CORTLAND, N.Y.—No. 15 and top-seeded SUNY Cortland (16-2) overpowered the fourth-seeded SUNY Potsdam men's lacrosse (8-7) 21-8 in the SUNYAC Semifinals on Wednesday afternoon.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Cortland scored the first two goals of the contest, but the Bears answered with two to tie the score. Junior attackman Rowisonkies Barnes (Akwesasne, N.Y./The Hill Academy) finished a feed from senior midfielder Ryan Hughes (Corning, N.Y./Corning-Painted Post) at 9:25 and senior captain Cobie Cree (Akwesasne, N.Y./Salmon River) tied the game with an assist from freshman midfielder Kyan Combs (Watertown, N.Y./Watertown). However, Cortland scored the next three and led 5-2 after 15 minutes.
• Cortland outscored the Bears 4-1 in the second quarter and led 9-3 at the half. Hughes scored a man-up goal for the Bears with an assist from freshman midfielder Sebastien Laughing (Akwesasne, N.Y./Salmon River).
• The Red Dragons put the game away with an 8-2 third quarter for a 17-5 lead through 45 minutes. Combs and junior attackman Billy Kozloski (Johnson City, N.Y./Johnson City) each scored for Potsdam. Senior midfielder Drew Rose (Brasher Falls, N.Y./St. Lawrence Central) had the assist on Kozloski's tally.
• Cortland finished the contest with a 4-3 edge in the fourth quarter. Barnes scored with a helper from Rose and sophomore midfielder Braden Fahey (Halfmoon, N.Y./Shenendehowa) and senior midfielder Owen Walsh (Ballston Spa, N.Y./Ballston Spa) had the other two goals.

 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Barnes led the Bears with two goals.
• Hughes and Combs each had a goal and an assist.
• Senior captain Liam O'Neil (Liverpool, N.Y./Liverpool) made 11 saves and allowed 13 goals in 46:11. Junior Saka Thompson (Akwesasne, N.Y./Salmon River) allowed eight goals and made one save in the other 13:49.
• Sean Kavanagh paced Cortland with six points on three goals and three assists.
• Ryan Scanlon had five points on four goals and an assist and Sam Rothman also had five points from three goals and two assists.
• Travis Wagner earned the win for the Red Dragons after making nine saves and allowing five goals in the first 50:29. Jack Lucidi stopped a shot and allowed three goals in the last 9:31.

 
PROGRAM RANKS

• Walsh finishes his career with 177 points on 113 goals and 64 assists. He ranks sixth on the program's all-time scoring list as well as fifth in goals and seventh in assists.
• In his time in a Potsdam jersey, Cree has 166 points on 109 goals and 57 assists, placing him eighth in scoring and goals.

 
SEASON WRAP UP
The Bears close their first season under head coach Gill Connors with an 8-7 record and a 4-3 mark in the SUNYAC, earning their second straight postseason berth. The contest marks the close of the careers of seniors Cree, Walsh, O'Neil, Hughes, Rose, captain Jake Lynch (Alexandria Bay, N.Y./Alexandria),  captain Ben Lagoner (Webster, N.Y./Webster Thomas), Chris Wilk (Rutland, Vt./Rutland), captain Cole Slavin (Corning, N.Y./Corning-Painted Post), Ben Welch (Webster, N.Y./Webster Thomas), Drew Talcott (Potsdam, N.Y./Potsdam) and Owen Dunham (Whitney Point, N.Y./Whitney Point).