Saturday afternoon’s exciting SUNYAC match saw the Cortland men’s lacrosse team pull off a comeback, scoring the final five goals of the game to defeat Potsdam 9-5.
In addition to extending their winning run in the conference, this victory was a major highlight in head Coach Lelan Rogers’ career as he won his 200th game. Rogers has a 200-63 career record and has demonstrated his coaching abilities at Ohio Wesleyan, Utica, and Cortland.
“It felt really good to be able to be a part of Coach Rogers 200th career win,” said Yancey. “It was just another milestone in his storied career.”
With a game-high five goals, Fairport native Klay Stuver led the war for Cortland. The team’s win in the comeback was greatly influenced by Stuver’s effort. The team’s well-rounded offensive ability was demonstrated with goals and assists from Ryan Scanlon, Nick Stoecker, and Sean Kavanaugh. Furthermore, Josh Michel, Sam Rothman, and Caden Yancey were crucial in creating chances for their teammates to score.
“It was a really tough game for the team to get going mentally and emotionally,” said Stuver. “It was cold and rainy but eventually the boys were able to come together and get the job done to be able to maintain our perfect conference record.”
Goalie Travis Wagner played a brilliant defensive game, saving 11 shots and grabbing three ground balls. Jimmy Addonizio, and Alex Thrasher, who each caused two turnovers and collected six ground balls each, added even more strength to the defense. In addition to his assists, Rothman also contributed four ground balls, which helped Cortland win the ground ball battle.
Potsdam gave it their best shot, but Cortland’s continuous offensive surge in the last quarter proved to be too much for them to handle. Peyton Walsh scored two goals for the team. Saka Thompson, the Potsdam goaltender, made an amazing 14 saves, but Cortland’s attacking assault was what eventually secured the victory.
There were multiple momentum swings in the game, and until Cortland’s late-game surge, neither side was able to build a convincing lead. The game was knotted at 3-3 at the end of a fiercely contested first half, and 4-4 going into the fourth. But in the fourth quarter, Cortland took over, as players like Stuver and Kavanaugh came up big to seal the resounding win.
With this victory, Cortland preserves its perfect conference record and further establishes its supremacy in the SUNYAC conference. Potsdam has suffered a setback but will try to recover in the season’s last games.
The post-game box score showed that Cortland was superior in a number of statistical categories. They dominated the ground ball contest, winning 30 to Potsdam’s 23. They also outshot Potsdam 45 to 33. Ten turnovers were also brought about by Cortland’s defensive pressure, which further shattered Potsdam’s attacking rhythm.
When this exciting game came to an end, Cortland commemorated not only a vital win but also a noteworthy achievement for their respected head coach. Now that Coach Rogers has achieved his 200th victory, Cortland can look forward with confidence as they pursue the conference championship.