VESTAL, N.Y. – The Binghamton men's lacrosse team nearly completed its comeback after trailing Merrimack 6-0 in the second quarter, but it was the Warriors that got the game-winning goal in overtime to win 10-9 Saturday at the Bearcats Sports Complex.
 
In the first America East Conference game for either team this season, Binghamton (2-5, 0-1 AEC) outscored Merrimack (3-5, 1-0 AEC) 9-3 in the remainder of regulation after falling behind six goals in the first quarter and a half. Gage Adams and Liam Ferris each scored twice for the Bearcats. But Binghamton, who had won both of its games in the extra period so far this season, would be on the losing side this time when Merrimack's Kasey Mongillo ran across the front of the crease and shot the ball into the back of the net as he dove to help the Warriors snap their five-game losing streak.
 
"I thought we did a great job battling the last three quarters," said Binghamton Head Coach Kevin McKeown. "We spot them a 6-0 lead, and any conference game, that's going to be really tough. They're well-coached, good team. So, I'm proud of the way we fought back, but we're certainly disappointed with how the game started for us."
 
Both Jack Kolbe and Brian Russell scored twice in Merrimack's 6-0 run to start the game. The other two goals were courtesy of Brian Bouwman and KJ Delane. Binghamton's first goal came with just over five minutes left in the first quarter when Colin DeLay sprinted by his defender toward the net and fired in his sixth goal of the season at 5:03. Ferris' first goal came less than two minutes later when he ran across the field toward the net and shot the ball into the goal as he knocked down. The senior would draw a penalty on that play, allowing Binghamton to go up a man. Matthew Keegan would capitalize 35 seconds later when he took a few steps with the ball near the Bearcat bench and sent in what would be his 14th goal of the season. The 3-0 run by the Bearcats cut their deficit in half, as they would head into halftime down 6-3.
 
Binghamton continued its run in the third quarter when Thomas Kelly came up from behind the net and bounced the ball off the ground and through the legs of the goalie to bring it within 6-4 at 11:05.
 
The Bearcats seemingly had all of the momentum after Lucas Gauch was called for a two-minute non-releasable penalty for a hit to the face at 8:23 in the frame. But Merrimack ended the run when Jack Rooney scored with the Warriors down a man to extend their lead to 7-4. Ferris would record a goal during the man advantage to bring it back to 7-5. Ethan Insinga would add one more for the Bearcats with 31 seconds left in the quarter. After being down 6-0, Binghamton went into the fourth quarter trailing 7-6.
 
Following a defensive battle for the nearly the first eight minutes of the fourth, Adams entered the goal-scoring conversation with his first goal at 7:05 to tie the game at seven.  Russell then completed his hat trick for the Warriors at 5:43, but Ross Chazanow responded by winning the ensuing faceoff and dashing to the net before scoring his second goal of the season six seconds later. Merrimack got another hat trick, this time from Kolbe, to go up 9-8 at 2:19. Binghamton appeared ready for more late-game heroics when Will Feldmann sent the ball to Adams in front of the crease, who buried his shot to tie the match at nine.
 
Overtime followed, but Binghamton never got possession of the ball. Merrimack won the opening faceoff before Mongillo scored the winning goal 34 seconds into the extra period.
 
Other Notes

• A couple of freshmen made an impact on the field for the Bearcats. Nolan Sharkey recorded his first collegiate point when he assisted Insinga's goal in the third period. He also caused a game-high two turnovers. Meanwhile, in his collegiate debut, Andrew Girolamo posted five shots on goal.
• While making a season-high 16 saves in goal, Connor Winters also collected two ground balls. He is tied for third on the team along with Max Napoli with 14 ground balls. Napoli also collected two ground balls on Saturday.
• Saturday was the first game where Binghamton did not serve a penalty since April 8, 2017. The Bearcats stayed out of the penalty area against former conference rival Hartford before winning that game 10-9.

 
Up Next
Binghamton returns to the road next Saturday, March 23 at 1 p.m. to face New Jersey Institute of Technology, who started the season 7-0 before being defeated by Vermont on Saturday.