SUNY Potsdam Athletics

ONEONTA, N.Y.—Second-seeded SUNY Oneonta (10-7) rallied to edge the third-seeded SUNY Potsdam men's lacrosse team (10-5) 13-12 in overtime in the SUNYAC Semifinals. Sophomore midfielder Preston Daniels (Peru, N.Y./Peru) led the Bears with a career-high six points on two goals and two assists.
 

• The Red Dragons outscored the Bears 5-3 in the first quarter. After Oneonta's Thomas Hnis opened the scoring at 13:40, sophomore attackman Braydon Goddard (Saratoga Springs, N.Y./Saratoga Springs) and senior captain Jakob Lynch (Alexandria Bay, N.Y./Alexandria) gave the Bears the lead with goals just 1:15 apart. Freshman midfielder Ronin Oakes (Hogansburg, N.Y./Massena) had the Bears' third goal. Daniels assisted on markers from Lynch and Oakes.
• The Bears had a 4-1 advantage in the second quarter and led 7-6 at the break. Senior attackmen Billy Kozloski (Johnson City, N.Y./Johnson City) and Rowisonkies Barnes (Akwesasne, N.Y./The Hill Academy) opened the scoring. After a Jamie O'Neil goal put Oneonta up 6-5, Daniels and Goddard netted the last two of the half. Daniels had two assists and Barnes added one in the second.
• The Red Dragons edged the Bears 4-3 in the third quarter and the score was knotted at 10-10 after 45 minutes. Goddard had two goals and an assist in the third, while Daniels added a goal and junior captain Morgan Fox (Clayton, N.Y./Thousand Islands) notched an assist.
• The teams split four goals in the fourth quarter and ended regulation tied at 12. Goddard and Daniels gave the Bears a 12-10 lead with 7:09 remaining. However, Shakim Carr made it a one-goal game at 4:31. Ryan Babikian tied the game with just 35 seconds remaining.
• Thomas Hnis buried the game winner just 1:18 into the overtime period to send Oneonta to the championship.

 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Oneonta edged the Bears in shots 43-39, but Potsdam finished with a 33-27 advantage in ground balls.
• Goddard finished with four goals and an assist. Kozloski and Oakes each scored twice. Barnes had a goal and an assist.
• Senior captain Drew Costello (Ogdensburg, N.Y./Ogdensburg Free Academy) won 15 of his 26 faceoff attempts and picked up 13 ground balls.
• Freshman defender Damyn LeClair (Marcellus, N.Y./Marcellus) caused three turnovers and collected four ground balls. Senior defender Alex Farben-Griggs (White Plains, N.Y./White Plains) contributed two caused turnovers and two ground balls.
• Senior goalie Saka Thompson (Akwesasne, N.Y./Salmon River) made 12 saves in his final game.
• Mark Restivo stopped 10 shots to earn the win for the Red Dragons.
• Babikian scored four goals for Oneonta, while O'Neil and Hnis each had three goals and an assist.

 
SEASON WRAP UP

• The Bears reached the 10-win plateau for the sixth time in program history and second time in three years. They reached the postseason for the third straight year.
• LeClair set the program's single season caused turnover record and tied the career mark with 56.
• Costello leaves with Potsdam's career records in faceoff winning percentage (.616), faceoff wins (795) and ground balls (450).
• Thompson's 25 wins are the most in program history. He is also second in goals-against-average and ninth in save percentage.
• The contest marks the completion of the careers of seniors Thompson, Costello, Nick Long (Elbridge, N.Y./Jordan-Elbridge), Thomas Long (Elbridge, N.Y./Jordan-Elbridge), Ryan Wassmer (Patchogue, N.Y./Patchogue-Medford), captain Tommy Storrin (Brasher Falls, N.Y./St. Lawrence Central), Lynch, Grayson Jackson (Carthage, N.Y./Carthage), Crayton Cree (Hogansburg, N.Y./Salmon River), Kozloski, Farben-Griggs and Brock Chasey (Macedon, N.Y./Gananda).