PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – Junior Joe Slavik (Binghamton/Seton Catholic) scored a career-high seven points on three goals and four assists to lead the nationally top-ranked Cortland men's lacrosse team to a 15-12 win at 18th-ranked Plattsburgh Saturday afternoon in the SUNYAC opener for both schools.

Sophomore Matt Rakoczy (Clifton Park/Albany Academy) led the Red Dragons (8-0, 1-0 SUNYAC) with four goals. Freshman Zach Hopps (Akwesasne/Massena) tallied two goals and three assists, and sophomore Patrick Brown (Camillus/West Genesee) scored a pair of goals. Sophomore Benjamin Dunlavey (Elmira/Corning East) recorded one goal and one assist, senior Brandon Mulholland (Levittown/MacArthur), sophomore Billy Davis (Manhasset) and freshman James Stavrakis (Hillsborough, NJ) each netted a goal, and junior Cody Consul (Webster/Webster Schroeder) contributed four assists.

Senior goalie Mike Kaminski (Sayville) finished with 15 saves, one short of his career high, in 50 minutes, five seconds. Junior Steve Mahle (Camillus/West Genesee) stopped one shot in 9:55. Freshman Pat Baldwin (Alpharetta, GA) won 11-of-22 faceoffs for Cortland. Mulholland, Rakoczy and junior Brian Winterfeldt (Merrick/Calhoun) each registered three ground balls.

Joey Kramer led Plattsburgh (8-2, 0-1 SUNYAC) with four goals. Tim Lawrence scored three times, Tom Duggan had two goals, Brett McClelland and Nick Travers each tallied one goal and two assists and Brendan Damm scored once. Goalie Gordie Gehring made 12 saves, while Travers won 16-of-28 faceoffs and collected a game-high 12 ground balls.

Cortland opened up a 5-1 lead after the first quarter, but the Cardinals responded by outscoring the Red Dragons, 7-3, in the second quarter and the teams were tied 8-8 at the half. The teams traded four goals in the third quarter to send it to the final 15 minutes tied at 10-10.

Brown gave the Red Dragons an 11-10 lead with his first of the game at 13:22, but Travers won the ensuing faceoff and set up Kramer's fourth of the game just six seconds later to tie the score at 11-all. Cortland then took control of the game with a four-goal run as Consul and Hopps each recorded two assists and Slavik, Brown, Stavrakis and Mulholland each found the back of the net. Damm completed the scoring with 1:12 remaining for the 15-12 final.      

Cortland 15, Plattsburgh 12

GAME SUMMARY:

Team                                                    1-2-3-4    Final
Cortland (8-0, 1-0 SUNYAC)            3-1-2-4      10
Plattsburgh (8-2, 0-1 SUNYAC)       3-1-0-3        7

Scoring (Goals-Assists):
Cortland: Matt Rakoczy 4-0, Joe Slavik 3-4, Zach Hopps 2-3, Patrick 2-0, Benjamin Dunlavey 1-1, Brandon Mulholland 1-0, James Stavrakis 1-0, Billy Davis 1-0, Cody Consul 0-4, Mike Cantelli 0-1
Plattsburgh: Joey Kramer 4-0, Tim Lawrence 3-0, Tom Duggan 2-0, Brett McClelland 1-2, Nick Travers 1-2, Brendan Damm 1-0, Ryan Hastings 0-2, Anthony Pafundi 0-1

Goalkeepers:
Cortland: Mike Kaminski, 15 saves (11 GA in 50:05), Steve Mahle, 1 save (1 GA in 9:55)
Plattsburgh: Gordie Gehring, 12 saves (15 GA in 60:00) 

Shots: Plattsburgh 38, Cortland 35
Ground Balls: Cortland 27, Plattsburgh 24
Turnovers: Cortland 15, Plattsburgh 12
Caused Turnovers: Plattsburgh 8, Cortland 5
Clears: Cortland 16-of-18, Plattsburgh 17-of-21
Faceoffs Won: Plattsburgh 16, Cortland 5
Penalties: Plattsburgh 7-5:30, Cortland 4-3:30
Extra-Man Offense: Cortland 3-6, Plattsburgh 2-6