ST. MARY’S CITY, Md. — The St. Mary’s College of Maryland men’s lacrosse team battled hard but fell 15-7 to No. 2-ranked Salisbury University on Tuesday night, April 15, despite a career-high 20 saves from sophomore goalkeeper Ty Grove. The Seahawks (7-6) faced their second consecutive nationally ranked opponent, while the undefeated Sea Gulls (15-0) maintained their perfect record in a United East Conference matchup at Jamie L. Roberts Stadium. matchup in Salisbury, MD.
Salisbury took control early, building a 2-0 lead before sophomore Declan Horton scored for St. Mary’s, converting a pass from senior captain Nate Hochrein with 8:20 remaining in the first period. The Sea Gulls responded with five unanswered goals to close the quarter, leading 7-1. St. Mary’s found some momentum in the second period, outscoring Salisbury 2-1 with unassisted goals from Hochrein and junior midfielder Nick Machiran, narrowing the gap to 8-3 at halftime.
The third quarter saw Salisbury extend their lead, scoring twice before senior attackman Aiden Doyle and Horton answered with goals for the Seahawks. The Sea Gulls added two more to lead 12-5 entering the final period. In the fourth, the teams traded goals, with Salisbury holding a 3-2 edge to secure the 15-7 victory.
St. Mary’s edged Salisbury 13-12 in face-offs, with junior Matteo Ciccarello winning 12 of 23 attempts. However, Salisbury held a 46-39 advantage in shots and forced 15 of the Seahawks’ 20 turnovers, finishing with a +8 turnover margin. The Sea Gulls also collected 53 ground balls to St. Mary’s 44, despite strong efforts from Ciccarello (seven ground balls) and junior defenseman Joe Szymanski (six ground balls).
Horton led the Seahawks with three goals, while Hochrein, Doyle, and Machiran each recorded one goal and one assist. Szymanski anchored the defense with two caused turnovers and contributed his first career assist. For Salisbury, Connor Herraiz and Michael Leahy each scored four goals, and goalkeeper Nicholas Ransom made 16 saves.
Grove’s 20 saves marked a career best, highlighting his critical role in keeping the game competitive against a potent Salisbury offense. According to NCAA statistics, Grove ranks among the top goalkeepers in Division III for save percentage this season.
The Seahawks’ resilience was evident in their face-off performance and defensive efforts, but Salisbury’s depth and defensive pressure proved decisive. The Sea Gulls, ranked second in the latest Intercollegiate Men’s Lacrosse Coaches Association poll, have now won 15 straight games to open the 2025 season.
St. Mary’s College will look to rebound in their next game, traveling to Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania, to face Bryn Athyn College (3-4-1, 1-1-0 UEC) on April 19 at Nelson Field. The game is scheduled for 3 p.m. and marks the Seahawks’ final road game before returning home to close out the regular season.
Correction, April 17, 2025 8:21 am: Wrong location
You might want to check again where this game was played
I corrected it. Thanks for the catch.