For Immediate Release · By Nairem Moran · nmoran@smcm.edu

Scranton, Pa. – The St. Mary's College of Maryland men's lacrosse team outscored Marywood University, 4-1, in the fourth quarter but ran out of time as Marywood held on for the 9-8 non-conference victory Saturday night.

St. Mary's 8, Marywood 9

How It Happened

• St. Mary's entered the fourth period down 8-4 but quickly cut the deficit to three as junior attacker Dan Long (Mechanicsville, Md./St. Mary's Ryken) found the back of the net with 14:07 left in the game off a pass from sophomore midfielder Ray LaPlaca (Owings, Md./Calverton).
• The Pacers regained a four-goal cushion at 9:50 behind first-year midfielder Eric Morin's (Waldwick, N.J./Waldwick) only score of the game.
• Sophomore midfielder Connor Benhoff (Baltimore, Md./Dulaney) came through for the Seahawks with a man-up goal off an assist from senior midfielder Luke Eshleman (Annapolis, Md./Broadneck) for a 9-6 score at 8:56.
• LaPlaca tallied one of his own at 4:59 to close the gap to two. Then sophomore attackman Max Groen (New Haven, Conn./Choate Rosemary Hall) notched his second of the night off a feed from senior captain Mike Becraft (Rockville, Md./Good Counsel) to pull St. Mary's within 9-8 at 3:31.
• The Seahawks won the ensuing face-off but then turned the ball over. After a save by senior captain Max Alderman (Lutherville, Md./Calvert Hall), LaPlaca fired off a shot with 57 seconds on the clock but was denied by sophomore Vinny Biancardi (Commack, N.Y./St. Anthony's).
• Another Marywood turnover gave St. Mary's two more shot opportunities in the last three seconds – one which was blocked and another which went wide at the buzzer.
• The Pacers claimed a 2-1 advantage after the first quarter and then used a 5-2 run in the second to stake a 7-3 halftime lead. Each side scored once in the third.

For St. Mary's (0-3)

• Groen led the Seahawks with career-bests of two goals and three points while Long finished the night with two goals.
• Sophomore midfielder Michael Bucci (Davidsonville, Md./Severn) controlled the X for St. Mary's, winning 11-of-17 face-offs with a game- and team-best six ground balls.
• Senior midfielder Colin Tiffey (Columbia, Md./Wilde Lake) also grabbed a career- and team-best six ground balls plus causing a career-high three turnovers.
• Senior defenseman Jack Elliott (Lafayette, Calif./La Salle) contributed on defense with career-bests of four caused turnovers and three ground balls.
• Alderman came up with seven saves and three loose ball pickups.
• As a team, the Seahawks outshot Marywood, 42-33, and won the ground ball battle, 37-33, while posting 12-of-21 face-off victories.

For Marywood (2-1)

• Scorers (G-A): Matt Casto (3-1), Zach Beja (2-2), Rob Maini (1-0), Eric Morin (1-0), Brant Junge (1-0), Sean Higgins (1-0)
• Goalie: Biancardi (20 saves, 8 GA, 60:00)

Up Next for the Seahawks

• St. Mary's will finally play at Seahawk Stadium as the Seahawks host Washington College (2-0) in their home-opener on Wednesday, March 1. First face-off at 3:00 p.m.

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