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Denver beats Stony Brook in lacrosse in final seconds

Stony Brook University Men's Lacrosse vs Denver

Stony Brook's Owen Adams moves up the field during a men's lacrosse game against the University of Denver. (Photo by Bob Mitchell / March 23, 2008)

BY STEPHEN HAYNES | stephen.haynes@newsday.com

March 23, 2008

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As the University of Denver's Charley Dickinson slipped a quick shot over the left shoulder of Stony Brook goalie Alex Kajnecki with four seconds left, the Seawolves' opportunity to solidify its standing by knocking off another ranked team slipped away.

Before falling to Denver, 14-13, on Dickinson's goal, Stony Brook (3-3) had built a 12-10 lead with 6:39 left at LaValle Stadium. The Seawolves had taken a 9-7 lead into the fourth quarter.

"They kept attacking in the final minutes," said Kajnecki, who allowed seven goals in the fourth quarter. "They got a lot of chances and just kept the pressure on."

Denver (4-4) got extra chances because it won all 12 of the faceoffs in the final period and parlayed them into 15 attempts.

Denver midfielder Ilija Gajic scored with 5:51 remaining and attacker Brett Koll scored 18 seconds later to make it 12-12. It was the third two-goal lead Stony Brook had given up.

"We were ready for whatever they came with on the initial attacks," Seawolves coach Rick Sowell said. "We'd have it defended, but when that play didn't work, they were able to make plays up, and we couldn't stop those."

Defenseman Sean LeFloch scored an unassisted goal to put Stony Brook ahead 13-12 with 5:20 left, but Denver's Joey Murray, off a short pass from Gajic, scored with 1:53 to play and set the stage for Dickinson.

"He's a smaller guy and he dug his way in along the goal line," Kajnecki said of Dickinson, a 5-7 midfielder. "I tried to cut down the angle as much as I could, but he stuck it in there."

Jordan McBride, who had scored 16 goals in the previous two games, had two goals for Stony Brook. Owen Adams, Bo Tripodi and Kevin Crowley also had two goals. Rhys Duch had three assists.

Gajic had three goals and Koll and Dillon Roy had two goals each for Denver.

Stony Brook and Denver entered the game ranked 20th in separate Division I polls. The media poll favored the Seawolves, who on March 15 beat then-No. 7 Delaware on the road behind McBride's 10 goals. The USILA coaches poll had Denver as the better team.

For most of the game, the teams showed just how closely matched they were. Stony Brook never trailed by more than a goal and never led by more than two.

"We actually had chances to go up by three, especially in the third quarter, but we missed them," Sowell said. "I had a feeling it would come back to bite us."

Lacrosse scoreboard

Army 14, Holy Cross 5

Brown 9, Dartmouth 5

Canisius 10, Manhatttan 5

Cornell 8, Yale 7, OT

Delaware 8, Villanova 4

Drexel 13, Lafayette 6