POTSDAM, N.Y.— Sophomore Robbie Ashlaw (North Syracuse, N.Y./Cicero-North Syracuse) scored with just 44 seconds left to lift the SUNY Potsdam men's lacrosse team (6-7, 3-1 SUNYAC) to a 9-8 SUNYAC victory over SUNY Geneseo (5-5, 2-1) at home on Saturday afternoon. The Bears' win was the first over the Blue Knights since 2001 and pushes them closer to a coveted SUNYAC playoff spot. Sophomore Derek Frost (Buffalo, N.Y./Williamsville East) led a balanced Potsdam attack with two goals and one assist, while senior Sean McAuliffe (Watertown, N.Y./Watertown) also contributed two goals on Senior Day. Junior Brendan Kurpis (Yorktown, N.Y./Yorktown) had a game-high five goals for the Blue Knights.

Frost got things rolling with a man-up goal just 1:48 into the contest on an assist from junior Peter Pike (Watertown, N.Y./General Brown). Geneseo struck back with the next two from Kurpis and senior Kevin Centore (Syracuse, N.Y./Westhill) at 9:05 and 7:56 of the first quarter. Frost set up junior Ryan Paparella (Whitesboro, N.Y./Whitesboro) to even the score at the 6:01 mark. Less than two minutes later Potsdam senior goalie Pat Corbine (Canton, N.Y./Hugh C. Williams) took the ball the length of the field and fired it past Geneseo first-year goalie Ryan Zaremba (Bayshore, N.Y./Army Prep) to give the Bears a 3-2 lead.

The teams took turns with three goals in the second quarter. Kurpis added two more sandwiched around a Pike man-up goal and the score was knotted at four at halftime. Corbine, the two-time SUNYAC Goalie of the Week, made nine of his 11 saves in the first 30 minutes.

Kurpis got his fourth at 9:40 of the third quarter to give the Blue Knights a 5-4 advantage, their last lead of the game. Potsdam made the most of a non-releasable unsportsmanlike penalty on Geneseo's senior Ray Ryan (Syracuse, N.Y./Corcoran) at 8:23, getting man-up goals from Frost at 7:59 and McAuliffe at 7:41 to reclaim the lead at 6-5. McAuliffe struck again at 6:24 and junior Zeppy O'Geen (Massena, N.Y./Massena) had a pass deflect into the goal at 9:34 of the fourth quarter. The 8-5 lead didn't last long as the Blue Knights tied the game a 3-0 run over the next four minutes. Kurpis netted his fifth on the man-advantage at 7:15 and junior Jeff Watson (Camillus, N.Y./Marcellus) and first-year John Wettack (Mercer Island, N.Y./Mercer Island) tallied even strength markers at 6:07 and 5:17. The defenses stiffened until Ashlaw struck for the decisive goal with 44 seconds left.

The Bears outshot Geneseo 32-24 and held a 31-25 advantage in groundballs. Potsdam was 4-of-6 in extra-man opportunities and the Blue Knights were 1-of-3. Zaremba finished with eight saves for Geneseo. O'Geen won 13 of 20 faceoffs for Potsdam and collected a game-high 10 ground balls.

Bears Head Coach Rick Berkman was proud of his team's effort.

"I thought we were outstanding," said Berkman. "From start to finish, we picked up more ground balls, we outshot them and we beat them on faceoffs. I think our kids just came together and wanted that win more than they did and that's how we played."

Berkman was especially pleased with the play of his seniors on Senior Day.

"It's a small group, but I thought all three of them were great today," Berkman added. "Even Pat Corbine scored a goal in the first quarter, which was a huge momentum-shifter for us. I thought Sean McAuliffe and (senior) Kevin Green (Penfield, N.Y./Penfield) both had excellent games too."

The Bears have a week off before they travel to national power and fifth-ranked Cortland on Saturday, April 23, for a 1 p.m. faceoff.