ONEONTA, N.Y.— Oneonta State (1-0, 1-0 SUNYAC) was able to hold off the SUNY Potsdam men's lacrosse team (0-2, 0-1) 8-6 on Friday afternoon in the team's SUNYAC East opener. Senior captain Josh Huiatt (Lisbon, N.Y./Hugh C. Williams) scored three times for the Bears, while junior attack Cam Talcott (Potsdam, N.Y.) had two goals and junior midfielder Alex Burley (Canandaigua, N.Y./Canandaigua) added one and an assist.
 
Three different Red Dragons scored in a 3-1 run to open the contest. Huiatt got Potsdam on the board at 9:25 and briefly evened the score at one apiece. Burley set up Talcott at 3:58 and then sophomore midfielder Peyton Walsh (Ballston Spa, N.Y./Ballston Spa) fed Huiatt for his second marker, while a man up to make it 3-3 with 1:21 left in the first quarter.
 
Thomas McRae netted his second of the game for Oneonta at 7:15 of the second quarter and Thomas Fay made it 5-3 30 seconds later. Burley struck for Potsdam's lone goal of the quarter at 4:41 and Sam Haita answered 1:02 later to give the Red Dragons a 6-4 lead heading into the break.
 
The Bears scored first in the second half. Junior midfielder Henry Reber set up Talcott's second goal at 11:50 to close the gap to one. Huiatt then evened the score six all at 6:51 with another helper from Reber. Fay scored his second at 5:07 and Oneonta led 7-6 after 45 minutes. Potsdam sophomore goalie Ben Fuchs (Fort Lauderdale, Fla./Calvary Christian Academy) made five saves during the quarter.
 
After nearly 10 scoreless minutes to start the fourth quarter, Oneonta got an insurance goal from Dean Cannon at 5:09 to extend the lead back to two. Potsdam tested Red Dragon goalie Jordan Berson three times in last 15 minutes, but he was able to handle each and preserve the two-goal victory.
 
Fuchs finished with nine stops for the Bears and Berson turned aside seven attempts for the win. Potsdam outshot Oneonta 30-28 and was 1-for-3 in man-up situations, while holding the Red Dragons scoreless.
 
The Bears are back in action on Wednesday, when they head to Morrisville State for a 4 p.m. contest.