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Connor Grippe #21 of Stony Brook makes a pass during...

Connor Grippe #21 of Stony Brook makes a pass during a men's lacrosse game against host St. John's on Sunday, Feb. 19, 2017. Credit: James Escher

The Stony Brook men’s lacrosse team is one step closer to the America East Conference Tournament.

But again, it wasn’t easy for the Seawolves.

The Seawolves defeated host UMass Lowell, 12-11, Friday night with the winning goal from Connor Grippe with a man-advantage with 46 seconds remaining in overtime. Ryan Bitzer had his sixth assist of the game on the goal.

Stony Brook (7-5, 3-2) can clinch a trip to the conference tournament if Hartford loses to second-place UMBC Saturday or with a win over Binghamton at home Friday.

The America East tournament will be held at Albany University with the semifinals May 4 and championship May 6.

Stony Brook controlled the ball for nearly the entire overtime Friday after Jay Lindsay won his 13th faceoff in 25 attempts and Ryland Rees picked up the ground ball, leading to Grippe’s goal as the four-minute overtime neared its end.

UMass Lowell (4-11, 1-5) scored the final three goals of regulation to tie the score at 11 and force overtime.

SBU’s Alex Corpolongo, who had five goals, has scored in every game this season and extended his second-longest active goal-scoring mark in the nation to 30 games. Bitzer has now recorded a point in 33 straight games.

Stony Brook led 7-4 at halftime courtesy of five second-quarter goals. UMass Lowell pulled the score to within 9-7 after the third quarter and scored four of the six total fourth-quarter goals.

Corpolongo added his fourth goal of the game to extend Stony Brook’s lead to 10-8 with 13:23 left. He added his team-leading 32nd goal of the season with 10:49 remaining before UMass Lowell began its three-goal comeback.

Stony Brook returns home for its final game of the season against Binghamton Friday at 7 p.m. in a matchup that could potentially define its postseason fate.

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