Losing never felt this good.

Despite dropping an 11-8 decision to Stony Brook on Saturday, the Binghamton men’s lacrosse team locked up a berth in the America East playoffs.

The Bearcats (3-8, 2-2 AE) netted the game’s opening score, but eight seconds later Stony Brook junior attack Bo Tripodi answered and started a streak of five straight Seawolf goals. Tripodi, the Seawolves’ leading scorer, had four goals on the day. BU senior attack Rob Williams also scored four times, including three in a row in the third period as part of a 4-0 Bearcat run, which brought them within two at 8-6 after having been behind as much as six goals.

‘I had the easy job ‘ I just had to put the ball in the net,’ Williams said. ‘Jake Boyce and Chris Mulheron gave me some good looks ‘ I think anyone on the team could have buried those shots.’

Stony Brook (7-3, 2-2) kept the pressure up offensively, however, as senior attack Sean Chamberlain scored his third goal of the game in the fourth quarter to give the Seawolves a four-goal lead. Binghamton would score once more with under three minutes remaining, but it was not enough as the Bearcats dropped their third straight contest.

‘We came out flat in the first half and if you want to win games, you have to put together a full 60 minutes, and we haven’t done that in the past couple of games,’ said senior captain Matt McNamara.

Junior goalkeeper Jeff Walker, who had taken over as the starter after coming in late and performing well in Binghamton’s previous game, a double-overtime loss to No. 15 UMBC, was removed in the fourth quarter in favor of the man he had just replaced, redshirt sophomore Larry Kline.

‘It was just like UMBC ‘ we needed to change something to spark everyone else on the team, and sometimes pulling out the goalie does that ’cause it just shocks everyone,’ Kline said.

Who starts the next game in goal will be determined by how things go in practice this week.

Senior Brendan Callahan recorded 15 saves for Stony Brook.

In the faceoff circle, sophomore J.P. Wioncek won 13 of 23 for the Bearcats against Stony Brook senior Jim Astea, whom Wioncek also beat last season.

Binghamton, despite having lost three in a row, is now guaranteed a playoff spot, though its seed will be determined after this weekend’s home matchup with the nation’s No. 6 team and conference tournament host Albany.

With the win the Seawolves now control their playoff destiny, taking on playoff bound No. 14 UMBC this weekend. If Stony Brook loses and Hartford (1-3, 2-11) beats last place Vermont (0-4, 3-10), the Hawks would make the playoffs and the Seawolves’ season would be over.

Despite having made the playoffs, more than one Bearcat said the team’s focus is consistency over the entire 60 minutes entering the final weekend of the regular season and in preparation for the second season.

‘We put together a great third quarter and now we feel like if we play like that the entire game then we’re going to get wins,’ McNamara said.

‘We’re just looking to put 60 minutes together, if we can ‘ we feel real confident coming out with the Ws in those games,’ Williams said.