May 3, 2014
Cortland staves off Plattsburgh rally to win SUNYAC Men's Lacrosse title
CORTLAND, N.Y. – Cortland (15-3) held off a furious fourth-quarter comeback attempt by Plattsburgh (13-6) to eke out an 11-10 victory over the Cardinals and capture the 2014 State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) Men's Lacrosse Championship on Saturday, May 3, in Cortland, N.Y.
The title marks the 21st overall for the Red Dragons and seventh straight dating back to 2008. Cortland has won 13 of 15 SUNYAC Championships since 2000.
Nine different players scored goals for the Red Dragons who were led by Zach Hopps and his four-point effort. He recorded a hat-trick and added an assist to lead the Red Dragons to the one-goal victory. Mike Cantelli recorded a goal and two assists for a three-point effort.
Robbie Ashlaw led Plattsburgh with four goals and an assist for a five-point game, while Tim Lawrence and Anthony Pafundi had two goals apiece.
Lawrence also had an assist to complete a three-point afternoon.
In a game that featured strong runs and wicked momentum shifts, the Red Dragons jumped out to a 4-0 lead during the first 16:00 of the contest, but Plattsburgh would counter by scoring five of the next six goals and the teams seemed destined for a 5-5 halftime draw.
However, Matt Rakoczy powered in an unassisted goal for Cortland with :09 left in the opening half and the Red Dragons would take a lead they would not relinquish.
Cortland would score five of the next six goals to take a seemingly insurmountable 11-6 lead, the last coming from Nate Beresovoy with 4:57 left in the third. It was the last goal Cortland would score.
The Cardinals rallied for the final four goals of the game – two from Pafundi and two from Ashlaw – to cut the deficit to one with 1:24 to play.
Plattsburgh had a final opportunity with :06 left in regulation when Brendan Damm fired a potential game-tying shot at the corner of the net. The Cardinals and their fans celebrated what seemed to be the tying goal but the ball hit on the outside part of the net where goalie Scott Tota – the tournament MVP – collected it and then heaved the ball down the field to run out the clock.
2014 SUNYAC Men's Lacrosse Championship All-Tournament Team
Cortalnd - Scott Tota (MVP), Stephen Burke, Matt Rackoczy, Zach Hopps, J.T. Foltz
Plattsburgh – Robbie Ashlaw, Courtney Cox, Frank Gargiulo
Oneonta - Brandon Hickey, Danny Stern
Potsdam - Rob Kunz, Ryan Duffy
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The title marks the 21st overall for the Red Dragons and seventh straight dating back to 2008. Cortland has won 13 of 15 SUNYAC Championships since 2000.
Nine different players scored goals for the Red Dragons who were led by Zach Hopps and his four-point effort. He recorded a hat-trick and added an assist to lead the Red Dragons to the one-goal victory. Mike Cantelli recorded a goal and two assists for a three-point effort.
Robbie Ashlaw led Plattsburgh with four goals and an assist for a five-point game, while Tim Lawrence and Anthony Pafundi had two goals apiece.
Lawrence also had an assist to complete a three-point afternoon.
In a game that featured strong runs and wicked momentum shifts, the Red Dragons jumped out to a 4-0 lead during the first 16:00 of the contest, but Plattsburgh would counter by scoring five of the next six goals and the teams seemed destined for a 5-5 halftime draw.
However, Matt Rakoczy powered in an unassisted goal for Cortland with :09 left in the opening half and the Red Dragons would take a lead they would not relinquish.
Cortland would score five of the next six goals to take a seemingly insurmountable 11-6 lead, the last coming from Nate Beresovoy with 4:57 left in the third. It was the last goal Cortland would score.
The Cardinals rallied for the final four goals of the game – two from Pafundi and two from Ashlaw – to cut the deficit to one with 1:24 to play.
Plattsburgh had a final opportunity with :06 left in regulation when Brendan Damm fired a potential game-tying shot at the corner of the net. The Cardinals and their fans celebrated what seemed to be the tying goal but the ball hit on the outside part of the net where goalie Scott Tota – the tournament MVP – collected it and then heaved the ball down the field to run out the clock.
2014 SUNYAC Men's Lacrosse Championship All-Tournament Team
Cortalnd - Scott Tota (MVP), Stephen Burke, Matt Rackoczy, Zach Hopps, J.T. Foltz
Plattsburgh – Robbie Ashlaw, Courtney Cox, Frank Gargiulo
Oneonta - Brandon Hickey, Danny Stern
Potsdam - Rob Kunz, Ryan Duffy
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