Box Score  

MANSFIELD, Conn. – The Farmingdale State College men's lacrosse team ripped off nine straight goals over 17 minutes in the first half as the Eastern Connecticut State University men's lacrosse team dropped a 14-5 non-conference decision in its 2025 home-opener Saturday afternoon at Rick McCarthy Field.

Eastern (2-1) held Farmingdale (3-2) off the board for the first 11 minutes and led 2-0 on goals from junior midfielder Mike Stevenson (Shelton) and junior season scoring leader Warren Channing (Glastonbury) before the Rams – last year's Skyline Conference  tournament champions and NCAA tournament qualifiers – kept Eastern off the board with lockdown defense until only three seconds remained in the first half in taking a 9-2 advantage into the locker room.

In Farmingdale's 9-0 run in the first half, five different players contributed goals, with team scoring leader Adam Giovinco striking three times – twice consecutively.

Three of Eastern's goals came in man-up situations – both of Channing's in the match in extra-man situations– giving them 11 extra-man goals on 24 opportunities this year. The Warriors have committed only seven penalties this year (one on Saturday) – allowing their opponent only two extra-man goals on five tries-- as opposed to 26 by its opponents.

Despite Eastern's nine-goal loss, the Warriors held a +1 advantage in shots (40-39), had only one less ground ball (32-31) and just one more turnover (21-20).

Sophomore goalie Gregory Hilinski (Shelton) matched his season-high with 11 saves. First-year midfielder Cooper Piesco (New Fairfield) had two assists, first-year midfielder Logan Pych (Vernon, NJ) five ground balls and two caused turnovers and sophomore defensemen Erik Suzio (Meriden) and sophomore attack Tanner Drobish (Wallingford) three ground balls each.

Adam Giovinco led both teams with four goals and five points, and the team's second-leading season scorer, Kamryn Gill, had three goals and an assist, and senior faceoff specialist Antonio Kaminskey won 15 of 22 faceoffs.

Eastern hosts Johnson and Wales University (3-2) in a non-conference match Tuesday at 4 p.m. The Wildcats are coming off Friday's 17-2 home victory over the University of Southern Maine of the Little East Conference. Eastern holds a 3-2 lead in the series, with the Wildcats winning the last matchup, 11-9, at Providence in 2022.