No, you didn’t fall asleep in class and wake up six months later in football season. That was the men’s lacrosse team putting up three touchdowns, two extra points, and a 2-point conversion on Saturday afternoon at Grady Field.
Brockport could only muster seven points of their own, as Cortland bounced back from their low-scoring opener loss to RPI on Wednesday. Brockport fell to 1-2.
Senior Sam Rothman led the offensive onslaught for the Red Dragons, scoring five goals, one more than the entire team scored in their 9-4 loss to RPI. Klay Stuver added four goals and an assist, and Ryan Scanlon chipped in with three goals and two assists to round out a dominant offensive showing for the hosts.
Cortland wasted no time asserting control, as Scanlon opened the scoring less than two minutes into the contest.
Scanlon spoke about how important it is to set the tone early.
“To be able to score the first goal of the game and get the energy going on the sideline is so important, It’s also big for confidence going forward in the game.” Said Scanlon.
Brockport responded almost immediately, with Marc Zappulla finding the back of the net nine seconds later off the ensuing faceoff, tying the score at 1-1.
The Red Dragons quickly regained momentum, however, scoring two goals in just over a minute one each from Scanlon and Rothman to take a 3-1 lead midway through the opening quarter.
Brockport trimmed the deficit to 3-2 with just under seven minutes left in the frame, but Cortland’s offense exploded in the final minutes of the period.
Stuver scored twice, and Nick Stoecker tallied his first goal of the season, giving Cortland a 6-2 advantage after the opening quarter.
The Red Dragons continued to pour it on in the second quarter, netting four unanswered goals to open the frame.
Rothman, Scanlon, and Stuver each completed their hat tricks before halftime, highlighting a first-half barrage that saw Cortland build an 11-4 lead at the break.
Stuver touched on what it meant to have a bounce-back performance in this contest.
“You obviously want to score as many goals as possible, anytime you’re out there, and in some games, it just doesn’t happen. I was able to get a few to go in today and help the team out as much as I could.” Said Stuver.
Brockport managed to find the net twice late in the second quarter, but the Golden Eagles struggled to keep pace with Cortland’s well-balanced offense.
Sean Kavanagh added a goal for the Red Dragons in the final minute of the half, pushing the margin to seven goals heading into the locker room.
Cortland showed no signs of slowing down in the second half, as the Red Dragons rattled off five consecutive goals to open the third quarter.
Stuver and Stoecker each tallied their second goal of the day, while Stefan Swedlund added his first goal of the contest. Rothman capped off the run with two more goals, bringing his game total to five and extending Cortland’s lead to 16-4 to end the third quarter.
Rothman described the importance of having a commanding lead going into the final quarter of the game.
“When you have a big lead like we did heading into the fourth, it gives the coaches opportunities to put in some guys that normally wouldn’t play if it was a close game. These opportunities are great experiences for the younger guys who maybe haven’t played in many games yet.” Said Rothman.
Brockport’s Nate Askin broke up the scoring streak with his first goal of the game late in the third, but Liam Burns responded for Cortland with his first goal as a Red Dragon, giving the home team a 17-5 cushion heading into the final quarter.
Cortland’s depth shined in the fourth quarter, as three players — Eli Volk, Norberto DeHoyos, and Caden Morra — each scored their first collegiate goals.
Swedlund also added his second goal of the day, and the Red Dragons outscored Brockport 5-2 over the final 15 minutes to cap off the dominant performance.
In goal, Travis Wagner anchored the Cortland defense with eight saves over the first three quarters, helping to stifle Brockport’s attack.
Askin led Brockport with two goals and an assist, but the Golden Eagles could not overcome Cortland’s offensive firepower and efficient ball movement.
With the win, Cortland earns its first victory of the 2025 campaign, setting the tone for what the Red Dragons hope will be a strong season in conference play.
Cortland returns to action on Wednesday on Grady Field at 3 pm against the #11 team in the country St. Lawrence.