Keegan Preis cemented his name in St. Mary’s College of Maryland lacrosse history on Saturday, becoming the program’s all-time assists leader. However, the milestone came in a heartbreaking fashion as the Seahawks fell to Hampden-Sydney College in a dramatic 10-9 loss on the road.
Preis, a senior attackman, entered the game tied for the school record with 136 career assists, matching the mark set by Jude Brown in 2022. In the fourth quarter, Preis delivered the historic pass, securing his place at the top of the record books. He finished the game with two assists, bringing his career total to 138.
The game itself was a back-and-forth battle that featured five lead changes and a dramatic final minute. St. Mary’s appeared to be in control after a 4-1 scoring run gave the Seahawks a 9-7 lead with just under eight minutes remaining. Senior attackman Aiden Doyle played a key role in the surge, scoring three goals in the stretch, including a crucial man-up goal that extended the lead.
Hampden-Sydney refused to go away, cutting the deficit to one with just over two minutes to play. With 39 seconds left, Broder Conley delivered the equalizer, setting the stage for a stunning finish. As time wound down, Conley struck again, netting the game-winner with just two seconds remaining, sealing a dramatic comeback for the Tigers.
The game opened with Hampden-Sydney jumping out to a 3-0 lead, but St. Mary’s responded quickly, with Preis scoring three first-quarter goals as part of a 4-0 run to put the Seahawks ahead. The teams traded goals throughout the second and third quarters before St. Mary’s went on its late-game run. Despite a strong defensive effort, the Seahawks couldn’t hold on in the final moments.
Statistically, the game was evenly matched. St. Mary’s held a slight edge in shots (38-37) and forced more turnovers, while Hampden-Sydney held a narrow advantage in ground balls and faceoffs.
Preis and Doyle both recorded hat tricks to lead the Seahawks’ offense, while sophomore Declan Horton added two goals. Senior captain Nate Hochrein contributed a goal and two assists, while junior defenseman Joe Szymanski had a career-best performance with nine ground balls and four caused turnovers.
At the faceoff X, junior Matteo Ciccarello won 10 of 21 battles while scooping up three ground balls. Senior goalkeeper Cullen McKay put together another strong performance in net, making 13 saves for his third consecutive double-digit save effort.
For Hampden-Sydney, Conley’s three-goal outing proved to be the difference, while Davis Mack added two goals and an assist. Goaltender Will Palmer secured the win with nine saves.
The loss drops St. Mary’s to 2-2 on the season, snapping a two-game win streak. The Seahawks will look to bounce back on March 5 when they travel to face Catholic University under the lights at Carlini Field. They return home on March 8 to take on Elizabethtown at JLR Stadium.
