CORTLAND, N.Y. – The nationally third-ranked Cortland men's lacrosse team broke open a close game with a 12-goal run spanning late in the first quarter into the third quarter and went on to defeat Keene State, 18-6, Saturday afternoon in the second round of the NCAA Div. III playoffs at the SUNY Cortland Stadium Complex. The Red Dragons, who won their 15th consecutive game, improved to 16-2 on the season and advance to face RIT, an 11-9 winner at Connecticut College, Wednesday at home in the national quarterfinals at a time to be announced. The Owls' season ended at 13-6.

Senior Brian Krol (Niskayuna) led Cortland with three goals and an assist, while five different players scored two goals. Sophomores Mike Tota (Webster/Webster Schroeder) and Greg Wright (Irondequoit) each had two goals and two assists. Junior Chris DeLuca (Sayville) added two goals and an assist, and junior Jay DiStefano (Huntington/Harborfields) and sophomore Eric Richards (Skaneateles) netted two goals apiece.

Junior Neal Hopps (Akwesasne/Massena) contributed a goal and two assists. Senior Tom Burke (Massapequa) and junior Pat Hayes (Mastic/Eastport South Manor) recorded one goal and one assist and junior Zack Mulvaney (Deferiet/Carthage) and sophomore Sean Davern (Irondequoit) each scored a goal. Senior Brandon Misiaszek (New Hartford) registered his 100th career point with an assist. DeLuca also won 11-of-13 faceoffs and collected five ground balls. Freshman goalie Mike Kaminski (Sayville) made eight saves, allowing five goals in 52 minutes, 48 seconds of action before giving way to sophomore Kyle Gaebel (Deferiet/Carthage), who stopped one shot and surrendered one goal over the final 7:12.

Sophomore Matt Schairer (Wrentham, MA/King Phillip) paced the Owls' offense with three goals and an assist. Freshman Taylor Jette (Simsbury, CT) contributed two goals and an assist, sophomore Griffin Meehan (Simsbury, CT) scored a goal, freshman Jonathan Rodrick (Plaistow, NH/Timberlane) chipped in with two assists and sophomore James Galloway (Simsbury, CT) recorded one assist. Freshman goalie Jason Lesser (Brewster) turned aside 12 shots.

After Krol opened the scoring for Cortland at 11:10 of the first quarter on a deflection of Hayes' pass in front, Meehan and Schairer netted back-to-back scores to give the Owls their only lead of the game, 2-1, at the 2:31 mark. Burke scored with less than a minute remaining in the quarter and the teams were tied 2-all.

The Red Dragons took control of the game by outscoring the Owls, 6-0, in the second quarter. Tota and DeLuca scored early in the quarter and Cortland owned a 4-2 lead. With the game still tight, the Red Dragons went on a scoring binge with four goals in the final 1:41 of the quarter. DiStefano sandwiched a pair of goals, the second coming just six seconds before the half, around scores from Hayes and Krol.

The Red Dragons eventually extended their lead to 13-2 with the first five goals of the third quarter as five diferent players found the back of the net. Jette finally ended Keene State's 27:19 scoring drought off Rodrick's assist at 5:12 of the third. Davern, however, answered just nine seconds later and Tota followed with a score to push Cortland's lead to 15-3. Schairer closed out the quarter with goals at 2:56 and 2:50 and Cortland held a 15-5 advantage heading into the fourth quarter.

DeLuca, Wright and Mulvaney each tallied goals to start the fourth as Cortland's lead grew to 18-5. Jette completed the scoring with his second of the game at the 4:02 mark.

Cortland out shot Keene State, 48-22, and held a 44-32 advantage in ground balls. The Red Dragons won 16-of-25 faceoffs and were successful on 4-of-4 man-up opportunities, while the Owls were 1-for-4.

Cortland 18, Keene State 6

GAME SUMMARY:
Team                                1-2-3-4    Final
Keene State (13-6)         2-0-3-1          6
Cortland (16-2)               2-6-7-3        18

Scoring (Goals-Assists):
Keene State: Matt Schairer 3-1, Taylor Jette 2-1, Griffin Meehan 1-0, Jonathan Rodrick 0-2, James Galloway 0-1 
Cortland: Brian Krol 3-1, Mike Tota 2-2, Greg Wright 2-2, Chris DeLuca 2-1, Jay DiStefano 2-0, Eric Richards 2-0, Neal Hopps 1-2, Tom Burke 1-1, Pat Hayes 1-1, Zack Mulvaney 1-0, Sean Davern 1-0, Chris Dutkowsky 0-2, Brandon Misiaszek 0-1, Eric Parah 0-1  

Goalkeepers:
Keene State: Jason Lesser, 12 saves (18 GA in 60:00)
Cortland: Mike Kaminski, 8 saves (5 GA in 52:48), Kyle Gaebel, 1 save (1 GA in 7:12)

Shots: Cortland 48, Keene State 22
Ground Balls: Cortland 44, Keene State 32
Turnovers: Keene State 26, Cortland 24
Clears: Cortland 13-of-24, Keene State 10-of-19
Faceoffs Won: Cortland 16, Keene State 9
Penalties: Cortland 4-3:30, Keene State 4-3:30
Extra-Man Offense: Cortland 4-4, Keene State 1-4