May 4, 2004

Stony Brook, N.Y. - Stony Brook University goalie Brendan Callahan leads Division I lacrosse in fewest goals allowed and save percentage. He will be in goal when fourth-seeded Stony Brook (8-5) plays at top-seeded Binghamton (9-5) at 4 p.m. tomorrow in an America East Tournament semifinal. Armed with some dazzling statistics, the freshman no longer recoils from his inauspicious debut in the college game.

Stony Brook was playing Navy last October in a fall lacrosse tournament. The offseason game didn't count, but it left a significant bruise on Callahan's ego. Navy torpedoed the freshman goalie, scoring on its first six shots.

"I remember before the start of that game, I was so nervous," Callahan said. "They won the faceoff and came down and I was physically shaking. I was trying to get myself to stop and I couldn't.

"I think the fact that it was Navy made it a little bit more nerve-wracking. I grew up in the Baltimore-Annapolis area and I had been to many of their games over the years. I had seen them play Johns Hopkins, plus I played against some of the guys in high school and wanted to do well. It was big time, the real deal."

And it was a real downer. "He had a little look of shock," coach John Espey said. "It wasn't like playing against ninth- or 10th-graders anymore. Now you are playing against guys 22 years old. This is your first introduction. Welcome to The Show."

It wasn't an audition for the starting job in the spring, but Callahan knew he had plenty of work ahead. He wasn't in goal to start the season as Espey selected freshman Sam Stockdale. "Right there I knew I really had to kick it in gear or I'm going to be sitting on the bench all year," Callahan said.

Stony Brook lost its first two games and Espey decided to give Callahan a chance. Stony Brook lost to Cornell, 9-5, but Callahan showed promise.

"He's got an extreme competitive desire," Espey said of the 5-11, 200-pound Callahan. "He's physically tough. He's just tough as nails stopping the ball. There's no fear in him." Callahan had one of his best games in front of about 50 friends and family who watched him at UMBC, where he had a career-high 21 saves in Stony Brook's 6-5 comeback victory. It was something of a homecoming for Callahan, who lives in Hanover, Md.

"I knew five or six guys on the team," he said. "To go down there and have a good showing really felt good."

His goals-against average is 5.89 a game and his save percentage is .699. Both lead the nation.

Callahan undoubtedly has the starting job for the next three years. "It was a question of getting used to the shooters and the different looks other teams throw at you," he said. "The freshman jitters are pretty much gone.''