GENESEO, N.Y. – Kevin Cook scored a game-high five points on three goals and two assists to lead the Geneseo men's lacrosse team to a 10-9 victory versus 19th-ranked Cortland Friday afternoon in the SUNYAC West opener for both teams. The Red Dragons dropped to 2-2 overall, while the Knights earned their first win of the season and improved to 1-2.

Senior Zak Jones (East Quogue/Westhampton Beach) and junior Dante Yacavone (Homer) led Cortland with three goals and one assist. Junior Troy Morris (Long Beach) tallied one goal and one assist, junior Pat Doyen (Miller Place) and sophomore Luke Kilner (Highland Falls/James I. O'Neill) each netted a goal and seniors Brandon Stiles (Mastic/Eastport-South Manor) and Jacob Rivers (Homer) chipped in with an assist.

Junior goalie Marc Esposito (West Babylon) registered 12 saves and three ground balls for the Red Dragons. Senior Brian Williams (Holtsville/Sachem East) won 16-of-18 faceoffs and collected nine ground balls, and sophomore Seth Thornton (Scarsdale) was successful on 4-of-5 faceoffs as Cortland won 20-of-23 in the game.

Rivers finished with six ground balls, Yacavone collected four ground balls and Stiles secured three ground balls. Senior Brandon Croteau (Bayport/Bayport-Blue Point) caused two turnovers.

James Pratt and Tyler Bushnell each contributed two goals for the Knights. Tim Fallo tallied one goal and one assist, Sean Byrne and Connor Griffin netted one goal apiece and Jimmy McGrath added an assist.

Goalie Mark Pav stopped 16 shots and collected five ground balls. McGrath also finished with five ground balls and three caused turnovers, Kevin Ehli caused two turnovers and Pratt, Fallo and Zachary Barber all scooped up three ground balls.

The Knights built a 4-2 lead at the end of one quarter and boosted the advantage to 5-2 early in the second quarter before the Red Dragons scored four of the next five goals to make it a 6-6 game at the half.

Geneseo took an 8-7 lead into the final 15 minutes of play, and neither team found the back of the net in the fourth quarter until the Knights went ahead 9-7 at the 6:49 mark. Jones pulled Cortland to within 9-8 at 5:59, but Pratt put Geneseo back ahead by two goals at 10-8 with 2:50 on the clock. Jones' third goal of the game with 33 seconds remaining made it a 10-9 score. Williams won the ensuing faceoff but the Red Dragons turned the ball over in the closing seconds before having a chance for the equalizer and Geneseo held on for the 10-9 victory.
 
Geneseo 10, Cortland 9

GAME SUMMARY:

Team                1-2-3-4  Final
Cortland           2-4-1-2      9
Geneseo          4-2-2-2    10

Scoring (Goals-Assists):
Cortland: Dante Yacavone 3-1, Zak Jones 3-1, Troy Morris 1-1, Pat Doyen 1-0, Luke Kilner 1-0, Brandon Stiles 0-1, Jacob Rivers 0-1
Geneseo: Kevin Cook 3-2, James Pratt 2-0, Tyler Bushnell 2-0, Tim Fallo 1-1, Sean Byrne 1-0, Connor Griffin 1-0, Jimmy McGrath 0-1

Goalkeepers:
Cortland: Marc Esposito, 12 saves (10 GA in 60:00)
Geneseo: Mark Pav, 16 saves (9 GA in 60:00)

Shots: Geneseo 40, Cortland 39
Ground Balls: Cortland 41, Geneseo 31
Turnovers: Cortland 16, Geneseo 15
Caused Turnovers: Geneseo 9, Cortland 7
Clears: Geneseo 24-of-25, Cortland 15-of-16
Faceoffs Won: Cortland 20, Geneseo 3
Penalties: Geneseo 4-2:30, Cortland 2-2:00
Extra-Man Offense: Cortland 1-3, Geneseo 0-2

Records after game: Cortland (Red Dragons) 2-2, 0-1 SUNYAC West (tied for 19th nationally in Div. III); Geneseo 1-2, 1-0 SUNYAC West