SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The nationally top-ranked RIT men's lacrosse team ended second-ranked Cortland's 44-game regular-season winning streak with an 18-11 victory at the Carrier Dome on the Syracuse University campus Thursday night in non-conference action. The Tigers (4-0) were the last team to defeat the Red Dragons (4-1) in regular-season play with a 12-11 win at Cortland during the 2011 season.

For Cortland, junior Matt Rakoczy (Clifton Park/Albany Academy) led the offense with five points on three goals and two assists. Senior Mike Cummings (Syracuse/East Syracuse Minoa) and freshman Nate Beresovoy (LaFayette) each netted a pair of goals. Senior Tyler Chin (Hauppauge) contributed a goal and an assist, while senior Cody Consul (Webster/Webster Schroeder) and juniors Mike Cantelli (Holmdel, NJ) and Hunter Osborne (Homer) added one goal apiece. Senior Joe Slavik (Binghamton/Seton Catholic) and freshman Mike Hart (Cornelius, NC/Hough) chipped in with an assist.

Junior goalie Scott Tota (Webster/Webster Schroeder) stopped seven shots in 42 minutes, 35 seconds of action. Senior Nick Costabile (New Fairfield, CT) made four saves in 17:25. Junior Billy Davis (Manhasset) won 9-of-16 faceoffs and recorded four ground balls. Sophomore Pat Baldwin (Alpharetta, GA) led the Red Dragons with five ground balls, and junior Luke McNaney (Marcellus) collected four.

Casey Jackson paced the RIT offense with five goals and one assist. Ryan Lee tallied a game-high seven points on four goals and three assists. Taylor Wisman and Jack Krzyston each registered two goals and one assist, Kyle Aquin scored a pair of goals and Brad Gillies contributed one goal and two assists.

Goalie Pat Johnston turned aside 19 shots in 58:15 before giving way to Anthony DeLeo, who did not face a shot on goal over the final 1:45. Tyler Brooks-Lambert won 15-of-29 faceoffs and recorded a game-high 10 ground balls.

RIT wasted little time in taking a 2-0 lead as Jackson and Brady Wallace scored goals just 34 seconds apart less than two minutes into the game. The Red Dragons answered with goals from Rakoczy at 11:10 and Cummings at 10:17 to tie the game at 2-2, but that would be the last time Cortland would be even with the Tigers. RIT closed the first quarter by out scoring the Red Dragons, 4-2, and held a 6-3 lead after 15 minutes of play.

Rakoczy opened the second quarter with his second of the night at 13:11 to make it a 6-4 game, but Aquin and Jackson pushed the lead to 8-4 with 10:26 left in the half. The Red Dragons went on a three-goal run with scores from Consul, Osborne and Rakoczy in less than three minutes to draw to within 8-7. Jackson and Beresovoy traded goals 38 seconds apart and the Tigers held a 9-8 lead with 3:14 remaining before halftime. Two late goals by RIT by Aquin at 2:02 and Jackson at 1:46 made it 11-8 at intermission.

The teams opened up the third quarter by trading the first four goals with Cortland answering RIT twice, and the Tigers still held a marginal three-goal lead at 13-10. RIT, however, took control of the game by netting four goals in the last 5:13 of the quarter for a commanding 17-10 advantage. Jackson's fifth goal of the game at the 7:03 mark of the fourth quarter made it an 18-10 game before Cantelli finished the scoring with a man-up goal at 4:32 for the 18-11 final.

RIT 18, Cortland 11

GAME SUMMARY:

Team 1-2-3-4 Final
Cortland (4-1) 3-5-2-1 11
RIT (4-0) 6-5-6-1 18

Scoring (Goals-Assists):
Cortland: Matt Rakoczy 3-2, Mike Cummings 2-0, Nate Beresovoy 2-0, Tyler Chin 1-1, Cody Consul 1-0, Mike Cantelli 1-0, Hunter Osborne 1-0, Joe Slavik 0-1, Mike Hart 0-1
RIT: Casey Jackson 5-1, Ryan Lee 4-3, Jack Krzyton 2-1, Taylor Wisman 2-1, Kyle Aquin 2-0, Brad Gillies 1-2, Braden Wallace 1-0, Alec Sulesky 1-0, Allister Warren 0-2, Matt Hossack 0-1, Jarret Schmauder 0-1, J.D. Hall 0-1, Eddie Kiesa 0-1

Goalkeepers:
Cortland: Scott Tota, 7 saves (12 GA in 42:35), Nick Costabile, 4 saves (6 GA in 17:25)
RIT: Pat Johnston, 19 saves (11 GA in 58:15), Anthony DeLeo, 0 saves (0 GA in 1:45)

Shots: Cortland 43, RIT 39
Ground Balls: Cortland 41, RIT 33
Turnovers: Cortland 14, RIT 11
Caused Turnovers: RIT 9, Cortland 7
Clears: Cortland 12-of-14, RIT 16-of-19
Faceoffs Won: RIT 17, Cortland 16
Penalties: RIT 4-3:00, Cortland 2-2:00
Extra-Man Offense: Cortland 2-4, RIT 0-2