College scene: Top lacrosse performances by Long Island products this season
Photo of Mason Oak of Quinnipiac University Credit: Rob Rasmussen / Quinnipiac University Credit: Quinnipiac University/Rob Rasmussen / Quinnipiac University
Just a simple glance over the college lacrosse leaderboards this season will prove Long Island’s presence in the sport.
Here’s a look at the local players — men and women — who rank top 10 in Division I in goals, assists, points, saves or faceoff percentage as conference tournaments begin to conclude. Both the 17-team men’s bracket and 29-team women’s bracket for the NCAA Tournament will be released on Sunday.
(Stats below are as of Friday morning)
MEN’S
Ryan Bell, M/A, Providence (Smithtown West): Bell has totaled 45 assists, the fourth-most in Division I. Bell, a Newsday All-Long Island first-team pick in 2021, was named the Big East Offensive Player of the Year and was a unanimous selection to the All-Big East first team.
Vince D’Alto, A, Boston University (Kings Park): D’Alto, named to the All-Patriot League first team, ranks ninth in the country with 68 points. He is the Terriers’ all-time leader in points (164) and goals (274).
Mason Oak, G, Quinnipiac (Comsewogue): Oak leads Division I with 216 saves and averages 15.43 saves per game. A Newsday All-Long Island second-team selection in 2021, Oak was named the MAAC Defensive Player of the Year and was selected to the All-MAAC first team.
Brennan O’Neill, A, Duke (St. Anthony’s): O’Neill, last year’s Tewaaraton Award recipient as the best player in college lacrosse, is tied for eighth nationally with 44 goals. The 2019 Newsday Player of the Year was named to the All-ACC first team.
Morgan O’Reilly, A, Sacred Heart (Long Island Lutheran): O’Reilly is tied with Virginia’s Payton Cormier for first in the nation with 52 goals. He was named MAAC Co-Offensive Player of the Year and was a unanimous selection to the All-MAAC first team.
Dylan Pallonetti, A, Stony Brook (Ward Melville): Pallonetti has 45 goals, tied for the fifth in the country. Newsday’s 2019 Suffolk Player of the Year was selected to the All-CAA first team.
Alex Pazienza, G, Sacred Heart (St. Anthony’s): Pazienza is tied for ninth in the nation with 187 saves. He was selected to the All-MAAC second team.
Louis Perfetto, A, Boston U (Manhasset): Perfetto ranks second in the nation with 86 points, is tied for fifth in assists (43) with Virginia’s Connor Shellenberger and is tied for 10th in goals (43) with Yale’s Matt Brandau. The 2019 Newsday All-Long Island second-team member joined D’Alto on the All-Patriot League first team.
Machado Rodriguez, FO, Yale (Chaminade): Rodriguez has won 64% of his faceoffs, the best mark in the country. A unanimous selection to the All-Ivy League first team, Rodriguez had a 67.7% mark in conference play.
Joey Spallina, A, Syracuse (Mount Sinai): Spallina ranks third in the nation in points (76) and assists (47). Spallina was the Newsday Player of the Year in both 2021 and 2022 and set the Long Island record with 507 points in his high school career.
Justin Tiernan, A, Michigan (Glenn): Tiernan’s 48 goals rank third nationally and are the most in a single season in Michigan history. The two-time All-Long Island second-team selection was selected to the All-Big Ten second team.
WOMEN’S
Jenika Cuocco, G, Drexel (Rocky Point): Cuocco ranks second in the nation with 198 saves. A Newsday All-Long Island second-team goalie in both field hockey and lacrosse in 2021, Cuocco was named CAA Goalkeeper of the Year and was selected to the All-CAA first team.
Kayla Downey, A, Virginia Tech (Babylon): Downey set the single-season program record this season for most points (81) and assists (57). Her 57 assists also rank fourth in the nation.
Kailyn Hart, A, Stony Brook (North Babylon): Hart has 66 goals, which is tied for sixth in the nation with her teammate and fellow Long Islander Ellie Masera. She was named to the All-CAA first team.
Ellie Masera, M, Stony Brook (Eastport-South Manor): Masera leads the country with 101 points. The 2019 Newsday All-Long Island second-team pick was named the CAA Midfielder of the Year and an All-CAA first-team selection.
Allison Reilly, A, Army (Sayville): Reilly, who set the program single-season record for points (95) this season, was named to the All-Patriot League first team. Her 95 points rank fifth in Division I.
Ben Dickson joined Newsday’s high school sports staff in 2023 after graduating from Maryland, where he covered several of the Terrapins' teams.
