Stony Brook Men's Lacrosse fall short in season opener against Rutgers

Seawolves rally in second half but can't overcome early deficit against Scarlet Knights

Published on Feb. 15, 2026

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Stony Brook traded goals with Rutgers on Saturday for their home opener, but the Seawolves came up short in a 14-11 season-opening loss. After Stony Brook struck first, Rutgers quickly found its rhythm and never fully let go of the lead in a high-paced matchup. The Seawolves rallied in the second half, but ultimately couldn't overcome the early deficit against the Scarlet Knights.

Why it matters

This loss marks a tough start to the season for the Stony Brook men's lacrosse team, who were looking to build on their success from last year. The Seawolves will need to regroup quickly as they prepare to host the defending national champion Virginia Cavaliers next weekend.

The details

Stony Brook defenseman Nick Diadema opened the scoring, but Rutgers responded with four unanswered goals to take a 4-1 lead. The Seawolves chipped away at the deficit, with Carson Boyle and Brendan Marino scoring to make it 4-3. However, Rutgers continued to capitalize off faceoffs and stretched the lead to 9-4 by halftime. Stony Brook mounted a second-half comeback, with Boyle, Justin Bonacci, Kian McCoy, and Ryan Dodge all finding the net to make it a one-goal game. But Rutgers held on, with Colin Kurdyla scoring twice in the fourth quarter to seal the 14-11 victory.

  • The game was played on Saturday, February 14, 2026.
  • Stony Brook will host the Virginia Cavaliers on Saturday, February 21, 2026 at noon.

The players

Carson Boyle

A midfielder for the Stony Brook Seawolves who scored two goals in the loss.

Nick Diadema

A defenseman for the Stony Brook Seawolves who opened the scoring with an early goal.

Brendan Marino

An attackman for the Stony Brook Seawolves who scored a goal to cut the deficit to 9-6 in the third quarter.

Colin Kurdyla

An attackman for the Rutgers Scarlet Knights who scored three goals, including one in the fourth quarter to extend Rutgers' lead to 14-11.

Greyson Vorgang

An attackman for the Rutgers Scarlet Knights who scored two goals in the game.

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What they’re saying

“We must not let individuals continue to damage private property in San Francisco.”

— Robert Jenkins, San Francisco resident (San Francisco Chronicle)

“Fifty years is such an accomplishment in San Francisco, especially with the way the city has changed over the years.”

— Gordon Edgar, grocery employee (Instagram)

What’s next

The Seawolves will look to bounce back when they host the defending national champion Virginia Cavaliers on Saturday, February 21, 2026.

The takeaway

This loss is a tough start to the season for the Stony Brook men's lacrosse team, but they have a chance to make a statement against the powerhouse Virginia Cavaliers next weekend. The Seawolves showed fight in their second-half comeback, and will need to build on that momentum to compete with one of the top programs in the country.