POTSDAM, N.Y.—SUNY Cortland (7-5, 3-0 SUNYAC) captured its fourth straight win with a 17-6 victory over the SUNY Potsdam men's lacrosse team (9-3, 2-2) on the Bears' Senior Day. Massena graduate Zach Hopps (Akwesasne, N.Y./Massena) had a game-high four goals for the Red Dragons. Sophomore attackman Eric Soderquist (Watertown, N.Y./Watertown) led Potsdam with two goals and an assist.
 
Cortland used a 23-4 advantage on faceoffs to control the contest, starting with the opening whistle. The Red Dragons hit three posts in the first 3:24 and six first quarter saves from senior captain Pete Gropp (Fairport, N.Y./Fairport) kept the contest 2-1 after the opening quarter. The Bears' first goal from sophomore midfielder Nick Orsini (Fairport, N.Y./Fairport) came at 4:57, evening the score at 1-1.
 
The Red Dragons opened the second quarter with a flourish, scoring four times in the first 3:35. Junior attackman Matt Moran (Watertown, N.Y./Immaculate Heart) set up Soderquist's first goal at 10:22, but Cortladn scored the final four of the half to take a 10-2 advantage into the break. Gropp added another five stops in the quarter.
 
The Bears matched Cortland's two goals in the third quarter. Bonafede scored on a high shot from the right side at 6:23 and junior attackman Michael Roukous (Dexter, N.Y./General Brown) fed Soderquist for a highlight reel goal nearly three minutes later. The Red Dragons led 12-4 after 45 minutes.
 
Faceoffs continued to be Cortland's key weapon in the final quarter. The Red Dragons opened the fourth with four straight before Soderquist connected with Moran for a man-up goal at 2:12. Cortland tacked on a final marker at 1:31 and senior captain Ed Doherty closed the scoring for Potsdam with just 20 seconds on the clock.
 
Gropp finished his day with 16 saves in the opening 57:15 and senior Jackson Corcoran (Rochester, N.Y./Churchville-Chili) stopped two shots in the last 2:45. Red Dragon sophomore Joe Scalise (Fairport, N.Y/Fairport) earned the victory with four goals allowed and seven saves in the first 52:30. Freshman Cooper Brown (Redding, Conn./Joel Barlow) didn't face a shot in the next 4:21. Junior Kyle Christopher (Putnam Valley, N.Y./Putnam Valley) allowed two goals in the final 3:09.  
 
With his day Gropp moved into ninth place on the program's all-time saves list with 301. Doherty has rapidly climbed to sixth on Potsdam's goal scored list with 89. He needs four more to pass Jim Grottola.
 
With three regular season games left to play, the Bears are one win short of reaching the 10-win plateau for the fourth time in school history. They need two wins to match the program single season record of 11 set in 1990.
 
Prior to the game, Potsdam honored its 11 seniors: faceoff specialist Brandon Grace (Penn Yan, N.Y./Penn Yann), Corcoran, defender Lindsey Pound (Henderson, N.Y./Immaculate Heart), attackman Joe Hayes (Black River, N.Y./Carthage), Bonafede, defender Andrew Swords (Black River, N.Y./Carthage), Doherty, midfielder Matt Kennedy (Clay, N.Y./Cicero-North Syracuse), defender Brandon Kemp (Canandaigua, N.Y./Canandaigua), Gropp and midfielder Brian Martin (Fairport, N.Y./Fairport).
 
Potsdam is back in action on Tuesday night when the Bears host No. 5 St. Lawrence University in their home finale at 7 p.m.
 

SUNY Potsdam Men's Lacrosse Class of 2016