The University of Mary Washington men's lacrosse team dropped an 18-17 thriller at Stockton University on Saturday afternoon in New Jersey. The Eagles slip to 6-5 on the season.

As an 18-17 score would indicate, both teams started swiftly. Stockton opened the scoring in the first minute of play, and the Eagles tied the score at 11:45 on a score from Logan Cardwell. The Ospreys went back ahead 36 seconds later, but the Eagles responded just six seconds after that, as Dave Votapek knotted the score at 11:03. From there, Stockton scored five of the next six, with Jackson Popeck connecting for the Eagles, and UMW capped the frantic first quarter with a Patton Robertson goal, and trailed, 7-4, after 15 minutes.

The Eagles forged ahead in the second as the pace continued to come fast. After a Stockton goal to open the scoring, the Eagles scored seven straight goals to take an 11-8 lead, including six in the final four minutes. Votapek led the way with four goals in the run, with Popeck, James Milligan, and Henry Moag adding one each. The hosts scored in the final minute to draw to within 11-9 at halftime.

Stockton scored first to start the third quarter, but the Eagles used goals from Reece Stone and Popeck to extend the lead to 13-10, before three straight Osprey goals tied the score heading to the fourth quarter. 

In the final frame, Stockton jumped ahead with a pair of scores, but Cardwell and Jacob Fowler each scored to tie the score at 15 with 11:57 left. Two more Stockton goals put them ahead to stay, as the Eagles sandwiched a pair of goals from Jackson Rhodes and Moag around an Osprey score that would prove to be the game winner.

Stockton led in shots, 47-44, and the Eagles led in ground balls, 32-29. Junior goalie Wyatt Martin made 10 saves for the Eagles for the day.

The Eagles will return to action on April 6 when they host Montclair State University at 12:00 p.m.