Lynn 15, Farmingdale State 7
BOCA RATON, Fla. | Sophomore goalie Dan Erler (Smithtown, N.Y.) made 10 of his 15 saves in the first period Sunday afternoon at Bobby Campbell Stadium, as the Farmingdale State College men's lacrosse team fell in its season opener at Lynn University, receiving votes in the latest USILA/Dynamic NCAA Division II Coaches Poll, by a 15-7 score.
The Rams (0-1) received two goals and one assist from junior attacker Thomas Stock (Selden, N.Y.), while sophomore midfielder Griffin Chernoff (Long Beach, N.Y.) added a pair of markers in his FSC debut. Seniors Jake Wandle (Rocky Point, N.Y.; one assist), Johnny McMahon (Albertson, N.Y.) and Rob Varello (Smithtown, N.Y.) registered one goal apiece for the visitors, while Erler made his 15 saves in his first collegiate start over a three-period stint in the Farmingdale State cage. Junior face-off specialist Antonio Kaminskey (Lindenhurst, N.Y.) was 11-of-23 at the midfield "x," scooped a game-best 10 ground balls and provided one assist off a draw. Senior netminder Ryan Ott (Riverhead, N.Y.) played 11-plus minutes in the fourth period in the Rams net, stopping four shots out of seven on target.
Lynn (2-2) took 21 of its 47 shots in the opening 15-minute stanza, and jumped out to a 5-0 lead less than seven minutes into play. FSC settled in and held the Fighting Knights off the scoreboard for a 13:30 stretch, and pulled to within a 5-2 count following a lid lifter by Chernoff with 26 seconds left in the first quarter and Wandle converting a feed from Stock 4:19 into the second frame. Lynn broke its scoring drought with 9:44 left in the half, starting a three-goal spurt to bring its lead at halftime to 8-2.
McMahon bagged a man-up tally 90 seconds into the resumption of play, before the hosts collected the next three markers of the contest. Stock's unassisted goal with 4:41 left in the third quarter, and Varello's tally from Kaminskey off a face-off with 3:05 on the clock, sent the Rams into the final quarter of play down by a 12-5 count.
Chernoff scored on a solo effort 2:10 into the final period, before Stock accounted for the final score with 84 seconds to go before the final horn.
Head coach Sean Chamberlain's Rams next have a three-game homestand, beginning with Tuesday's (Feb. 28) 4 p.m. opening face-off against visiting SUNY New Paltz.