May 20, 2007
Last year's Division III men's final between Cortland and Salisbury was a classic. It was David versus Goliath, with David catching a couple of breaks and showing some big stones as Cortland sprung the 13-12, overtime victory.
It appeared as though it would be a one-time engagement.
Sure, Salisbury would be back in title game. It seemingly always is. Saturday's 9-6 victory over Gettysburg in the first semifinal was the Gulls' narrowest win of the year, but Salisbury was never really in trouble in that game.
Cortland? After three one-goal losses along with a two-goal setback in the first half of the season, the Red Dragons were 3-4 and on life support. A loss in the SUNYAC title game perched them precariously upon the bubble, but it managed not to break. Two road tournament wins set the stage for Sunday's game at Wesleyan, with a trip to Baltimore -- and a date with Salisbury -- on the line.
The routes taken by the two teams were vastly different, but the Red Dragons' 9-8 win over Wesleyan ensures the '06 D-III championship game will be reprised next Sunday at M&T Bank Stadium.
Cortland-Salisbury. Part Deux.
Sunday's Cortland-Wesleyan semifinal tilt was also a rematch. The two met in last year's semis, with the Red Dragons taking a 7-6 overtime victory. That game was at Cortland, and with Wesleyan hosting this one, the outcome was expected to be different.
It was a tight start, with Wesleyan (18-3) holding a 2-1 lead until Cortland (15-5) put together a three-goal skein late in the first quarter. Adam Hyde started it, followed by Josh Cittadino just before the end of the first. Nearly 10 minutes into the second frame, Mike Felice capped the run to give the Dragons a 4-2 edge.
The Cardinals would counter, scoring three straight to end the half and then open the third with a Jon Killeen marker to resume the lead, 6-4. At this point the Cortland offense, which Wesleyan coach John Raba labeled the best in the country, took over.
Billy Fuchs posted his hat trick in a 5-0 run for the Red Dragons, giving the visitors a 9-6 lead midway through the fourth quarter. Wesleyan's game philosophy is not focused on late-game comebacks, and the Cardinals managed just two goals in the waning minutes to trim the margin to one. But that was all.
Fuchs finished with three goals while Ryan Heath added two more. Felice ended with two goals and two helpers. Michael Robinson made seven of his 10 saves in the first half for the win. Mike Hines and Jason Ben-Eliyahu potted a pair for the Cardinals and Charlie Congleton finished with a dozen stops.
The defending champions have earned the right to defend their crown. It's hard to believe, but the Red Dragons will be bigger underdogs than they were last Memorial Day.
