ST. MARY'S CITY, Md. – The St. Mary's College of Maryland men's lacrosse team closed out the fourth quarter on a 7-0 run to turn around a three-goal deficit and provide the home crowd with an exciting finish Saturday night (Mar. 23). St. Mary's College (6-2) notched a 19-15 non-conference comeback win over Messiah University (6-3) for its third consecutive win and longest win streak of the season.
 
How It Happened

• Senior captain Johnny McGrain (Lutherville-Timonium, Md./Dulaney) put the Seahawks on the board just 49 seconds into game, finishing off a pass from junior attackman Keegan Preis (Upper Falls, Md./Loyola Blakefield). Messiah then rattled off three straight to claim a 3-1 lead at 7:48. SMCM answered by scoring three of the next four to even the game at 4-all at 1:47. Each team then scored once in the final 44 seconds to head into the second frame in a 5-5 draw.

 

• The Falcons won the second quarter, 4-2, as Chad Teresky and Bobby Berg each scored twice and sent the visitors into halftime with a 9-7 lead. Junior attackman Aiden Doyle (Arnold, Md./Broadneck) and McGrain both found the back of the net for St. Mary's College in the second period.

 

• Messiah opened the second half with a 4-1 run to boast its biggest lead of the game – 13-8 – with 9:40 remaining in the third. The Seahawks pulled within one at 2:53, responding with four unanswered goals in less than six minutes to make it 13-12 as Preis led the charge with a goal and an assist. Mike McKnelly stopped the bleeding for the Falcons with his second of the night at 1:46 to give his squad a two-goal lead going into the fourth.

 

• After Berg and McKnelly connected for the first goal of the final period, SMCM got in the driver's seat and ran away with the game. The Seahawks ripped seven straight over the final 9:50 of the game to gain their first lead since 14:11 of the first quarter and lock up the win. McGrain put up two goals and an assist while sophomore attackman Joshua Martel (Linthicum, Md./North County) scored twice in the game-winning run.

Inside the Box Score

• St. Mary's College outshoot the Falcons, 47-39, including posting an 18-3 margin in the fourth quarter.

• The Seahawks also garnered a 39-23 edge in ground balls as sophomore Matteo Ciccarello (Crofton, Md./Arundel) scooped up a game- and season-best 12 loose balls in winning a career-high 25 face-offs.

 
St. Mary's College Game Notes

• Preis finished the game with season-bests of six assists and eight points while matching his career-high of two goals. He also added three ground balls and a caused turnover.
• Martel collected season-highs of two helpers and six points while finding the back of the net four times.
• McGrain and Doyle both contributed four goals and a dime each. It was a career performance for McGrain with his career-bests of four goals and five points while the four goals and five points were season highs for Doyle.
• Senior defenseman Brandon Dabkowski (Cockeysville, Md./Dulaney) paced the Seahawk defense with career-bests of four ground balls and three caused turnovers plus dishing out his first career assist.
• First-year Ty Grove (Finksburg, Md./Saint John's Catholic Prep) made six saves and picked up two ground balls.

 
Messiah Game Notes

• Teresky and Berg finished with six goals each while Teresky added two assists as well.
• A trio of Falcon goalies combined for 10 saves as Messiah saw its four-game win streak halted.

Up Next for the Seahawks

• Mar. 27 at Rosemont (1-5, 0-0 UEC) – Rosemont, Pa. (Ravens Athletic Complex) – 4 pm

 
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