BURLINGTON, Vt. -- After digging itself in an early hole, the Stony Brook men's lacrosse team battled back to top Vermont, 10-9 on Saturday afternoon from Virtue Field.

The Catamounts scored the first five goals of the game and jumped out to an early 7-2 lead before the Seawolves staged a comeback. Stony Brook tied the game on a goal from junior M Tom Dugan (Commack, N.Y.) with just under five minutes to go, and then took their first lead of the game on a goal by freshman A Layton Harrell (Newtown, Conn.) with 3:24 to go to seal the win.

Quoting head coach Jim Nagle
"So proud of our team's resiliency today against an excellent Vermont team. The team never stopped believing in themselves or each other. It was a great team effort."

Highlights

• After Vermont scored five unanswered goals to open the game, junior M Connor Grippe (Setauket, N.Y.) scored late in the first period to get the Seawolves on the board.
• Both teams traded goals in the second quarter, with sophomore M Mike McCannell (Orangeville, Ontario) scoring for the Seawolves. Vermont held a 7-2 lead at the break.
• Junior A/M Chris Pickel Jr. (Bayport, N.Y.) and senior M Owen Daly (Lynbrook, N.Y.) scored the first two goals of the second half to trim the deficit to three. 
• After Vermont scored to end the Seawolves' run, junior M Harrison Matsuoka (Calgary, Alberta) answered to make it an 8-5 game after three.
• Harrell and freshman M David Estrella (North Babylon, N.Y.) scored within twelve seconds of each other to cut the Seawolves' deficit to one.
• The Catamounts answered with a goal of their own before Harrell fired a shot from deep for a goal. Sophomore A Jack Walsh (Miller Place, N.Y.) then found Dugan in front of the net who tied the game with 4:47 to go.
• With 3:24 remaining, junior Tom Haun (Ronkonkoma, N.Y.) found Harrell who scored the game-winner, his third goal of the day.
• Vermont had two chances to tie the game late in regulation, but sophomore D Danny Cassidy (Wading River, N.Y.) and senior LSM Ryland Rees (P. Coquitlam, British Columbia) both caused turnovers and the Seawolves were able to run out the clock and seal with win.

Notes

• Harrell's hat trick was his second of the season. He has scored at least once in seven of the team's last eight games.
• Grippe's first-quarter goal extended his streak of seven consecutive games with a goal.
• Rees picked up four ground balls for the third-straight game.
• Junior goalkeeper Michael Bollinger (Holbrook, N.Y.) made ten saves in the win. He allowed just three goals in the final three quarters of action.
• McCannell, Haun and Walsh dished out two assists each in the win.
• With the victory, the Seawolves clinch a spot in the America East Conference Tournament.

On Deck

• Stony Brook wraps up the regular season with a chance to secure the top seed in the America East Conference Tournament with a game on Friday, April 26 against Albany at 7 P.M. from LaValle Stadium.