For Immediate Release: March 4, 2006
Contact: David O'Brian (dobrian@binghamton.edu)
Phone: 607-777-6478

Binghamton men's lacrosse upsets No. 8 Towson 7-6

Box score

TOWSON, MD.--Junior attack Matt McNamara (Oswego, N.Y.) scored the game-winning goal with 2:40 remaining in the second sudden-death overtime period, leading Binghamton (1-1) to a stunning 1-0 upset at No. 8 Towson (1-1) in a non-conference lacrosse game on Saturday afternoon. In the process, the Bearcats defeat a Top-10 team for the first time in their five-year history.

"This is definitely the biggest win in our program history," head coach Ed Stephenson said. "We showed a lot of character in bouncing back from last week (against Cornell). This was a great win on the road against a very good team."

McNamara scored a team-high three goals in the game but none was bigger then the one he scored on a man-up advantage 3:20 into the second five-minute overtime period. He took a pass from freshman attack Chris Mulheron (Canandaigua, N.Y.) and fired it in the net to cap off the upset. Mulheron posted four assists during the game.

The Bearcats, who never trailed in the game, took a 1-0 lead with 13:21 left in the first quarter when McNamara scored off a pass by Mulheron. With 7:59 left in the period, Mulheron scored his loan goal of the game for a 2-0 Bearcat lead. Towson cut the deficit to 2-1 when sophomore Adam Hagelin scored off a pass from senior Steve Mull with 4:53 left in the period.

Binghamton responded by scoring three consecutive goals in the next 10:05. Junior attack Nate Kerstein (Rochester, N.Y.) netted an extra man goal with 2:37 left in the first quarter gave Binghamton a 3-1 lead. Sophomore midfielder Stephen Smith (Canandaigua, N.Y.) scored a goal just 14 seconds into the second quarter for a 4-1 Bearcat lead. When McNamara scored his second goal of the game with 7:32 left in the half, Binghamton owned a 5-1 lead.

Senior Phil Grillo started the Tigers’ comeback when he scored off a pass by junior Nick Williams with 5:48 remaining in the half. Sophomore Kyle Batton cut the Bearcats’ lead to 5-3 when he scored off a feed by senior Steve Mull with 1:29 left in the half.

A goal by senior Kyle Fiat off a pass from Mull cut the Tigers’ deficit to 5-4 with 7:11 left in the third quarter. Just 35 seconds later, the Tigers tied the game for the first time when Batton scored his second goal of the game.

The score remained tied at 5-5 until freshman Jake Boyce (Pittsford, N.Y.) scored off a pass by Mulheron with 13:41 remaining. With 2:26 remaining in regulation, however, the Tigers tied the game at 6-6 when Grillo scored an extra man goal off a pass by junior Oliver Bacon.

Binghamton had an immediate advantage when the teams went to overtime as the Tigers were called for an unnecessary roughness penalty after regulation play ended. Despite three shots by the Bearcats, the Tigers killed off the one-minute penalty. But, with 2:35 left in the first overtime period, Stephenson requested for a stick-check on Tiger defenseman Ted Turnblacer. When it was determined that the pocket on Turnblacer’s stick was too deep, the Tigers were called for another one-minute penalty.

The Tigers killed off that penalty and were clearing the ball when junior Keith Obloj was called for a slashing penalty, setting the stage for McNamara’s game-winning goal.

Towson outshot Binghamton 41-27 but senior goalie Kevin McKeown (Brewster, N.Y.) made 15 saves, including two big ones during the first overtime.

Binghamton heads to Villanova for a 1 p.m. game next Saturday.