April 21, 2009

Box Score

Hempstead, N.Y. - Stony Brook got off to a fast start against ninth-ranked Hofstra, riding a six-goal second quarter to an 8-4 halftime lead, but the Pride had a big quarter of their own, scoring six times in the fourth quarter to escape the upset bid by the Seawolves, 12-11. Sophomore Jordan McBride (New Westminster, B.C.) scored four goals for Stony Brook, which saw its three-game win streak come to an end.

"I think we proved we can play with some of the better teams in the country," said Stony Brook head coach Rick Sowell. "Unfortunately when you play a team of Hofstra's caliber and you make mistakes, they will capitalize on it. That is what happened to us tonight and it cost us the game."

It took nearly six minutes before a goal was scored in the contest. It was Hofstra (10-2) that drew first blood, taking advantage of a Stony Brook (7-5) turnover and getting a transition goal from Kevin Ford. The Seawolves had an answer for their first score of the game a minute later when freshman Robbie Campbell (Delta, B.C.) charged in from the left of the goal and put one in the net to tie the game. With four minutes left in the quarter sophomore Kevin Crowley (New Westminster, B.C.) took a feed from sophomore Timmy Trenkle (Commack, N.Y.) and rifled one home to put SBU on top for the first time in the game.

Stony Brook then erupted for three goals in the first 1:23 of the second quarter, stunning the Pride. Off of the quarter's opening face-off, Crowley raced in and put away his second straight goal to make it 3-1. A minute later SBU goalie, junior Charlie Paar (Huntington, N.Y.), cleared a ball the length of the field to junior Steven Waldeck (Levittown, N.Y.) who blistered a shot past the Hofstra goalie with his long pole. The Seawolves completed a 5-0 run just seven seconds later when sophomore Adam Rand (Niantic, Conn.) won the face-off, took it in on goal and fed it to McBride who easily scored his 33rd of the year to make it 5-1 and force a Hofstra timeout.

Hofstra broke the string with a goal from Jay Card, but Stony Brook answered it just 10 seconds later on a shot from freshman Kyle Belton (Langley, B.C.) from directly in front. The two teams played evenly the rest of the half, getting two goals each that made it 8-4 in favor of the Seawolves at the half.

Belton notched his second of the game 2:20 into the second half to increase the SBU advantage to five goals, but Hofstra answered a minute later on a Ford score. The two teams then battled evenly until the final three minutes of the quarter when Paar was injured on a play in the goal mouth, forcing him out of the game. A penalty was called on SBU on the play and the Pride converted on a shot from Stephen Bentz, cutting the SBU advantage to 9-6 entering the final quarter.

Hofstra scored twice in the first six minutes of the fourth to cut the Stony Brook lead down to a one, but McBride pushed the lead back to a pair of goals with 8:40 remaining, scoring his third of the game off a pass from sophomore Robbie Campbell (Delta, B.C.). Hofstra came back, however, scoring three straight, two by Ford, to retake the lead at 11-10. Stony Brook answered off the ensuing face-off, with McBride putting away his fourth to tie the game just 13 seconds after Hofstra had taken the lead. Hofstra came right back, however, scoring what proved to be the game-winner with just 1:38 left on Tom Dooley's third goal of the night.

In addition to McBride's four goals, Crowley and Belton finished with two each to lead Stony Brook, with Campbell and Tom Compitello (Hauppauge, N.Y.) adding two assists. Ford led all players with five goals for Hofstra.

Stony Brook will close out the regular season this Saturday, April 25 when it entertains Albany in LaValle Stadium at 7:00 p.m.