Box Score KINGS POINT, N.Y. (March 2, 2024) – The U.S. Merchant Marine Academy men's lacrosse team was unable to shake off a slow start on Saturday, falling to Western Connecticut State by a final score of 17-12 at Brooks Stadium in Kings Point. USMMA falls to 1-1 on the season with the loss while WestConn improves to 2-1 on the year with the win.
 
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Sophomore midfielder William Badeer (Pittsburgh, Pa.) led the Mariners with four goals and an assist to total five points on the afternoon. Fellow second-year Jack DeTommaso (Massapequa, N.Y.) also had a five-point day with two goals and three assists for USMMA while freshman midfielder Owen Behr (Vestavia Hills, Ala.) added three goals in the effort. Senior defenseman Dom Mirack (Stevensville, Md.) went 6-for-12 on face-offs for the Mariners and compiled a team-high eight ground balls to go along with two caused turnovers. Senior defender Mark Bredeck (Severna Park, Md.) added four ground balls with sophomore defenseman Michael Valentine IV (Massapequa Park, N.Y.) contributing four ground balls and two caused turnovers. In cage for the Mariners, goalies Tucker Swinerton (Weston, Fla.) and Coby Schwartz (Pittsburgh, Pa.) contributed five saves apiece on the afternoon.
 
Tyler Starrett had a game-high five goals and six total points for WestConn with Julian Duque adding four goals in the win for the Wolves. Cody Suhr added two goals and two assists while Jonathan Russack-Baker added a goal, went 20-for-32 on face-offs and had a game-best 15 ground ball pickups. WestConn netminder Brendan Grove stopped 13 shots in the victory.
 
Badeer opened the game with the first goal in the opening minute of play following a face-off violation against WestConn. That would prove to be the only goal scored by the Mariners in the first quarter as the Wolves ended the period with five consecutive markers, including three in a span of 35 seconds. Starrett had two goals in the quarter, adding his third of the game to open the second stanza of play and give WestConn a 6-1 lead with two-and-a-half minutes gone from the period. USMMA would score three consecutive markers over the next three minutes, with Behr's first goal of the day at the nine-minute mark bringing the Mariners within a 6-4 deficit. The tide turned in the ensuing three minutes of play, as USMMA had two chances on the man-up advantage that were unable to be converted. WestConn striking for four unanswered tallies to grab a 10-4 lead with three-and-a-half minutes remaining in the quarter. The Mariners trailed 12-5 at the half-time break, with the hosts' lone goal coming from senior midfielder Sam Winkler (Moorestown, N.J.).
 
Despite the seven-goal deficit, the Mariners showed grit in the third quarter to keep their chances of a win alive. Following a WestConn goal with six minutes remaining in the frame that gave the Wolves a 13-6 lead, DeTommaso fed senior midfielder Charlie Ross (Lakewood, Colo.) for the opening goal of a four-goal run in the final five minutes of action in the frame. Badeer had two of those markers, including a man-up marker in the final minute of play in the third period to bring the Mariners within a 13-10 deficit going to the fourth quarter. Unfortunately for the Mariners, WestConn collected the first two goals of the frame to put the game on ice. USMMA collected two goals in the quarter from Behr and the first collegiate tally for attacker Brendan Ring (Philadelphia, Pa.).
 
The Mariners conclude their season-opening three-game homestand on March 9 with a 12-noon showcase against the Rangers of Drew University at Brooks Stadium. Live stats and a live video feed of the game will be available with links on the USMMA Men's Lacrosse Schedule Page!
 
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