ST. MARY’S CITY, Md. — In a gritty Friday evening showdown, the St. Mary’s College of Maryland men’s lacrosse team faced a challenging setback, marking their first loss of the season against the Randolph-Macon College Yellow Jackets. The non-conference bout concluded with a 13-9 victory for the visitors, leaving the Seahawks with a 1-1 record for the year.
Despite an impressive performance from junior goalie Cullen McKay, who hailed from Urbana, Md., and notched a career-high 17 saves, St. Mary’s College couldn’t fend off the relentless attack of the undefeated Randolph-Macon team, now standing at 3-0.
The game commenced with promising momentum for the Seahawks as first-year defensive midfielder Will Hock, originating from Arlington, Va., sprinted coast-to-coast to score his first collegiate goal, securing an early lead. However, the Yellow Jackets quickly regrouped, ensuring the score was tied shortly after. The first quarter ended with St. Mary’s ahead, but Randolph-Macon dominated the second quarter, flipping the script and taking the lead.
A key moment arrived just 36 seconds into the third quarter when junior attackman Keegan Preis, from Upper Falls, Md., found the net to level the score once again. Yet, Randolph-Macon’s aggressive play, highlighted by Avery Tankersley’s standout performance, saw them pulling away significantly in the fourth quarter.
Statistically, the Yellow Jackets outperformed the Seahawks in several areas, notably in shots taken and ground balls recovered. Randolph-Macon’s face-off wins, led by Carson Mingo’s efforts, also played a crucial role in their victory.
For St. Mary’s College, Nate Hochrein, Keegan Preis, and Ryan Roth were the leading scorers, each contributing two goals to their team’s effort. Senior defenseman Brandon Dabkowski demonstrated resilience in face-offs and led his team in ground balls recovered.
This match extends Randolph-Macon’s winning streak against St. Mary’s College to two, although the Seahawks still lead the all-time series 17-11. Tankersley’s five goals and JT Harvey’s hat trick were instrumental in securing the victory for the Yellow Jackets.
Looking ahead, the Seahawks aim to bounce back with upcoming home games against Juniata on February 27 and Hampden-Sydney on March 2. These matches offer St. Mary’s College a chance to regain their footing and continue their pursuit of success in the 2024 season.
