KINGS POINT, N.Y. (Feb. 14, 2026) – The U.S. Merchant Marine Academy men's lacrosse team opened the 2026 season with an 18-9 win over Moravian at home on Saturday afternoon at Brooks Stadium. The Mariners jumped out early and maintained control throughout, scoring six times in the first quarter and carrying that momentum across all four periods, building separation with repeated scoring runs.
 
Game Links

• Box Score
• WATCH: Postgame Interview With Tucker Kuhn
• WATCH: Postgame Interview With Owen Barcus 

Two players recorded a game-high eight points apiece, as junior Owen Behr (Vestavia Hills, Ala.) had six goals and two assists and senior William Badeer (Pittsburgh, Pa.) found the back of the net three times and dished out five helpers. Senior Owen Barcus (Annapolis, Md.) was also a force offensively with seven points on five goals and two assists, while freshmen Ryan and Dylan Sullivan (Warwick, R.I.) both finished their collegiate debuts with three points on two goals and one assist each. Barcus also led all players with two caused turnovers on the day.
 
Sophomore Tucker Kuhn (Towson, Md.) was sensational in the face-off X, winning 21-of-26 draws and picking up a game-high 14 ground balls. Dylan Sullivan, senior Michael Hofstetter (Deer Park, N.Y.) and sophomores William Schipfer (Colorado Springs, Colo.) and Julian Lopez (Lancaster, Pa.) all scooped up four GBs apiece.
 
In net, senior Tucker Swinerton (Weston, Fla.) made four saves in just over three quarters of action, while sophomore Jack Stehlik (Hood River, Ore.) came in for the final 10+ minutes and stopped three Greyhound shots.
 
The tone was established immediately. After winning the opening faceoff, the Mariners struck first and never let up. A three-goal burst in just over two minutes midway through the first quarter turned a 1-0 edge into a 4-0 advantage, and the run continued from there. Behr scored twice during the surge, and by the 1:38 mark of the first quarter, USMMA had rattled off six unanswered goals to close the frame up 6-0.The early faceoff control (23-31 on the day) and ground ball dominance (51-17) consistently tilted possessions in KP's favor.
 
The second quarter featured another decisive swing. After Moravian briefly trimmed into the margin, the Mariners responded with a 3-0 run, highlighted by consecutive tallies from Barcus and a finish from Behr to stretch the lead to 9-0. Later in the quarter, with the Greyhounds converting twice during extra-man opportunities, Kings Point answered again, stacking three more goals in a span of under four minutes to push the game to 12-2 before halftime. Each push by Moravian was met with an immediate counter, preventing any sustained momentum swing.
 
The third quarter followed a similar script. The Greyhounds pieced together a quick three-goal burst to cut the margin to 14-6, but the Mariners erased that momentum with a 3-0 run of their own late in the period. Barcus and Ryan Sullivan were central in that stretch, connecting on back-to-back scores before another finish pushed the advantage to 17-6 entering the final quarter. Behr's steady production throughout the afternoon, including multiple multi-goal stretches, kept the offense efficient and consistent.
 
With an 18-6 lead early in the fourth after another quick response goal, the final minutes were about management and depth. USMMA finished with advantages in shots (57-29), shots on goal (33-16), face-offs (23-8), and ground balls (51-17), reinforcing the story of the afternoon: extended scoring runs, possession control, and immediate responses whenever momentum threatened to shift.
 
The Greyhounds were led by Nick Coffaro and Jack Minetti, who paced the offense with four points each, both scoring two goals and dishing out two assists apiece. Minetti also added a team-best four ground balls. Owen Deady won six face-offs and five players recorded one caused turnover each. Liam Kelly made 15 saves between the pipes in the losing effort.
 
The Mariners return to action next Saturday, Feb. 21, when they travel to Madison, N.J., to face Drew University. Opening face-off is scheduled for 12-noon at Drew's Ranger Stadium.
 
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