TOWSON, Md. - In a game where defense reigned supreme, the Stony Brook men's lacrosse team's comeback attempt came up just short in a 9-8 loss to Towson. A pair of Seawolf goals in the final two minutes cut the Tiger lead to one, but Towson held strong as a clutch save with five seconds remaining secured the win.
Dylan Pallonetti spearheaded the Stony Brook attack, racking up a team-high five goals.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Both teams struggled to create offense early, as the Tigers held on to an early 1-0 lead at the end of the first quarter. Towson extended its advantage to three with two quick goals to open the second. Stony Brook responded with two straight goals from Pallonetti to cut the Tiger lead to one.
The one-goal deficit was short lived as Towson scored its fifth goal of the day just five seconds later. Each side then traded a goal apiece to close out the second as Stony Brook trailed 5-3 at halftime.
After Towson opened the scoring in the third, Pallonetti again answered with a pair of Seawolf goals to cut the Tiger lead to one. In the final two minutes, Towson tacked on the final goal of the third to take a two-goal advantage into the fourth.
The Tigers pushed their lead to 9-6 following a goal at the 2:49 mark of the fourth period. The three-goal cushion was short lived as Stony Brook tallied two quick goals in 31 seconds to make it a one-goal game with 41 seconds remaining. Following a Towson penalty with 16 seconds left, Pallonetti's game-tying shot was denied with five seconds as the Tigers held on for the win.
STATS AND NOTES
- The all-time series between Stony Brook and Towson now sits at 3-2 in favor of the Tigers. Saturday marked the fourth consecutive meeting that was decided by one goal.
- Pallonetti's five goals marked his seventh game with three or more goals this season.
- Dupuis led the Seawolves with three assists. He has now recorded at least three assists in eight out of ten games this season.
- Wilk recorded 15 saves in three quarters of action, marking his third start this season with 15 or more saves.
QUOTES FROM THE SEAWOLVES
"Frustrating game. Proud of the fight but too many mental mistakes throughout the game put us behind and we just ran out of time," head coach Anthony Gilardi said. "We have to play smarter lacrosse and play with the same urgency we did at the end if we want to earn CAA wins."
UP NEXT
Stony Brook returns home to LaValle Stadium for another CAA matchup, facing off against Drexel on Saturday, April 6 at 3:30 p.m. The contest will stream on FloLive.
For an inside look at the Seawolves men's lacrosse program, be sure to follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
