Powered by 10 points on six goals and four assists from Ellie Masera, Stony Brook toppled Niagara 19-7 Friday afternoon at SU Soccer Stadium on the campus of Syracuse University in the first round of the NCAA tournament.
Alex Finn registered three goals and one assist for Stony Brook (18-2), which extended its winning streak to 13 games after scoring the game’s first five goals and never relenting.
Masera’s 10 points and six goals are second-most in Stony Brook’s single-game NCAA tournament history. Masera has 114 points in 2024, a new Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) single-season mark.
The dominant, history-making effort continued what has been a banner week for Masera. She was named the Most Outstanding Player of the CAA tournament on Saturday. She was picked third overall in Wednesday’s Athletes Unlimited Lacrosse draft. Masera was named a first-team All-American by USA Lacrosse and a Tewaaraton Award finalist on Thursday.
Masera’s pro career and Tewaaraton fate can wait, though. Stony Brook will play in the second round for the 11th NCAA tournament in a row since securing its first bid in 2013. The Seawolves have won 10 NCAA first-round games, having received a first-round bye as the No. 6 seed in 2015. Stony Brook has played in the NCAA quarterfinal round four times, the last coming in 2022.
To get there again, Stony Brook must beat third-seeded Syracuse on the road for the second time this spring. The teams played on March 5 at the JMA Wireless Dome in Syracuse, and in one of the best non-conference games of the season, Stony Brook won 13-12 on an overtime goal by — guess who? — Masera.
Niagara was making its NCAA tournament debut after winning the program’s first MAAC championship on Sunday, upsetting top-seeded Fairfield in the tournament final. The Purple Eagles’ season ends at 16-3, with those 16 wins setting a new program record.
