ELIZABETHTOWN, Pa. – The St. Mary’s College of Maryland men’s lacrosse team faced a challenging setback on Saturday afternoon, as their two-game win streak was halted in a 17-10 defeat against Elizabethtown College. The non-conference road loss at Elizabethtown saw the Seahawks’ season record shift to 3-2, while the Blue Jays recorded their first win, moving to 1-3.
The game commenced with promise for St. Mary’s College as junior midfielder Nate Hochrein from Towson, Maryland, secured the first goal of the match, thanks to an assist from senior captain Johnny McGrain. However, Elizabethtown College quickly took control, responding with a series of four goals to establish an early lead. Despite efforts by junior attackman Aiden Doyle to counteract with an unassisted man-up goal, the Blue Jays dominated the second quarter, leaving the Seahawks trailing by a significant margin at halftime.
Elizabethtown College’s effective gameplay continued into the third quarter, extending their lead before St. Mary’s College could mount a response. Notably, defensemen Brandon Dabkowski and Jeremy Heath ended a nearly 24-minute scoring drought for the Seahawks, contributing to a brief rally that narrowed the Blue Jays’ lead. Nevertheless, Elizabethtown regained momentum, entering the final quarter with a commanding lead.
In a last attempt to overturn the match, St. Mary’s College demonstrated resilience with four consecutive goals in the fourth quarter, cutting the deficit to five. Despite this late surge and winning two of the following three face-offs, the Seahawks were unable to complete the comeback, ultimately conceding the match to Elizabethtown College.
Statistically, St. Mary’s College slightly outperformed Elizabethtown in shots and maintained a lower turnover rate. However, the Blue Jays’ dominance in face-off wins and a successful man-up offense contributed significantly to their victory.
Key performances from the Seahawks included Aiden Doyle’s third hat trick in recent games and Jeremy Heath’s notable defensive efforts, achieving a season-high in ground balls and a career-best in caused turnovers. Goalkeeper Ben Robertson also contributed with seven saves. For Elizabethtown, Tristan Coleman’s five-point game, including two goals and three assists, and Brayden Franey’s 12 saves were instrumental in their win.
Looking ahead, St. Mary’s College aims to bounce back in their upcoming game against Bridgewater (Va.) on March 16. The match, set to take place at the Jopson Athletic Complex in Bridgewater, Virginia, represents an opportunity for the Seahawks to regain their momentum in the season.
