Billings' School Record Sends #2 Virginia by Stony Brook 20-10
(2/21/09 - STONY BROOK, NY) - Attackman Garrett Billings tied a school record with eight goals to lead Virginia to a 20-10 win over Stony Brook before 2,861 fans at LaValle Stadium for the Cavaliers' third win to start the season.
Billings tied the record set by Butch McCleary vs. Navy in 1958 and Doug Knight against Syracuse in 1996. Billings added three assists for a career-high 11 points, tied for third in school history. Billings also became the 11th player in school history to score 100 career goals; he now has 101.
The senior from Western Canada got the Cavaliers off to a quick start with two goals in the opening five minutes as Virginia built a 5-0 lead late in the opening quarter. Freshman Kyle Belton scored with 2.9 seconds left in the quarter for the Seawolves' first goal.
Billings notched three consecutive goals in the second quarter as the Cavaliers scored the first five goals of the quarter to build a 10-1 advantage. Rhamel Bratton, who also set a career high with three goals, and Steve Giannone followed Billings' triple.
Midfielder Brian Carroll scored two of his three goals to open the second half as Virginia's lead grew to 12-3 at the 12:29 mark of the third quarter.
The teams traded goals for most of the remainder of the contest before the Cavaliers closed with a 4-1 run to double up the Seawolves.
The Cavalier attack of Billings, Danny Glading and freshman Steele Stanwick was particularly effective, combining for 10 goals and 11 assists. Stanwick, playing in just the third game of his career, finished with two goals and four assists.
Virginia's close defense of Matt Kelly, Ryan Nizolek and Ken Clausen provided a formidable wall for goalie Adam Ghitelman, who made 10 saves in his first game near his home on Long Island. Kelly, in particular, did a good job of shutting down Stony Brook's leading scorer Jordan McBride, allowing only one fourth-quarter goal.
Sophomore midfielder Chris Clements and freshman attackman Matt Kugler scored the first goals of their careers as head coach Dom Starsia used 37 players.
Virginia returns home to Klöckner Stadium Tuesday against Mount St. Mary's. The game is scheduled to faceoff at 7:00 pm.
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Stony Brook, N.Y. (Feb. 21, 2009) – Second-ranked Virginia jumped out to an early lead and never looked back as the Cavaliers came away with a 20-10 win over Stony Brook in men's lacrosse action in LaValle Stadium. It was the season opener for the Seawolves, who got a pair of goals from three players in the loss. Virginia's Garrett Billings tied a school record with eight goals to lead the Cavaliers.
"We faced a heck of an opponent today," said Stony Brook head coach Rick Sowell. "They obviously played very good lacrosse. The fact that it was their third game and our first played into it some, but you have to tip your hat to them. They are one of the top teams in the nation. Once we settled down we did some things that looked good out there. It's a long season and I think we will be fine."
Virginia (3-0), which had already played a pair of games this season, used its early season experience advantage to get the early jump on a Stony Brook team that was not yet battle tested. Billings scored a pair of goals in the opening five minutes as the Cavaliers dominated the first quarter, taking a 5-0 lead on a Steele Stanwick goal with 2:30 left in the first. Stony Brook (0-1) finally broke onto the scoreboard with just two ticks left on the first quarter clock when freshman Kyle Belton (Langley, B.C.) slipped through the Virginia defense and rifled one home for his first career goal.
Three minutes into the second quarter Billings started another 5-0 Virginia spurt, scoring the first three of the run as the Cavaliers pushed their advantage to 10-1 with 3:53 left in the half. Stony Brook then saw its offense start to show some spark in the final minutes of the half, with sophomore Timmy Trenkle (Commack, N.Y.) and junior Chris Scott (North Babylon, N.Y.) each notching their first goals of the season to make it 10-3 at the half.
Stony Brook (0-1) had its best offensive output in the third quarter and started to cut into the UVa lead. After the Cavaliers had scored the first two goals of the half, Stony Brook scored three goals in a two-minute span midway through the quarter, two by freshman Robbie Campbell (Delta, B.C.), to cut the deficit to seven at 14-7 with 3:35 left in the third. Billings and Rhamel Bratton scored for the Cavaliers in the final two minutes of the quarter, however, and Virginia pushed its advantage back to 16-7 going into the final quarter.
Stony Brook got it back down to seven again early in the fourth, getting goals from sophomore Jordan McBride (New Westminster, B.C.) and Belton in the opening four minutes. But Virginia came back with four straight goals to put an end to any comeback attempt by the Seawolves.
Campbell finished with four points to lead Stony Brook, scoring two goals and handing out two assists. Trenkle and Belton were the other two Seawolves with two goals. Junior Charlie Paar (Huntington, N.Y.) made some spectacular saves in goal for Stony Brook, finishing with 15 saves. Billings added three and assists and shared the team lead with five ground balls for Virginia. Brian Carroll and Bratton added three goals each for the Cavaliers.
Stony Brook will be back in action next Saturday, February 28, when it hosts Harvard at 3:00 p.m. in LaValle Stadium.
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#2 Virginia 5-5-6-4—20 (record: 3-0)
Stony Brook 1-2-4-3—10 (record: 0-1)
Attendance: 2,861
Scoring (G-A)
V: Garrett Billings 8-3, Rhamel Bratton 3-0, Brian Carroll 3-0, Steele Stanwick 2-4, Steve Giannone 1-2, Shamel Bratton 1-0, Chris Clements 1-0, Matt Kugler 1-0, Danny Glading 0-4, Nick Elsmo 0-1, Gavin Gill 0-1, Mike Thompson 0-1.
SB: Robbie Campbell 2-2, Kyle Belton 2-0, Timmy Trenkle 2-0, Tom Compitello 1-1, Jordan McBride 1-0, Chris Scott 1-0, Timmy Trenkle 1-0, Jack Hewitt 0-1.
Goalie Summary
V: Adam Ghitelman 52:18 mins., 10 saves, 9 goals allowed; Mark Wade 6:34, 2 svs., 1 GA; Rob Eimer 1:08, 0 svs., 0 GA.
SB: Charlie Paar 59:45 mins., 15 saves, 19 goals allowed; Rob Camposa 0:15, 0 svs., 1 goal allowed.
Shots: V—62, SB—26
Ground Balls: V—53, SB—27
Clearing: V—18x24, SB—18x26
Faceoffs: V—18, SB—13
Penalties: V—3-2:00, SB—3-3:00
EMO: V—1x2, SB—0x3