Mark Cockerton scored five goals and the No. 6 Virginia Cavaliers (3-0) outlasted the Stony Brook Seawolves (1-2) on Saturday afternoon at Kenneth P. LaValle Stadium. UVa. held a narrow one-goal lead going into the intermission, 6-5, but the Cavalier defense clamped and limited Stony Brook to only four shots in the second half.
“In conditions like this against a team that was fired up to play us, and to have a game that was back and forth almost the entire time until we took control of it in the fourth quarter, it was a very satisfying result for us,” said Virginia head coach Dom Starsia. “I applaud the kids. We battled the whole time. In the fourth quarter we probably played our best lacrosse overall. I thought we were just a hair off offensively most of the day, just a step slow more often than not. I thought we had a chance to get some more goals early on in the game. But, the guys kept working at it and in the end the offense put it together for us in the fourth quarter and carried us to the win. I thought, overall, it was a good effort.”
Matt White had six points and reached 100 career points with three goals and three assists. White finished the game with 102 career points.
Mark Cockerton started the game’s scoring with his unassisted goal at 13:14. The Cavaliers held the 1-0 advantage until Mike Andreassi found nylon on the pass from Jeff Tundo with 5:56 left in the first period.
Cockerton answered again on a pass from Matt White with 3:12 left in the first period, giving UVa a one-goal lead at 2-1. Mike Rooney found the cage with six seconds left on an extra-man opportunity to even the score after one quarter of play, 2-2.
UVa stormed out to start the second quarter, scoring four goals in a row to take a 6-2 lead. Ryan Tucker scored on a White pass to start the run, followed by a Cockerton goal and a Scott McWilliams goal. Cockerton scored his fourth goal of the game at 10:30, capping the run. UVa did not score the rest of the half.
Andreassi scored again at 8:47, followed by two Tundo goals, the second with three seconds left, sending the game into the intermission.
Virginia shot out of the cannon in the third quarter, scoring back-to-back goals to take an 8-5 lead. White and Charlie Streep scored the goals, UVa’s only of the period. UVa was held scoreless for the final 11:16 of the third quarter and Stony Brook made a run of its own. The Seawolves scored back-to-back goals to bring Stony Brook within one, 8-7. Mike Rooney capped the run with 4:14 left in the quarter.
Stony Brook scored no more, as UVa held the Seawolves scoreless for the final 19:14.
James Pannell scored his first collegiate goal on a streaking pass from Owen Van Arsdale 28 seconds into the fourth period. White scored a goal unassisted, followed by Cockerton’s fifth of the game. White and Pannell finished out the scoring as UVa clinched the road victory.
Virginia won the battles in shots (55-16), ground balls (41-28), faceoffs (16-7) and had fewer turnovers (12-24). The UVa transition game held Stony Brook to only 18-of-27 on clears.
Virginia returns to action on Tuesday night when Mount St. Mary’s invades Klöckner Stadium. Faceoff is slated for 7 p.m.
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Chris Graham
