GENESEO, N.Y. - Nationally seventh-ranked Cortland built up a 14-9 lead late into the fourth quarter and withstood a furious comeback by ninth-ranked Geneseo and held on for a 14-13 win in the finals of the SUNYAC Tournament Saturday afternoon. With the win, the Red Dragons improved to 15-2 on the season and earned their ninth straight NCAA berth. The Knights had a 13-game winning streak snapped and fell to 13-2 on the season and await a possible at-large berth in to the NCAA playoffs.

For Cortland, tournament Most Valuable Player sophomore Chris DeLuca (Sayville) scored three goals, won 15-of-22 faceoffs and scooped up a game-high nine ground balls. Freshman Mike Tota (Webster/Webster Schroeder) contributed three goals and an assist, and junior Brian Krol (Niskayuna) scored twice. Junior Tom Burke (Massapequa) also scored a pair of goals and collected eight ground balls. Sophomore Jay DiStefano (Huntington/Harborfields) chipped in with a goal and an assist, while junior Brandon Misiaszek (New Hartford) dished out two assists. Senior goalie Matt Hipenbecker (Mountain Lakes, NJ) made three saves in 58 minutes, and senior Mike Robinson (Alexandria, VA/Thomas Edison) did not register a save in 2 minutes of action.

Senior Dylan Bittlingmaier led the Knights with four goals. Senior Mike Cintineo scored three times, senior Tom Costanza had two goals and two assists, senior Justin Rand added two goals and an assist and Craig Lange chipped in with a goal and two assists. Junior goalie Dennis Costanza stopped 16 shots in the loss.

After Lange gave Geneseo a 1-0 at 13:07 of the first quarter, the Red Dragons closed the quarter with five straight goals, two each from Tota and Burke. DeLuca made it a 6-1 game at 6:49 of the second quarter before Cintineo and Bittlingmaier scored at 2:35 and 1:27, respectively, to cut Cortland's lead to 6-3. The Red Dragons, however, closed the half with a goal from Krol with 27 seconds on the clock and a score by DeLuca just one second before intermission for an 8-3 lead.

The Red Dragons opened their lead up to 11-5 at the 4:15 mark of the third quarter, but Geneseo pulled to within 11-7 at the end of the quarter. Rand made it an 11-8 game at 13:15 of the fourth, but Krol and Wright scored 22 seconds apart just past the midway point of the quarter to push Cortland's lead to 13-8. Bittlingmaier scored at 6:02 and Geneseo trailed 13-9. Cortland sophomore Eric Parah (Baldwinsville/C.W. Baker) answered at the 4:23 mark and the Red Dragons held what seemed like a comfortable lead.

Geneseo then made a run in the closing minutes. Cintineo sandwiched two goals around a Costanza goal and the Knights were within 14-12 with 1:30 remaining. Just 11 seconds later, Bittlingmaier netted his fourth of the game on an unassisted effort and the lead stood at 14-13. DeLuca then won the ensuing faceoff but Geneseo forced a turnover with 41 seconds remaining. After the Knights were able to clear the ball into their offensive end, the Red Dragons forced a turnover and were able to run out the final nine seconds and secure the win.

Tota and seniors Joey Morgan (Putnam Valley), Cody Hoyt (Babylon) and Luke Lemon (Colorado Springs, CO) were named to the All-Tournament Team. Other members of the team were Bittlingmaier, Rand and Joe May of Geneseo, Judd Robinson and Dan Rogers of Oswego and Matt Maes and Luke Weidlein of Plattsburgh.

FINAL SCORE: Cortland 14, Geneseo 13

GAME SUMMARY:
Team                                                     1     2    3    4        Final    
Cortland (15-2)                                     5    3    3    3            14            
Geneseo (13-2)                                    1    2    4    6            13

Scoring (Goals-Assists):

Cortland: Mike Tota 3-1, Chris DeLuca 3-0, Tom Burke 2-0, Brian Krol 2-0, Jay DiStefano 1-1, Joey Morgan 1-0, Eric Parah 1-0, Greg Wright 1-0, Brandon Misiaszek 0-2, Cody Hoyt 0-1, Luke Lemon 0-1 
Geneseo: Dylan Bittlingmaier 4-0, Mike Cintineo 3-0, Tom Costanza 2-2, Justin Rand 2-1, Craig Lange 1-2, Austin Johnson 1-0, Jim Fiacco 0-2, Ray Ryan 0-2, Scott Cost 0-1 

Goalkeepers:
Cortland: Matt Hipenbecker, 3 saves (11 GA in 58:00), Mike Robinson, 0 saves (2 GA in 2:00)
Geneseo: Dennis Costanza, 16 saves (14 GA in 60:00)

Shots: Cortland 44, Geneseo 27 
Ground Balls: Cortland 43, Geneseo 29
Clears: Cortland 25-of-27, Geneseo 25-of-38 
Faceoffs Won: Cortland 18, Geneseo 11 
Penalties: Cortland 7-5:50, Geneseo 1-1:00
Extra-Man Offense: Geneseo 2-6, Cortland 0-0