Cortland Routs Potsdam in SUNYAC Semis
from press release
CORTLAND, N.Y. – The nationally fourth-ranked
Cortland men's lacrosse team scored 14 consecutive goals and held
Potsdam scoreless over a 41 minute, 27 second stretch spanning the
first through fourth quarters and defeated the Bears, 17-2, in the
SUNYAC Semifinals Wednesday afternoon at the SUNY Cortland Stadium
Complex. The Red Dragons improved to 14-2 with the win and host
Geneseo in the conference final Saturday at 3:30 p.m. with the
winner receiving an automatic NCAA Div. III playoff berth. The
Bears dropped to 7-8 with the loss.
Junior Jay DiStefano (Huntington/Harborfields) led 11 different
Cortland goal scorers with four goals and one assist. Senior Tom
Burke (Massapequa) contributed two goals, three assists and a
game-high six ground balls. Juniors Pat Hayes (Mastic/Eastport
South Manor) and Brian Donahue (Camillus/West Genesee) each scored
two goals, sophomore Mike Tota (Webster/Webster Schroeder) added a
goal and two assists and junior Zack Mulvaney (Deferiet/Carthage)
and sophomore Greg Wright (Irondequoit) had one goal and one assist
apiece.
Seniors Chris Dutkowsky (Vestal), Brian Krol (Niskayuna) and
Brandon Misiaszek (New Hartford) and sophomore Sean Davern
(Irondequoit) recorded one goal each. Junior Chris DeLuca
(Sayville) won 10-of-12 faceoffs and recorded his 100th career
point with an assist, and junior Neal Hopps (Akwesasne/Massena)
chipped in with two assists. Freshman goalie Mike Kaminski
(Sayville) made six saves and allowed one goal through three
quarters before giving way to freshman Bobby Whitmarsh
(Smithtown/Smithtown East), who stopped one shot and gave up one
goal in the fourth quarter.
Junior Sean McAuliffe (Watertown) and sophomore Ryan Paparella
(Whitesboro) scored Potsdam's goals with freshman Robbie Ashlaw
(North Syracuse/Cicero-North Syracuse) collecting an assist. Senior
Billy Richards (Niskayuna) surrendered 15 goals and stopped nine
shots in the first three quarters. Junior Pat Corbine (Canton) made
two saves and allowed no goals in 7:30, while freshman Stefan Sloma
(Niskayuna) gave up two goals in 7:30.
The first quarter was played at a controlled pace where turnovers
outnumbered goals. Cortland eventually opened the scoring at 4:29
on Tota's man-up goal. Burke made it a 2-0 game at 2:16 before
Paparella scored at 54 seconds and Cortland led, 2-1, through the
first 15 minutes. From that point, the Red Dragons dominated.
Cortland outscored Potsdam, 8-0, in the second quarter for a
commanding 10-1 lead at the half. The Red Dragons found the back of
the net three times in the first three minutes of the quarter, then
rattled off five goals in the closing three and a half minutes for
their nine-goal advantage. It was more of the same in the third
quarter as Cortland held a 5-0 scoring edge with DiStefano and
Hayes each scoring twice.
Donahue stretched Cortland's lead to 16-1 at the 5:32 mark of the
fourth quarter, and McAuliffe finally ended Potsdam's scoring
drought with a man-up goal at 4:27. Donahue finished the scoring at
3:08 for the final of 17-2.
The Red Dragons out shot the Bears, 44-16, held a 36-19 advantage
in ground balls, were perfect on 21 clear attempts and won 17-of-23
faceoffs in the game.
