of their own in the span of 37 seconds. This was the beginning of a dominant display by the Brown offense. The Bears notched a total of six straight unanswered goals in just 6:56 through the first quarter. The Seawolves entered the second period of play down 7-3 as Walsh and freshman midfielder Patrick Kaschalk were able to sneak two past Brown before time expired on the first.
Brown’s swift offensive tempo didn’t let up, as the team scored four straight and outscored Stony Brook 4-1 in the second period. Stony Brook’s defense failed to control the tempo for a large portion of the first half, allowing a total of 25 shots.
Ground balls were a critical issue for the Seawolves, as the Bears outmuscled the team and held them to just five ground balls in both first half quarters. Brown entered the second half with 23 ground balls and finished the game with 33.
The team only saved five shots between two goalies in the first half, as freshman goalkeeper Ryan Erler was pulled after the first period for sophomore goalkeeper Michael Bollinger. Senior goalkeeper Brandon Maciejewski would join in on the action in the later portion of the fourth period. Bollinger conceded 10 goals in the matchup, while Erler let up seven. The Seawolves would go on to account for a total of eight saves in the game.
The Seawolves began to show some life late in the second half, as the team put up the game’s final four goals in the last 4:07 of regulation, closing a former 18-7 deficit.
The most goals the Seawolves have conceded entering the fourth period in the past two years is 16 against Rutgers on March 10, 2017, yet against Brown, Stony Brook conceded 15. The team is now 0-9 when entering the fourth quarter when conceding more than seven goals since March 10 of last season.
There were a total of two Bears players who finished the matchup with four or more goals. Junior midfielder Carson Song and sophomore attacker Luke McCaleb both led the Brown offensive charge throughout the matchup. Song totaled for seven points, with five goals and two assists, while McCaleb finished with five points, scoring four goals and recording an assist.
Both teams had entered the matchup splitting their last two meetings, with Brown coming up as the victors in 2016, and Stony Brook in 2017. Despite the loss, head coach Jim Nagle still had high hopes for the impact this matchup will have on his team.
“I thought this game was a learning experience for our young team,” Nagle said in a press release. “We did not respond well to Brown’s energy and tempo of play. I know I’ve challenged this young team this season, but I think we will come out of this a better team.”
The Seawolves start off the season at 0-3 following starting their previous season with three straight wins. This is the first time Stony Brook has started a season off 0-3 since 2012, when the team finished with a 7-10 overall record and 4-1 in conference play.
Stony Brook looks to get back on the winning track against the Hofstra Pride at home once again on Tuesday, Feb. 27 at 7 p.m.
