Ryan Bitzer helps Stony Brook top Hartford, ending 3-game skid
Stony Brook attacker Ryan Bitzer looks to pass the ball against Hofstra in an NCAA men's lacrosse game at James M. Shuart Stadium on Tuesday, March 21, 2017. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
Ryan Bitzer didn’t waste much time in showing the importance of Sunday’s game.
Bitzer, a senior attack from Riverhead, scored three of his four goals in the first period of Stony Brook’s 13-9 victory at Hartford, the defending America East Tournament champions, in conference men’s lacrosse action.
“I think we did a great job just playing Stony Brook lacrosse and came out with the win,” Bitzer said. “So it was big. [Being] 0-1 in conference didn’t leave a good taste in our mouth.”
The win snapped a three-game losing streak for Stony Brook with two defeats coming to top 10-ranked teams. It was the team’s first victory since March 4.
The Seawolves (5-3, 1-1) had eight different goal scorers, with two goals each from freshmen attacks Tom Haun (Sachem North) and Cory VanGinhoven. Each team fired 34 shots and 10 saves.
“I was happy for the guys that we got the result today,” coach Jim Nagle said. “We’ve played some tough teams and had some losses and learned but we had a good effort today.”
In his first start for Stony Brook, freshman goalkeeper Michael Bollinger from Sachem East had 10 saves. Alex Corpolongo added a goal and an assist to extend his goal-scoring streak to 26 games, the second-longest active streak in the country.
The Seawolves took a 4-1 lead after the first period and extended it to 6-1 a little more than a minute into the second period and led 7-3 entering the half. Hartford (3-5, 0-1), scored two late goals in the third period to make the score 10-6.
Stony Brook, which has struggled on faceoffs, won 12 of 25 faceoffs, led by Jay Lindsay winning 11 of 19 draws.
“Definitely good for us to get back on track in the win column,” Bitzer said. “Especially on the road.”
— OWEN O’BRIEN
