POTSDAM, N.Y.—The SUNY Potsdam men's lacrosse team (1-0) were in control from the outset, roughing up Utica University (0-1) 18-3 in its season opener on a snowy Saturday afternoon. The effort gave first-year head coach Gill Conners his first career victory.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• It was all Bears in the first quarter as they outscored the Pioneers 5-0. Sophomore midfielder Morgan Fox (Clayton, N.Y./Thousand Islands) opened the scoring 57 seconds into the contest. Junior attackmen Rowisonkies Barnes (Akwesasne, N.Y./The Hill Academy) and Billy Kozloski (Johnson City, N.Y./Johnson City), senior captain Cole Slavin (Corning, N.Y./Corning-Painted Post) and sophomore attackman Mick O'Donnell (Watertown, N.Y./Watertown) had the other markers.
• Potsdam continued to press in the second quarter and it resulted in a 6-2 advantage and an 11-2 halftime lead. Freshman midfielder Preston Daniels (Peru, N.Y./Peru) and junior midfielder Tyler Gould (Webster, N.Y./Webster Schroeder) each had two goals, while senior captain Cobie Cree (Akwesasne, N.Y./Salmon River) and Fox added the other two. Gould's first tally came while the Bears were a man up.
• Junior long-stick midfielder Ryan Wassmer (Patchogue, N.Y./Patchogue-Medford) scored the first of the Bears' three, third quarter goals and Cree netted the other two. Potsdam was up 14-3 after 45 minutes.
• The Bears got all four goals of the fourth quarter. Cree scored twice more and Kozloski and Fox had the other two.

 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Potsdam outshot Utica 44-38.
• The Bears were 1-for-5 in man-up situations, while not giving a single attempt to Utica.
• Cree led the Bears with a game-high five goals.
• O'Donnell finished with a goal and three assists.
• Fox had three goals and Daniels added two goals and an assist.
• Junior faceoff specialist Drew Costello (Ogdensburg, N.Y./Ogdensburg Free Academy) dominated the circle, winning 16 of his 21 attempts and collecting a contest-best 11 ground balls.
• Junior defender Tommy Storrin (Brasher Falls, N.Y./St. Lawrence Central) caused three turnovers on the afternoon.
• Junior goalie Saka Thompson (Akwesasne, N.Y./Salmon River) picked up where he left off last spring, making 15 saves and allowing just three goals in three quarters.
• Senior captain Liam O'Neil (Liverpool, N.Y./Liverpool) stopped all three shots he faced in the fourth quarter.
• Utica senior goalie Patrick Oswald (Deer Park, N.Y./Deer Park) made 10 saves and allowed 14 goals in the first three quarters.
• Pioneers junior goalie Jake Bowen (Williston, Vt./Champlain Valley Union) allowed four goals and made a save in the fourth quarter.
• The Bears are now 9-6 in the all-time series with Utica dating back to a 12-9 Pioneers victory in 2004.

 
WHAT'S NEXT?
The Bears travel to former SUNYAC foe Brockport on March 7, for a 6 p.m. nonconference battle.