When Stony Brook took on Northwestern in early March, the Seawolves struggled to control the game at the start.
One quarter in, the Wildcats led 4-2. By halftime, it was 9-4. Stony Brook put together a strong final 30 minutes, outscoring Northwestern 8-7, but the damage had been done. The Seawolves headed home an even 2-2 on the season.
“That [loss] pushed us more, because if we had come out strong, I think we could have had a much better success rate,” sophomore midfielder Ellie Masera said. “Learning from that, we all wanted to come out stronger to snatch the win because we didn’t … We’re kind of scarred from not playing well in the first half.”
Disappointed with their first half play against Northwestern, the Seawolves turned it into motivation. Stony Brook has played fiery, overwhelming first halves against every opponent they’ve faced since, never once trailing at the half. Powered by these strong starts, the Seawolves have gone a 6-0 since their loss to the Wildcats — including victories over ranked opponents Johns Hopkins and Princeton.
Coach Joe Spallina said Stony Brook’s offensive consistency throughout entire games — not just those dominant starts — has been central to success. Decreasing turnovers, winning more ground ball battles, making smart decisions and growing more comfortable on the field have contributed to the team’s success as well, he said.
Offensively, the Seawolves have certainly shifted since last season. Ally Kennedy and Taryn Ohlmiller, the program’s top scorers in 2021, both graduated. Masera, junior attacker Kailyn Hart and graduate midfielder Siobhan Rafferty are among the offensive leaders who have stepped up in their places.
Spallina said he knew it would take time for this year’s offensive unit to grow more comfortable, but facing tough early opponents “accelerated the learning curve” for Stony Brook’s younger players.
“Our kids are playing at a really high level,” Spallina said. “They’re growing up. They’ve been in a lot of big games early in the year, and they’ve been in a lot of different situations. It’s allowed them to relax and play to their skill sets. Now, we’re starting to hit our stride at the right time of the year.”
While the Seawolves’ offense has grown and improved, their defense has held strong throughout the season. Stony Brook currently ranks second nationally in scoring defense, anchored by a core of veteran leaders like graduate defender Haley Dillon and graduate midfielder Rayna Sabella. Younger players like Masera and sophomore defender Clare Levy — who Spallina feels is one of the top five defenders in the country — have made an impact, too.
Dillon, who ranks seventh nationally in caused turnovers per game, only played in two games in 2021 before suffering a season-ending ACL injury. Sabella took her place on the Seawolves’ defense, going on to earn America East Co-Defensive Player of the Year honors. Sabella has taken on more of a two-way role as a midfielder this season, but she and Dillon have been clicking well on defense because of their close knowledge of each other’s roles.
Now, as the postseason looms, Stony Brook is without a conference tournament to play in. The America East denied all Stony Brook teams the ability to play for conference championships because of their move to the Colonial Athletic Association in fall 2022.
Masera said the inability to play in the conference tournament is especially disappointing for players, especially seniors, but it has pushed them to work hard to pick up wins and earn an at-large bid.
Spallina called the America East’s decision “pathetic,” saying it isn’t in the interest of student-athletes. So, Stony Brook has operated somewhat like an independent this season, he said, focusing on picking up ranked wins and securing a strong RPI. It’s also pushed the team to stay in the moment each day.
“I say this all the time: be where our feet are,” Spallina said. “We can’t be looking down the road [from] here. We’ve got to be where our feet are and maximize every day that we have, and just keep getting better.”