The St. Mary's Saints once again proved they are more than just a dynamic offensive duo of Chris Sommers and Justin Mullen.

St. Mary's also has something else -- goalkeeper Chris Garrity.

And Garrity was the difference yesterday, particularly in the third quarter, when his five saves spurred the sixth-ranked Saints to a come-from-behind 10-8 win over No. 2 Boys' Latin in a Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference game at Weems Whelan Field.

Garrity allowed only one goal over the final 24 minutes and his play at the start of the third period proved most critical, as he turned away three close-range shots by Boys' Latin that kept the Saints' deficit at two goals. Garrity also got some help from his defenders, who forced the Lakers (12-3) into shots that were easily savable.

"We knew we had to come out with more intensity in the second half," said Garrity, who finished with 13 saves. "The defense did a great job in giving me shots that I could handle."

The Saints (8-3) then rallied behind playmakers Sommers and Mullen, who combined for three goals and an assist during a four-goal run that put St. Mary's ahead to stay, 9-8, with five minutes left in the third period.

Mullen began the spurt by converting off a pass from Andrew Jacobs to cut St. Mary's deficit to 7-6 and Sommers followed with a goal 12 seconds later to force the game's fourth tie at 7-7. After Boys' Latin went back in front on a goal by Brian Nee, Sommers fed Jacobs for a goal before Mullen struck again for the eventual game-winner, 9-8.

"Chris and I just decided to slow it down a little bit and just put shots on goal because their goalie wasn't making many saves," said Sommers, who had three goals along with an assist.

Said Lakers coach Bob Shriver: "I really think their goalie spooked our kids. He's very talented but we tried to be too fine. We rushed around the goal."

And while this wasn't a divisional game, it was still one St. Mary's felt it needed.

"If we can keep winning, we can potentially get a bye in the playoffs. So this was important," said St. Mary's coach Jim Moorhead, whose team needs only to win one of its two meetings with Severn to clinch the MIAA A Conference Division II title.

For a half, Boys' Latin looked like the better team. The Lakers outworked the Saints to a majority of the ground balls and they converted on seven of 15 shots on the way to a 7-5 lead at halftime.

But the Lakers didn't maintain their offensive flow in the second half. They missed their final 12 shots and were hurt by three turnovers late in the fourth period. Most important, Boys' Latin's top attackman, Dan LaMonica, was a non-factor in the second half as he was held to only three shots.

"I was awful," LaMonica said. "Their defenders did well but I couldn't do anything. I couldn't hold on to the ball. I couldn't shoot. There were a lot of opportunities but it was frustrating."