Official Athletics Site of the St. Mary's College Seahawks

ST. MARY'S CITY, Md. – The St. Mary's College of Maryland men's lacrosse team collected their fifth consecutive United East Conference tournament championship title Saturday afternoon (May 2). No. 1 seed St. Mary's College (12-7) edged No. 2 seed Penn College (14-5), 16-14, behind a career-best seven goals from sophomore midfielder Gavin Phipps (Mayo, Md./South River), the 2026 United East Tournament MVP.
 

 
The Seahawks scored three unanswered goals in a three-minute span in the final 4:24 of the game to claim the 2026 championship crown. Phipps notched the game-tying goal at 4:24 while first-year attacker Brady Manankil (Hereford, Md./Hereford) netted the game-winning goal for a 15-14 lead with 2:29 remaining in the game. Sophomore attacker Owen Wynot (Kent Island, Md./Kent Island) then tacked on an insurance marker with 1:12 to go in the game.
 
Senior midfielder Nick Machiran (Ellicott City, Md./Mount Hebron) did his part to help secure the SMCM win by killing the final 72 seconds as Machiran ran around the Seahawk offensive end, stalling with the ball and dodging Penn College players.
 
Since joining the United East at the beginning of the 2021-22 athletic year, St. Mary's College has captured all five United East tournament championship crowns as well as four straight conference regular-season championship titles (2023-2026).
 
Phipps finished the United East Tournament with eight goals and one caused turnover as he added a goal in the 27-1 semifinal win over No. 4 seed Cairn University April 29.
 
How It Happened

• Wynot put SMCM on the scoreboard first, but Penn College scored the next three to stake a 3-1 lead with 8:40 remaining in the first quarter. Senior Gavin McKay (Urbana, Md./Urbana) fueled a 3-0 run for St. Mary's College with a goal and an assist, giving his team a 4-3 lead with 6:41 left in the first. After the Wildcats knotted the game at 4-all 18 seconds later, the Seahawks strung three more goals together, including two from Phipps, to lead 7-4 with 13:26 remaining in the first half.
• Aidan McFalls pulled Penn College within two with 7:01 to go in the half before two more Phipps goals and a man-up goal by senior captain Joshua Martel (Linthicum, Md./North County) handed SMCM a 10-5 advantage, its biggest lead of the game, 14:43 remaining in the third frame.
• The Wildcats put together a four-goal run to close the gap to 10-9 with 6:43 left in the third as McFalls scored twice. St. Mary's College rebuilt a three-goal lead before the visitors responded with two of their own to come within one once again with 11:17 remaining in the game.
• Three straight goals by Penn College gave them their first lead since 8:40 of the first quarter as the Wildcats took a 14-13 lead with 9:23 left in regulation.

 
Inside the Box Score

• The Seahawks outshot Penn College, 60-31, while taking a 54-33 advantage in ground balls as senior Matteo Ciccarello (Crofton, Md./Arundel) picked up 15 loose balls.
• Ciccarello was 20-of-29 in faceoffs as SMCM finished with a 21 to 12 edge in faceoff wins.

 
St. Mary's College Game Notes

• SMCM ends the 2026 campaign on a four-game win streak.
• McKay finished the game with five points on one goal and a career-best four assists while scooping up a career-high five ground ball and collecting a caused turnover.
• Sophomore midfielder Carson Giannelli (Perry Hall, Md./Curley) contributed a goal and three helpers plus two ground balls.
• Wynot, Manankil, and Martel all chipped in two goals.
• Junior defensive midfielder Will Hock (Arlington, Va./Yorktown) disrupted the Wildcat offense and transition with career-bests of eight ground balls and five caused turnovers.
• Sophomore Ty Spencer (Hanover, Md./Indian Creek) registered 10 saves and three ground balls in the win.

 
Penn College Game Notes

• McFalls nearly kept pace with Phipps, scoring five times to lead the Wildcats, while AJ Dotson added two goals and four assists.
• Ryan Twist turned away 18 Seahawk shots as Penn College saw its four-game win streak halted.

 
Up Next for the Seahawks

• Season Complete

 
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