SBU Sports: Men’s lacrosse tops Hofstra to clinch berth into CAA Tournament
The Stony Brook men’s lacrosse team defeated Hofstra, 11-10, on April 29 at James M. Shuart Stadium in Hempstead to secure the programs first-ever berth into the CAA Tournament.
Graduate midfielder Matt Anderson led the offensive effort for the Seawolves, tallying a career-high tying four goals. Graduate attacker Jonathan Huber and senior attacker Dylan Pallonetti each recorded a pair of goals while Will Button, Noah Armitage, and Robbie Smith all added a goal.
Stony Brook struck first within the first three minutes of the contest courtesy of Anderson who found the back of the cage off an assist from Button. However, the Pride did not stay silent for long as they responded with a goal of their own with 9:32 remaining in the first quarter. Pallonetti answered back for the squad, recording his 46th goal of the season with 5:33 left to play in the first quarter. Less than 10 seconds later, Hofstra’s Chase Patterson slid a shot past sophomore goalie Jamison MacLachlan to tie the contest at 2-2 before heading into the quarter break.
The Pride came out of the break hot, taking a 3-2 lead within the first minute of the second quarter. This time it was Huber who tied the game at 3-3 for the Seawolves off an assist from senior attacker Blake Behlen. Stony Brook and Hofstra would continue to exchange blows for the remainder of the quarter to, once again, enter the break tied, this time at 4-4.
Coming out of halftime, it was the Seawolves on top, 5-4, as Anderson converted an assist from Behlen within the first 20 seconds of the third quarter. The squad added five more goals to take control of a 10-5 lead, their largest margin of the contest.
The Pride fought back, adding six goals of their own. However, it would not be enough as Anderson sealed the victory for Stony Brook, registering the squad’s 11th goal of the night with 12:50 remaining in the contest to secure the 11-10 win and the program’s first-ever berth into the CAA Tournament.
Up next, the team head to Newark, Del. to compete in the CAA Tournament. The squad enters as the No. 3 seed and will play No. 2 seeded Drexel in the semifinals on May 4 at 8:30 p.m. The game will be broadcast live on LacrosseTV.
