POTSDAM, N.Y.—The SUNY Potsdam men's lacrosse team's (7-5, 3-1 SUNYAC) offense continued to roll as it defeated the College at Brockport (7-6, 2-2) 16-7 for its second straight SUNYAC victory. Freshman attackman Eric Soderquist (Watertown, N.Y./Watertown) scored a career and game-high four goals to lead the Bears. Junior midfielder Matt Kennedy (Clay, N.Y./Cicero-North Syracuse) had three goals and junior attackman Ed Doherty (Amherst, N.Y./Amherst) and sophomore attackman Matt Moran (Watertown, N.Y./Immaculate Heart) each finished with two goals and an assist.
 
Potsdam got off to the fastest start it has all season as junior face-off specialist Brandon Grace (Penn Yan, N.Y./Penn Yan) won the first of his 14 opportunities of the day. He then passed to Kennedy who sprinted the rest of the field and deposited the ball into the back of the Golden Eagle net just 13 seconds into the contest. Senior captain Jon Woodworth (Great Bend, N.Y./Carthage) struck five minutes later to make it 2-0. At 8:26, Brockport finally got on the board as senior attackman Justin Cook (Endicott, N.Y./Union Endicott) scored with a high shot from the right side of the net. The Golden Eagles then capitalized on their first man-up situation of the day as sophomore midfielder Max Hill (Victor, N.Y./Victor) tied the game at 5:54.
 
Kennedy countered 15 seconds later off another clean Grace face-off win and Potsdam led the rest of the way. The goal also sparked a 6-0 Bears run. Moran scored his first at 4:52 and sophomore attackman Berkley Stone (Madison, Conn./Daniel Hand) set up junior midfielder Brian Martin (Fairport, N.Y./Fairport) 40 seconds later. Junior captain Pat Bonafede (Churchville, N.Y./Churchville-Chili) connected with Soderquist at 3:01 and Moran struck again at 2:17. Potsdam led 7-2 after the first quarter.
 
Doherty made it a six-goal game at 13:29, but the Golden Eagles answered with their final push of the contest. Sophomore attackman Jake Giudice (Webster, N.Y./Webster Thomas) scored at 12:27 and Hill netted another man-up goal at 12:04 to get Brockport within 8-4. Stone finished a perfect pass from Martin with a pretty goal at 6:00, while Potsdam was killing a penalty. Golden Eagle junior attackman John Countryman (Queensbury, N.Y./Queensbury) forced a turnover in the final minute of the half and scored to make it a 9-5 game at the break.
 
It was all Bears in the third quarter. Freshman attackman Dalston Day (Akwesasne, N.Y./Salmon River) fed Doherty for a man-up goal just 19 seconds into the quarter, which started a 7-0 Potsdam run. Soderquist followed with two in a row, including a man-up marker with an assist from Doherty at 4:25. Kennedy completed his hat trick at 1:34 and junior long stick middie Lindsey Pound (Henderson, N.Y./Immaculate Heart) found sophomore attackman Joe Hayes (Black River, N.Y./Carthage) in front of the net with 36 seconds left at the half. The Bears led 14-5 after 45 minutes.
 
Moran set up Soderquist's fourth of the day at 10:11 and Hayes assisted on sophomore midfielder Casey Boulio's (Carthage, N.Y./Carthage) second goal of the season to make it 16-5 with 7:31 to go. Cook scored the final two goals for Brockport at 4:17 and 2:52 for the 16-7 final.
 
In goal, Bears junior Pete Gropp (Fairport, N.Y./Fairport) made 10 saves and allowed just five goals in 49:49 for his sixth win of the season. Sophomore Jack Bezek (Webster, N.Y./Webster Thomas) and junior Jackson Corcoran (Rochester, N.Y./Churchville-Chili) each made two saves and allowed a goal in the final 10:11. Golden Eagles sophomore goalie Conor Nowak (Amherst, N.Y./Eden) made 12 saves and allowed all 16 goals in 55:43. Freshman Trey Love (Oswego, N.Y./Oswego) made two saves in the last 4:17.
 
Potsdam finished with advantages in in shots (46-40), ground balls (41-34) and face-offs (17-7). Brockport was 3-for-5 on the man advantage and the Bears were 2-for-5.
 
Prior to the game, seniors Woodworth, Nick Waseleski (Victor, N.Y./Victor) and Andrew Rupp (Victor, N.Y./Victor) were honored on senior day.
 
Next, Potsdam heads to Plattsburgh on Wendesday for a 7 p.m. battle with the Cardinals and a shot at clinching a playoff spot. The Bears split with Plattsburgh last season, winning an 8-7 regular season thriller and falling to the Cardinals 11-6 in the SUNYAC Semis.       

 

SUNY Potsdam Men's Lacrosse Class of 2015

L-R: Nick Wasleski with Dad Leo and Mom Julie, Andrew Rupp with Dad Fritz and Mom Jennifer, Bears student manager Nick Cignarale, Jon Woodworth with Dad James and Mom Ellen and Bears Head Coach Rick Berkman.