Over the weekend SUNY Cortland’s men’s club lacrosse team hosted Cornell at stadium white, beating them 12-9. Cornell was a tough matchup and is one of, if not the best team Cortland will face this season. Cortland put the rest of the league on watch after their impressive performance, other teams will definitely have Cortland circled on their calendars. Although Cortland only won by a few points, they never seemed to lose control and stayed on top throughout the entirety of the game.
Among the multitude of star players that played the game was Nick Ebel. Nick is the type of player that strikes fear into opposing players and gives opposing coaches migraines. On Sunday he was all over the field, scoring three goals. He was a key contributor to Cortland’s success. Nick was able to rise to the occasion and displayed why he is considered one of the best scorers in club lacrosse.
On the defensive side of the ball, Dan Conway was able to slow down the high octane offense of Cornell. Coming into this game, Cornell was looked at as one of the most dangerous offenses in club lacrosse, but that was before they went face to face with Conway. Conway continues to make his case as one of the best defenders in the NCLL Empire East Division.
Eddie Reilly was also a crucial part in Cortland’s win showing his determination with a surprising number of ground balls. His ability to control possession and shift momentum was crucial in securing the victory for Cortland. Eddie’s continual hustling is a perfect example of the team’s work ethic.
Furthermore, Jono Arena, a former athlete that was on the varsity Cortland lacrosse team. Jono made a huge impact by contributing five assists Jono’s experience and vision on the field were obvious as he successfully set up his teammates for success on the net further proving his valuable role in the win against Cornell.
Lastly, Jason Beddows had a field day on Sunday. Jason’s impact was bigger than stats; he was able to create open teammates, pick up crucial ground balls, and make defensive stops that could have changed the entire outlook of the game. Jason deserves his flowers for his gritty and hard-nosed style of play.
Over the years, Cortland has been able to maintain its status as the top-dogs of club lacrosse, winning championships in 2022, 2023, and 2024. The NCLL Empire East Division has not had a response to them the past few years, and this year has started off looking the same way. The whole school of Cortland is sure that our boys will have nobody standing in their way on their journey to their fourth title in four years.
This opening night win for Cortland is one of many to come. This win meant more to the team than just their record; winning week one gives a team confidence, and boosts locker room morale. If Cortland can keep up this level of play, I think we will be seeing them bring home another trophy this fall.
Unfortunately, Cortland does not play again until Parents’ Weekend, the 26th of October, when they will take on four different teams on the same day. Those four teams being Union, RIT, Hofstra, and Binghamton. These games will be played in Albany, but a stream for students and fans to tune in should be posted beforehand.
