NEWARK, Del. – The new kids on the block in the CAA made their names known on Thursday night as the Seawolves knocked off the No. 2 seeded Drexel Dragons, 13-10, to secure their first-ever appearance in the CAA Championship game.
Stony Brook used an offensive attack that featured seven different goal scorers, a five-goal game from graduate attackman
Jonathan Huber, and a prolific 10-0 scoring run between the first and second quarters. On defense, the Seawolves received a standout performance from sophomore goalie
Jamison MacLachlan who made 15 saves, standing on his head time and time again.
After falling behind 2-0 early in the first quarter, Stony Brook stormed back to outscore Drexel, 6-2, in the opening frame. Huber scored two of the six goals as he fueled the Seawolves' first half offensive eruption. The Seawolves carried over that momentum into the second half as their scoring run extended to 10 in a row with 3:49 to play in the second quarter.
With 8:08 to play in the second, senior attackman
Will Button found junior midfielder
Noah Armitage, who dished it right back to Button as he slashed to the net. Button rattled the cage and put the Seawolves' up 9-2 with the highlight reel goal. Huber added another score in the second quarter to secure his sixth hat trick of the season.
Stony Brook carried over its first half momentum into the third quarter as it scored the first three goals right out of the gate to go ahead, 13-4, with 9:45 to play in the third quarter. Huber scored two of the three goals in the third quarter and in doing so he tied his season-high with five goals.
Drexel put forth a valiant come-from-behind effort as it scored six consecutive goals to close out the game. Despite the comeback by the Dragons, the Seawolves still managed to pick up the 13-10 victory and clinched its first-ever appearance in the CAA Championship final.
STATS AND NOTES
- Stony Brook earned its first win in a conference tournament since it defeated Vermont, 16-13, in the 2015 America East semifinals. With the win over Drexel, the Seawolves secured their first Championship game appearance since it took on Albany in the 2015 America East Championship final.
- Huber scored a season-high tying five goals. He recorded both of his five-goal games this season against Drexel. It was his 11th multi-goal game of the season and his fifth consecutive.
- Button recorded a career-high four points with two goals and two assists. It was his fifth multi-goal game of the season, and he has scored goals in each of his last eight games.
- MacLachlan continues to be a force in the cage for the Seawolves as he made 15 stops. It was the fifth time this season that he made 15 or more saves in a game and he has done so in three out of his last four games.
- Senior attackman Blake Behlen totaled three points as he scored two goals and dished out an assist. It was his 13th multi-point game of the season and fifth multi-goal game.
- Armitage registered a multi-point game with a goal and two assists. It was his 12th multi-point game of the season and sixth-multi assist game.
- Senior long stick midfielder Christian Lowd and graduate midfielder David Miele-Estrella each picked up four ground balls apiece. Lowd also caused two turnovers in the win.
- Junior defender Sean Conk caused a team-best three turnovers.
QUOTES FROM THE SEAWOLVES
"We have a talented group, and we had a really good week of practice, coach Chanenchuk did a great job with the offense getting them locked in. Coach Brazel did a great job with the defense – this was a super talented offensive team (Drexel). We challenged our guys to come out hot. We knew that it's an emotional game on relatively short rest and we knew that we had to come out hot," said head coach
Anthony Gilardi as he discussed the team's overall play in the CAA semifinal win over Drexel.
"We are excited, we came here to take care of business and we are proud of the guys. Our expectation was to be in the CAA Tournament. We don't shy away from that, we talk about it all the time, the guys know it. We are proud of what they accomplished during the regular season, which gave us a chance to compete in the CAA Tournament. Once you get to this point of the season, anything is possible and all we wanted was a chance to play hard and we'll see where we stand," said coach Gilardi as he commented on the team's first season in the CAA.
NEXT UP
Stony Brook will go head-to-head with the No. 1 overall seeded Delaware Blue Hens on Saturday, May 6, in the 2023 CAA Championship game at 3:30 p.m. It marks the second time this season that Stony Brook and Delaware will meet.
For an inside look at the Seawolves men's lacrosse program, be sure to follow them on
Facebook,
Twitter, and
Instagram.
