ST. MARY'S CITY, Md. – The St. Mary's College of Maryland men's lacrosse team secured their third consecutive United East Conference Tournament Championship on Saturday, dominating Penn College with a commanding 23-4 victory. The top-seeded Seahawks not only lifted the trophy but also secured an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Men's Lacrosse Championship Tournament.
Senior captain Johnny McGrain led the way, earning the Tournament MVP award following a standout performance that included two goals, five assists, two ground balls, and a caused turnover. McGrain's leadership was evident as he played a pivotal role in the Seahawks' dominating run throughout the tournament.
Sophomore attackman Joshua Martel also made headlines by setting new milestones. Martel scored his 100th career goal and broke the single-season record for goals at St. Mary's, finishing the season with 60 goals to surpass the previous record of 58 set in 2001 by Steve Vallandingham.
The game was effectively decided by halftime as St. Mary's built a 20-2 lead, thanks to a relentless 16-0 run spanning the second and third quarters. Penn College briefly interrupted the Seahawks' dominance with a goal late in the third period, but St. Mary's continued their scoring in the final quarter to secure the win.
Statistically, the Seahawks outshot Penn College 59-15 and collected 41 ground balls to Penn College's 21. The Seahawks' defense was equally impressive, forcing 24 turnovers while committing a season-low eight turnovers themselves.
Additional standout performances included junior midfielder Nate Hochrein, who scored five goals and assisted on two others, and junior attackman Keegan Preis, who led the game with five assists. The defense was anchored by sophomore Matteo Ciccarello, who won 18-of-29 face-offs and collected a game-high 10 ground balls.
With this victory, St. Mary's College awaits the announcement of their NCAA tournament bracket, which will be revealed on Sunday evening at 9 pm on ncaa.com. As they prepare for the national stage, the Seahawks look to carry their impressive form into the NCAA tournament.
No comments:
Post a Comment