Rutgers University
Stony Brook
No. 9/10 Men’s Lacrosse Returns to SHI Stadium Saturday to Host Stony Brook
Feb 09 | Men's Lacrosse
Game 2 of the season starts at 1 p.m.
PISCATAWAY, N.J. – No. 9/10 Rutgers men's lacrosse is back at SHI Stadium this Saturday. The contest against Stony Brook will air on B1G+ with Chris Tsakonas and Rick Mercurio on the call. WRSU Student Radio (88.7 FM) will provide live look-in updates during their broadcast of the men's basketball game at Illinois. Lacrosse wristbands and posters will be given away.
| ABOUT THE SCARLET KNIGHTS |
No. 9/10 Rutgers opened the season with a 20-8 win over Marist, who was picked to win the MAAC in the preseason polls. The hosts raced out to a 14-2 lead and never looking back. Attackman Dante Kulas had a career-best game with five goals, three assists and eight points. Midfielder Jack Aimone, who along with Kulas was making his first collegiate start, had a hat trick, while attackmen Brian Cameron and Ross Scott also added three goals. Overall, Rutgers starting attack combined for 11 goals, despite none playing in the fourth quarter.
In his 10-game Rutgers' career, Dante Kulas has taken 19 shots. 16 of those shots have been on the goal, and 14 of them are goals (74% of his shots for goals).
On the defensive end, Bobby Russo starred with three caused turnovers and four ground balls. Jonathan Dugenio was 16-of-24 at the faceoff 'x', and Kyle Mullin made 10 save and allowed just seven goals in his debut in cage for RU.
The Scarlet Knights played 40 student-athletes overall, with five making their collegiate debuts, along with all eight transfers for RU making their first appearance for the Scarlet Knights.
Ethan Rall, Ross Scott and Shane Knobloch, Rutgers' top trio in preseason accolades, as they all were named Preseason All-Americans by multiple publications, were named to the Tewaaraton Award Watch List on Friday. RU's 3 players were the second most of any school listed in the initial listing.
| WITH A VICTORY |
A win over Stony Brook would represent:
• Three straight wins versus Stony Brook (eighth win overall).
• 2-0 start to the season for the eighth straight season (since 2016).
| MILESTONE WATCH |
Ethan Rall enters the game with 65 caused turnovers. That is third among RU players since the stat began being tracked in 2006. Two more CTs will tie him for second with Jacob Fradkin (2009-12).
Ross Scott enters the weekend with 98 points, two shy of 100. He has 98 points in 39 career games.
Brian Cameron enters the weekend with 96 points, four shy of 100. He has 47 points in 19 games at RU after 49 points in 38 games at UNC.
| ABOUT THE SERIES |
Rutgers enters the matchup with a 7-6 lifetime record against Stony Brook. RU won five of the first six games, then came a five-game winning streak for the Seawolves. RU has claimed the last two games. Last season, RU went on the road and held off a late SBU charge to hold on to a 17-16 win. Returners Ross Scott (four goals) plus Brian Cameron and Shane Knobloch (each with a hat trick) had big performances in that game. RU used a 6-1 scoring run for a 17-12 lead, then had to have a final stand on the last play of a one-goal game. In the game's final seconds, Colin Kirst made a save with just 12 seconds remaining, and Ethan Rall scooped the ground ball and ran out the clock to set off the celebration. In 2017, the last time Stony Brook tripped to SHI Stadium, Rutgers had a dominant 17-4 win behind 10 different goal scorers, led by three goals by then-freshman Kieran Mullins and sophomore Casey Rose.
| ABOUT THE OPPONENT |
Stony Brook will be playing their season opener against the 1-0 RU squad. SBU was picked fourth in the CAA Preseason Poll, joining a new league this year after playing in the America East last season. Attackman Dylan Pallonetti, (team's leader in goals in 2022 and was an All-America East First Team selection) earned Preseason All-CAA honors. Midfielder Matt Anderson (All-America East Second Team last year) and defenseman Michael Sabella also earned preseason All-CAA honors. The Seawolves were 9-5 last season (4-2 in America East play). Anthony Palma was Stony Brook's starting goalkeeper for the past two seasons, with a 16-9 record, prior to transferring to Rutgers for this season.
| QUOTABLE |
"We've had great practices all through the fall as we prepared for the season. Our offense performed well last week. We were playing well as a team, playing within the system. We've got some highly skilled players on that offensive end."
- Sophomore Attackman Dante Kulas
