WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. ?Stony Brook used a 7-0 scoring run to end the first half en route to a 18-9 victory over the Monmouth University lacrosse team on Sunday afternoon at Kessler Field. MU drops to 4-2 with the loss and the Seawolves of the America East improve to 4-2 on the season.
The Hawks were outshot 49-26 in the contest, including 27-9 in the first half. Stony Brook also held 20-9 advantage on draw controls, including a 12-6 lead in the first 30 minutes.
Monmouth's Megan Brennan (King of Prussia, Pa./Archbishop Carrol) got the afternoon's scoring started with an unassisted tally half a minute into the contest. Stony Brook responded with a tally of their own as Diana Caroleo scored off an assist from Amy Hallion twenty seconds later to knot the contest at 1-1 with 29:13 showing in the first half.
Hallion then scored to put the Seawolves up 2-1 with 25:17 showing in the first half after an assist from Kaitlin Leggio, but MU's Megan Nutter (Moorestown, N.J./Moorestown) tallied the equalizer off a free position opportunity less than a minute later. The Stony Brook duo of Hallion and Leggio combined again for a tally to put the visitor's back on top 3-2.
Monmouth goalie Monica Johnson (Radnor, Pa./Arhcbishop Carroll) made seven critical saves to keep the Seawolves at bay during the middle part of the first half, keeping the score 3-2.
Stony Brook added to their lead when freshman Melissa Cook scored on a free position chance to give the visitors a 4-2 lead with less than 12 minutes left in the first half. The Seawolves third unanswered goal came courtesy of Cook, who shot low on a wrap around to make the score 5-2 with 8:12 left in the first half. Hallion added another tally to push the SBU lead to 6-2, and Leggio and freshman Victoria Cable scored back-to-back free positions to add to the visitor's cushion.
Monmouth snapped a 7-0 Stony Brook scoring run when Nutter fed Brennan from behind the cage to cut the lead to 9-3, but SBU's Cook answered less than a minute later after another Monmouth turnover to keep their advantage at seven.
After a Stony Brook tally, Monmouth's Ashley Waldman (Oceanport, N.J./Shore Regional) added a free position goal to trim the lead to 11-4. The Hawks got on the board again when Nutter slashed to the net and Ali Pollock (Watervliet, N.Y./Shaker) found her for the goal with 22:23 left in the game. The Hawks push their run to 3-0 after Brennan scored a wrap around goal to cut the lead to 11-6 with 19:44 left. The Seawolves responded with a pair of goals to run their lead to seven.
Stony Brook added five goals to make their advantage 16-6 with 10:14 left in the contest. Waldman stopped Stony Brook's 5-0 scoring run with an unassisted tally with 7:42 left in the game to cut the lead back into single digits. Carissa Franzi (Fairfield, N.J./West Essex) got into the scoring act with a goal off an assist from Nutter to cut the lead to 16-8 with less than four minutes left.
Nutter, who also had two assists, and Brennan each led MU with three goals, while Waldman added a pair of scores. Leggio scored five goals for SBU, while Hallion and Cook each scored four.
Johnson logged a career-high 22 saves in the contest for Monmouth. Franzi added four ground balls and three draw controls for the Hawks as well.
Monmouth returns to action on Thursday, March 20 when they visit Sacred Heart for their Northeast Conference season opener. Game time is set for 4:00 p.m.
