STONY BROOK, NY—NJIT men's lacrosse made its debut Friday afternoon as a varsity intercollegiate sport and the fledgling Highlanders absorbed an 18-4 loss against the well-established Seawolves of Stony Brook in Kenneth P. LaValle Stadium on the SBU campus in Suffolk County, Long Island.
 
The Seawolves poured six goals into the net against the visiting Highlanders in the opening quarter and the home team added two more goals in the second period on a frigid afternoon before NJIT got its historic first all-time goal. The honors went to freshman Tyler Baggett, who scored an even-strength unassisted goal at the 8:14 mark of the second period.
 
Neither team scored again in the second period, meaning NJIT's deficit for the quarter was just 2-1 after the overwhelming opening period.
 
However, the Seawolves expanded their lead with a 5-0 third quarter to go up 13-1 when the buzzer sounded. As in the second quarter, the fourth was closer, with the Highlanders collecting three goals in the closing 15 minutes to five for SBU and the 18-4 final score.
 
NJIT got its last three goals in a span of 2:47 in the fourth, with John Roach scoring on an assist by Gabe Giovanello; Baggett adding a second unassisted goal; and, Joe Lomeli netting the final man-up tally for the Highlanders, assisted by Conor Lally.
 
Stony Brook, 2-1 following the victory over NJIT, got goals from 10 different players, led by four from Matt Schultz, three from Alex Corpolongo, and two each from Brody Eastwood and Challen Rogers. Six others got a goal each and there was one "team" goal for SBU.
 
Jake Sheets had three assists for the winners, while Rogers and Schultz each collected two assists.
 
Stony Brook used three different goalkeepers, with starter Hayden Johnstone getting the win. He allowed one goal in 26:54. Brandon Maciejewski played the last 3:06 of the opening half and didn't allow a goal and Patrick Fleming went the entire 30 minutes of the second half and allowed three goals. Maciejewski and Fleming each made one save. 
For NJIT, Nick Marzullo went the entire 60 minutes in goal and made nine saves.
 
Every player with either a shot, a goal, an assist, or a save for NJIT in the opening game is a freshman, Indeed, 23 of the 25 men on the roster for NJIT coach Travis Johnson are freshmen.
 
In contrast, Stony Brook, with a well-established program, has a more traditional class breakdown; Schultz (4 goals) is a junior, Corpolongo (3 goals) is a sophomore, and Eastwood and Rogers (2 goals each) are juniors.,
 
Stony Brook, expected to be a formidable opponent, played in the NCAA Division I postseason tournament as recently as 2012 and last season reached the 2104 America East Conference championship game, losing to UAlbany (ranked #18 in the nation) in overtime, 17-16.
 
The next game for the Highlanders is next Saturday, February 28, with a noon start vs. Quinnipiac in the first every varsity home game for men's lacrosse. The game on Lubetkin Field at Mal Simon Stadium is the first of four straight at home and the first of six overall home games on the 2015 schedule.
 
Quinnipiac, 6-8 in 2014, is scheduled to open the 2015 season at Brown on February 21.