UTICA, N.Y.—The SUNY Potsdam men's lacrosse team (1-0) defeated Utica University (0-1) 9-4 on Friday evening in its season opener. Senior goalie Saka Thompson (Akwesasne, N.Y./Salmon River) had 20 saves for his 16th career victory.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Bears scored all four goals of the first quarter. Sophomore attackman Braydon Goddard (Saratoga Springs, N.Y./Saratoga Springs) opened the scoring at 11:45 in his Potsdam debut. Senior attackman Rowisonkies Barnes (Akwesasne, N.Y./The Hill Academy) netted the next goal at 8:52, followed by the first of freshman midfielder Ronin Oakes' (Hogansburg, N.Y./Massena) career at 6:50. Sophomore midfielder Preston Daniels (Peru, N.Y./Peru) buried the fourth at 5:49.
• The scoring was even at 2-2 in the second quarter. After Utica got on the board, the Bears answered with a goal from Barnes with an assist grom Goddard and a marker from senior midfielder Nick Long (Elbridge, N.Y./Jordan-Elbridge) on another helper from Goddard. It was the first of Long's career. The Pioneers struck again at 1:33 and it was 6-2 at the break. Lucas Donahue and Nolan Shea had Utica's goals with Shea's coming while a man-up.
• There was no scoring in the third quarter, thanks in part to six saves from Thompson and five from his Utica counterpart Jake Bowen.
• Potsdam had a 3-2 advantage in the fourth quarter to close out the victory. The Pioneers sandwiched two goals from Ryan Considine and Ethan Hunt around a strike from senior attackman Billy Kozloski (Johnson City, N.Y./Johnson City) to close within 7-4 at 12:18. Daniels buried his second at 8:21 and senior midfielder Tyler Gould (Webster, N.Y./Webster Schroeder) netted a man-up marker at 5:59 to close the scoring at 9-4.

 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• The Pioneers outshot the Bears 40-34.
• The Bears were 1-for-3 on the man advantage and Utica was 1-for-4.
• Goddard led the Bears with a goal and two assists.
• Thompson finished with 20 saves, while Bowen stopped 14 shots.
• Senior captain Drew Costello (Ogdensburg, N.Y./Ogdensburg Free Academy) won 10 of his 15 faceoffs along with picking up five ground balls.
• Senior defender Alex Farben-Griggs (White Plains, N.Y./White Plains) had 10 ground balls and a game-high six caused turnovers, while freshman defender Damyn LeClair (Marcellus, N.Y./Marcellus) registered 10 ground balls and five caused turnovers.
• Thompson is now two wins away from tying the program record of 18 victories.
• Potsdam is 10-6 against the Pioneers in the all-time series dating back to 2004.

 
WHAT'S NEXT?
The Bears host Alfred State on Wednesday at 4 p.m. in their home opener.