The loss snaps a Stony Brook (11-4, 3-1 America East) six-game winning streak, and Boston University (9-5, 5-0 America East) clinches at least a share of the America East regular season title and the No. 1 seed in the America East Championship. BU will host the tournament May 3 & 5.
Juniors Janine Hillier (Farmingdale, N.Y.) and Claire Petersen (Wantagh, N.Y.) and freshman Michelle Rubino (East Setauket, N.Y.) each tallied hat tricks for the Seawolves. Petersen added two assists for a five-point day.
Boston University had seven different goal scorers, led by Hannah Frey's four. Danielle Etrasco added three goals and an assist.
"This loss wasn't just about today," head coach Joe Spallina said. "We started losing this game on Monday by having a poor week of practice leading up to today. We have work to do, and we will grow from this, get better and get another opportunity in the America East Tournament. Right now though, our focus turns to ourselves as we prep for Albany."
The Seawolves stormed out of the gate with four goals in the first 3:36 to rattle the Terriers. After SBU won the opening draw, Petersen scored 49 seconds into the game off a pass from Hillier. She scored again at 27:25 and then junior Demmianne Cook (Nesconset, N.Y.) and Hillier scored 30 seconds apart to make it 4-0.
The Seawolves explosion prompted BU to change goalies, substituting Christina Sheridan for Kim Elsworth. The Terriers responded by scoring the next three goals and then ending the half with seven of the last 11 goals. Frey scored three times in the half, and Etrasco's goal at 5:47 put BU on top 7-6.
However, Rubino responded with a pair of goals to give the Seawolves an 8-7 lead at halftime.
BU took control of the second half with five goals in the first 14 minutes, the last one by Etrasco at 16:02 that gave the Terriers a 12-9 lead.
But Stony Brook fought back on goals by Rubino, Hillier, Cook and Petersen as the Seawolves reclaimed the lead, 13-12, with 11:19 to play.
BU tied it at 9:06, and then Stony Brook scored again at 6:22 on a freshman Amber Kupres (Ronkonkoma, N.Y.) goal to make it 14-13. The Seawolves won the ensuing draw, but a turnover led to Kristen Mogavero's tying goal at 4:28. This time, BU won the draw, and Collins came through with the go-ahead goal to make it 15-14.
BU won the next draw, but Seawolves goalkeeper Frankie Caridi (East Northport, N.Y.) made a save on a Frey shot, and SBU had one last shot to tie. However, the Seawolves again turned the ball over (one of only seven in the game), and the Terriers ran out the clock.
BU outshot the Seawolves 30-27 and won the draw controls battle 18-12. Neither team turned the ball over much; SBU 7, BU 8.
Despite the loss, Stony Brook has clinched a spot in the America East Championship, and the team will make its first appearance in the tournament since 2007. The Seawolves will play at Albany next Saturday and a win will clinch the No. 2 seed in the tournament.
