STONY BROOK, N.Y. -- Senior Charlie Paar made 18 saves and junior Kevin Crowley scored three goals to lead Stony Brook University to an 11-7 win over University at Albany and its first America East Men's Lacrosse Championship since 2002 in front of 1,043 fans on Saturday afternoon at La Valle Stadium. The win guarantees the Seawolves a spot in the NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championship, whose field will be announced Sunday evening at 8:30 p.m. on ESPNU.
Top-seeded Stony Brook (12-3), which is ranked sixth in the USILA Coaches' Poll and seventh in the Nike/Inside Lacrosse Media Poll, scored the first six goals of the game and led 6-0 early in the second quarter. Crowley, the America East Player of the Year, started the scoring with a goal 6:23 into the first period and capped the run with his 47th goal of the season 1:20 into the second quarter.
Third-seeded Albany (5-11), which was shut out by the Seawolves, 15-0, on April 24, snapped a 78:51 scoreless stretch against SBU on a goal by freshman Dwayne Stewart 3:51 into the period. The Great Danes, who outshot their opponent 53-28, added three more goals in the quarter and outscored Stony Brook 4-2 in the frame to cut the deficit to 7-4 at the half.
The Great Danes, who had won three of its last five games after dropping eight of its first 10 contests, continued to chip away and scored two of the three third quarter goals to make the score 8-6 after three frames. Dave Brock, a second-team all-league choice for Albany, got his team within a goal on a blast 2:09 into the fourth quarter. But Stony Brook, winners of eight straight games, held the Great Danes scoreless over the final 12:50 of the contest and found the back of the cage three times themselves to cement the victory.
Paar, who set an America East Championship record with 34 saves in the tournament, was named the Most Outstanding Player. He was joined on the All-Championship squad by teammates Robbie Campbell, Steve Waldeck and Crowley.
Albany was represented by Dave Brock, Kyle Crotty and John Carroll.
All-Championship
Team
Robbie Campbell, Stony Brook
Kevin Crowley, Stony Brook
Charlie
Paar, Stony Brook (Most Outstanding Player)
Steve Waldeck, Stony
Brook
Dave Brock, Albany
John Carroll, Albany
Kyle Crotty,
Albany
Maxx Davis, UMBC
Rob Grimm, UMBC
A.J. Masson, Vermont
Drew
Philie, Vermont