CORTLAND, N.Y. – In a thrilling battle that needed two overtimes to settle, Ryan Scanlon delivered the decisive blow to lift the nationally 18th-ranked SUNY Cortland men’s lacrosse team to a dramatic 11-10 victory over visiting Ithaca College on Wednesday evening at Grady Field.
With 1:39 remaining in the second overtime period, Scanlon dodged from behind the cage, spun past his defender, and fired a low shot through the legs of Ithaca goalie Andrew Minard, sending the Red Dragon bench into a frenzy. The goal was Scanlon’s third of the game and marked his 100th career point, a milestone achieved in the heat of Cortland’s fifth straight win.
The win moves Cortland to 12-2 on the season, while Ithaca slips to 8-7. It was the Red Dragons’ first double-overtime victory since 2015—coincidentally against Ithaca by the same 11-10 score—and their longest game since a double-overtime loss to Tufts in 2018.
Cortland built an early 3-0 lead in the first quarter behind two goals from Liam Burns and a strike from Sam Rothman. Ithaca broke through late in the frame to cut the deficit to 3-1, and both teams traded blows in the second quarter to enter halftime with the Red Dragons up 6-4.
But the Bombers fought back, blanking Cortland in the third and tying the score at 6-6 entering the fourth. Early in the final frame, Ethan Adrid gave Ithaca its first lead following a Cortland penalty, but Scanlon responded less than a minute later to reach the 100-point mark and knot the game at seven.
The seesaw fourth quarter saw Cortland and Ithaca exchange leads three more times. Klay Stuver’s 22nd goal of the year gave Cortland a late 9-8 edge, but Ithaca capitalized on another man-up opportunity to tie it up once again. Rothman pushed the Red Dragons back ahead 10-9 on a man-up goal with 2:41 remaining, only for Ithaca’s Lucas Proctor to tie it again in the final minute.
Despite Cortland winning the final faceoff of regulation, neither team could break the deadlock in the first overtime. Goalie Travis Wagner made two key saves to deny Ithaca, while Minard stopped Stuver’s shot on Cortland’s lone opportunity.
In the second overtime, Cortland won the faceoff on a violation, and although Scanlon was initially denied, the Red Dragons’ defense stepped up. Alex Thrasher forced a turnover, and Christian Lembo recovered the ground ball to regain possession. After a high shot by Stuver, Scanlon seized the moment, taking matters into his own hands to deliver the sudden-death winner.
Scanlon and Burns each recorded hat tricks for Cortland, while Rothman finished with two goals and an assist. Klay Stuver added two goals, and Sean Kavanagh facilitated the offense with three assists. Defensively, Dino Bowen led the Red Dragons with five caused turnovers and six ground balls, and Macknik added four caused turnovers. Wagner tallied 11 saves to earn his 10th win of the season.
For Ithaca, Lucas Proctor had a standout performance with two goals and three assists, while Adrid added two goals and an assist. Minard kept the Bombers in the game with 14 saves.
Despite being outshot 52-31 and committing 24 turnovers, Ithaca remained competitive thanks to solid goaltending and timely man-up conversions, scoring on 3-of-5 opportunities.
The Red Dragons return to action this weekend looking to extend their winning streak, while Ithaca will regroup as they eye postseason play.
Final Score: Cortland 11, Ithaca 10 (2 OT)
Scoring Leaders:
Cortland: Scanlon 3, Burns 3, Rothman 2
Ithaca: L. Proctor 2G-3A, Adrid 2G-1A, Adams 2G
Goalies: Wagner (Cortland) 11 saves; Minard (Ithaca) 14 saves
Stats: Shots – Cortland 52, Ithaca 31; GBs – Cortland 38, Ithaca 32; TOs – Ithaca 24, Cortland 16; Faceoffs – Ithaca 17, Cortland 9
The Red Dragons proved once again that they can handle pressure, and with Scanlon leading the charge, they remain a force to be reckoned with in Division III lacrosse.