Newsday - LaValle Stadium - The Stony Brook men's lacrosse team almost had a great day. Instead, the Seawolves had to settle for a great comeback in a 14-13 overtime loss Saturday to visiting Binghamton in an America East Conference game.
Trailing 13-4 with 5:40 left in the third quarter, Stony Brook scored nine straight goals, including the equalizer by Brody Eastwood with 57 seconds left in regulation, only to lose it in sudden death when Michael Antinozzi scored from about 13 yards out for the Bearcats (5-5, 1-1).
"It was a heck of a comeback by our guys," Stony Brook coach Jim Nagle said. It would have been certainly the best comeback I've ever been associated with."
Stony Brook (6-5, 1-1) was down 7-3 at the half and 13-6 after three quarters. Nagle blamed the defense, saying, "I thought that's where we really blew the game early. We were real loose and porous and gave up a lot of easy opportunities."
Binghamton's Matt Springer scored four of his six goals in the first half. "We were having trouble possessing the ball," said Eastwood, who tied Challen Rogers for a team high three goals.
"Coach said in the huddle we have nothing to lose really," Eastwood said. "Just go out there and play like we always do, just keep working at it. I think there's always enough time if you're executing right."
Stony Brook goalie Dan Shaughnessy, who did not record a save the first three quarters, made six in the final period. "Take that last half of the game and work off it." Eastwood said. "It's definitely a positive way to end out the game especially when you are down by so many."
With only three conference games left, Stony Brook's path to the tournament, which will be hosted by the Seawolves, is still well within reach, Nagle said. "I think two wins and you've got a good shot of getting in, three wins guarantees," he said. "Now we've got a real good UMBC team coming in [Saturday] and we've got our backs against the wall a little bit but I think we have a very good team."
