Skyline Conference semifinals:
Kean 7, Stockton 6

Brendan McCarthy

Boxscore
Second-seeded Richard Stockton (9-5) yielded two goals in the final 31 seconds and fell to third-seeded Kean (12-6) 7-6 in a Skyline Conference tournament semifinal. Brendan McCarthy (Howell/Howell) and Matt Bell (Jackson/Jackson) scored two goals apiece while Keith Bologno (Glen Gardner/Voorhees) dished four assists for the Ospreys. Stockton goalkeeper Pete Marcelliano (Morristown/Mendham) recorded eight saves.

After Kean opened the scoring midway through the first quarter, Bell answered for Stockton to tie the game at 1-1. Kean took a 2-1 lead before Matt Bologno (Glen Gardner/Voorhees) netted the only goal of the second quarter for a 2-2 deadlock at intermission. Kean went ahead 3-2 four minutes into the second half, but Chris Thomas (Toms River/TR South) carried the ball from the defensive end and answered for Stockton to produce a 3-3 tie.

Kean ended the run of alternating goals with two straight tallies for a 5-3 lead at the end of the third quarter. After Bell netted his second of the game to get Stockton within 5-4, McCarthy hit the back of the net to tie the match at 5-5 with 3:25 remaining. Just 58 seconds later, McCarthy struck again to give Stockton its first lead of the game at 6-5 with 2:27 to play.

The Ospreys were less than a minute away from their second come-from-behind victory over Kean this week when the Cougars scored with 31 seconds remaining to knot the game at 6-6. Kean then won the ensuing faceoff, streaked down the field and scored the game-winner with 24 ticks on the clock to deal Stockton the heartbreaking 7-6 defeat.