#2 Merchant Marine - 11, #3 Farmingdale State - 9
KINGS POINT, N.Y. | #3 Farmingdale State fell to #2 Merchant Marine, 11-9, in the Skyline Conference Men's Lacrosse Semifinals on Tuesday evening. The score was tied, 7-7, heading into the fourth quarter but the Mariners (9-6) were able to net four goals, while holding the Rams to just two to pick up the victory. FSC has been eliminated from the playoffs and ends their season with a program record 13 wins to just four losses.
Farmingdale State opened the game with back-to-back goals by senior midfielder Johnny McMahon (Albertson, N.Y.) and junior attack Thomas Stock (Selden, N.Y.), but Merchant Marine quickly responded with three unanswered goals to take a 3-2 advantage.
After trading goals throughout the second quarter, Owen Barcus recorded a goal with just 22 seconds on the clock as the Mariners took a two-goal lead, 7-5, into halftime.
The Rams recorded the only two goals of the third quarter as senior attack Rob Varello (Smithtown, N.Y.) made it a one-goal game with an unassisted score before Stock scored man-up off the pass from freshman attack James Hickis (Farmingdale, N.Y.).
In the fourth, junior Antonio Kaminskey (Lindenhurst, N.Y.) won the opening face off to set up a goal by McMahon just 40 seconds in.
With 11:37 on the clock, Merchant Marine's Carter Hall scored to tie the game at 8-8.
Kaminskey won the next face off but Mariners goalie Samuel Stephenson made a save to gain possession. Merchant Marine cleared the ball and quickly scored to take a 9-8 advantage.
The Mariners took control of the ball on the next face off and used another Hall goal to take a 10-8 lead.
Following a timeout, Farmingdale State senior attack Jake Wandle (Rocky Point, N.Y.) scored to cut the deficit to 10-9.
With 4:03 remaining, the Rams nearly tied the game when McMahon hit the cross bar before a Varello shot was saved.
The Mariners clinched the game with a Barcus goal with 48 seconds play as they went on for the 11-9 victory.
McMahon led the way for FSC with a season-high six points on five goals and one assist, to go along with four ground balls and one caused turnover. Stock recorded two goals and two ground balls, while Varello and Wandle had one goal apiece. Junior midfielder Kyle Kolano (Babylon, N.Y.) had two assists for the Rams.
Kaminskey went 14-for-22 on face offs and picked up a game-high 11 ground balls.
On defense, senior Nick Bucholz (Holbrook, N.Y.) recorded two caused turnovers and three ground balls. Sophomore Tyler Kollar (Bellport, N.Y.) collected five ground balls and had one CT. Sophomore Christian Lembo (Farmingdale, N.Y.) tallied one caused turnover and four ground balls and both Gino Luchetti (Farmingville, N.Y.) and Jonathan Flores (West Babylon, N.Y.) had one CT each.
In goal, Farmingdale State sophomore Dan Erler (Smithtown, N.Y.) made eight saves.
Stephenson stopped 13 shots in net for the Mariners.
Merchant Marine has advanced to the Skyline Final and will travel to top-seeded Maritime on Friday.
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