BINGHAMTON – The St. Bonaventure and Binghamton men's lacrosse rivalry is a short one – just four games counting Saturday's action.
But what the Southern Tier foes lack in volume of games against each other they more than make up for in drama.
After the previous three meetings in consecutive years all went the way of the Bearcats in overtime, the Bonnies put themselves on the smiling side of a thriller as they battled back for a 10-9 victory at the Bearcats Sports Complex.
Sophomore Cole Kucinski powered the Bona attack with a career day, scoring five goals as part of his first collegiate multi-goal effort.
SBU (1-1) led by a single tally at intermission, but Binghamton posted four of the game's next five goals to take an 8-6 advantage with under eight minutes to play.
Graduate attacker Onenioteko:wa Maracle stopped the Bearcat roll and Kucinski's fifth goal of the day knotted things at 8-all with 7:25 to go on back-to-back Bonnies goals separated by just 34 seconds.
The tie remained for over four minutes when senior transfer Blake Maracle put the Bonnies ahead on a sequence that started with a shot blocked in front of the Bona net, allowing goalie Isaac Farmer to send outlet ahead to Benny Carter near midfield. Carter grabbed the loose ball off the carpet after a battle with a BU midfielder and fired to a wide open Maracle who did the rest with a shot over the shoulder of Binghamton's goalie for a 9-8 lead with 3:01 to go.
Patrick Shanahan added breathing room on his unassisted tally with 1:47 remaining, but Binghamton had one last surge as the hosts scored with a little over seven seconds on the clock.
Jeremy Askin won the ensuing faceoff on a Bearcats violation at the X, though, allowing the Bonnies to breathe a sigh of relief with their first victory of 2026.
Kucinski improved upon his scoring output from his entire freshman season before Saturday's game was one half old.
The Crofton, MD native tallied his first career hat trick before the break, helping to power the Bonnies to a lead at intermission.
Redshirt sophomore John Boomer netted his second goal of the season during a first half flourish that saw the visitors race in front while Blake Maracle delivered his first Division I goal as well with the Bonnies grabbing a 5-4 lead at halftime.
Binghamton (0-2) seemingly had things in control following a short-handed goal to go up 8-6 four minutes into the final quarter before the Bonnies responded.
Farmer turned away 15 shots to earn the win in net while Askin won 12 faceoffs to help set up the Bona attack.
QUOTES FROM HEAD COACH BRENDAN STORRIER
"This was a total team victory. Special teams, defense and offense supported each other and stepped up when we needed it. I'm happy for Cole Kucinski and Jeremy Askin and see them step up and have a lot of success today. Isaac Farmer was his usual self and backstopped a tough defensive unit."
UP NEXT
The Bonnies debut at home Tuesday afternoon on the Marra Athletics Complex turf vs. Robert Morris. First faceoff is scheduled for 1 p.m.
GAME NOTES
- Saturday's game marked the first win for Storrier as head coach of the Bonnies and first at the Division I level after enjoying much success in the D-II ranks. He scored 75 wins in charge of Limestone and Mars Hill programs over seven seasons prior to taking command of the Bona program this past summer.
- In addition to Kucinski's career-high five goals, Blake Maracle added two goals and an assist for three points. Carter also chipped in two assists.
- Kucinski finished his freshman season with three points (2G-1A).
- Jake Polizzi and Jonas Johnson also registered their first assists in Bonnies uniforms.
- Askin picked up six groundballs and caused a turnover along with his success at the faceoff dot. His 12 faceoff wins are a new career-best.
- Binghamton won last year's game at SBU, 6-5, as the third straight overtime triumph for the Bearcats in the series before the Bonnies notched their first win over their Southern Tier rival in Saturday's contest.
- Saturday also marked Bona's first-ever win against an America East opponent.
- Farmer tallied 15 or more saves for the third time in his career. His career-high of 20 saves came in last year's game vs. Binghamton.
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