CANTON, N.Y. – The 19th-ranked SUNY Cortland men’s lacrosse team delivered a statement performance on Saturday afternoon, exploding for 11 unanswered goals in the first quarter and cruising to a commanding 30-3 victory over SUNY Canton in a State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) matchup.
With the win, the Red Dragons extended their winning streak to four games, improving to 11-2 overall and a perfect 4-0 in SUNYAC play. Canton remains winless in conference action and drops to 1-9 (0-4 SUNYAC) on the season.
Cortland’s offensive onslaught was relentless from the opening faceoff. The team’s high-powered attack was led by Stefan Swedlund (Randolph, NJ), who poured in six goals and dished out an assist, and Mason Carroll (Clifton Park/Shenendehowa), who added five goals and two assists. Caden Yancey (Fayetteville/Fayetteville-Manlius) contributed a strong all-around performance with three goals and two assists.
In total, 21 Red Dragons tallied at least one point in the win, highlighting the team’s impressive depth and unselfish play. Nine players recorded multi-point outings, including Colton Hornquist (Eden), who added a goal and three assists, and Frank Neeson (Orchard Park) and Ryan Smith (East Islip), who each notched two goals and an assist. Liam Burns(Warners/West Genesee) chipped in a goal and two assists, while James Violi (East Islip) added three assists.
Cortland’s stifling defense was just as impressive. The Red Dragons allowed only one goal over the first three quarters, consistently disrupting Canton’s offensive sets and forcing turnovers. Goalie Charlie Falowski (Redding, CT/Joel Barlow) made one save in the first half before giving way to Jack Lucidi (Orchard Park) and Max Moran (Alamo, CA/San Ramon Valley), who split time in the second half. Lucidi also recorded a save, while Moran closed out the final minutes.
SUNY Canton was led by Austin Mesler, who scored twice, and Jonney Mclear, who had a goal and an assist. Goalie Hayden Todd faced a barrage of shots and made 35 saves in the contest, giving a strong effort despite the lopsided score.
The Red Dragons opened the game with complete control. In the first quarter alone, Cortland scored 11 goals—getting contributions from Yancey, Neeson, Sam Rothman (Dix Hills/Half Hollow Hills East) with two goals apiece, and goals from Smith, Burns, Klay Stuver (Fairport), Sean Kavanagh (North Canton, OH/Hoover), and Jack O’Brien (Babylon), whose tally marked his first of the season.
Mclear broke Cortland’s streak with a goal early in the second quarter, but the Red Dragons answered with another six-goal run—this time from six different scorers, including Yancey, Smith, Swedlund, Caden Morra(Farmingdale/Plainedge), Nathan Nagengast (Bay Shore), and Matt Franzoni (Brielle, NJ/Manasquan)—to head into halftime with a commanding 17-1 lead.
Cortland’s third quarter was once again dominated by Swedlund and Carroll. Swedlund opened with a natural hat trick, followed by goals from Carroll, Gannon Houghton (Morrisville/Cazenovia), and two more from Carroll to close the frame, pushing the score to 24-1.
In the fourth quarter, the Roos added two goals—both by Mesler—but Cortland kept the pressure on. Swedlund and Carroll each scored two more times, and Hornquist added another before Tristan Triolo (Northport) capped the day with a goal in the final minute of play.
Cortland’s overwhelming 70-15 shot advantage and 27-10 faceoff win margin reflected its full-game dominance. The Red Dragons also cleared the ball effectively, going 19-for-20 on clear attempts.
With the regular season nearing its close, Cortland looks poised to make a strong push toward the SUNYAC playoffs. The team will return home for its next game, looking to maintain its winning momentum and remain undefeated in conference play.