OSWEGO, N.Y. – After a hard fought battle, the Oswego State men’s lacrosse team (7-0) defeated Keuka College (2-3), 11-7, Tuesday afternoon at South Athletic Field. The difference came in the fourth quarter when Oswego State scored four unanswered goals after going into the frame tied 7-7.
Junior Chad Smith (Fulton, N.Y.) started the game off on the right foot for the Lakers, scoring early on in the first with an assist going to senior Britt Leone (Schenectady, N.Y.). Smith followed up under two minutes later with his fifth goal of the season assisted by Casey Balzer (Sr., Nassau, N.Y.). At the 9:05 mark, the Lakers took a three-goal lead as Cody Hoose (Fr., Syracuse, N.Y.) passed to an open Chris Porten (So., Auburn, N.Y.), who put the ball in the cage for his 14th goal of the season.
Keuka got on the board with three minutes left in the first, as Nick Judge scored an unassisted goal. Chris Redington finished out first quarter scoring for the Storm just thirty seconds after their first goal on a man-up advantage.
Three mintues into in the second, Leone scored an unassisted goal to put Oswego State ahead 4-2. Keuka matched the goal while down a man, as Anthony Luppino scored unassisted. Freshman Matt Palmer (Pittsford, N.Y.) doubled the Laker lead again with 7:26 left in the second, making the scoreboard read 5-3. Keuka scored twice more before halftime on shots by Gino Marcello and Luppino.
Going into the third knotted at 5-5, Leone started off the scoring again. He scored his ninth goal of the season and second of the game following a pass from Connor Khammar (Fr., Camillus, N.Y.). Marcello answered back with his 11th marker of the season.
Derek Pfeiffer later scored for the Storm, giving them the first lead of the game with 3:58 left in the third. Oswego State responded shortly after when Porten tied the game after being fed a pass from behind the cage from Hoose sending the teams into the fourth quarter even at 7-7.
Palmer gave the Lakers the lead for good when he took advantage of a man-up situation when Khammar hit him with a pass at the top of the box for his 11th goal of the year.
Hoose had a hand in all three of the remaining Oswego State goals. The first came at 4:19 when Connor Brown (Jr., Syracuse, N.Y.) posted his sixth marker of the season. Hoose recorded the next goal with 6:47 to go with Palmer earning the assist. The final goal of the game came from Palmer this time with an assist going to Hoose after Keuka had been playing aggressively on its defensive end and the goalie was not in position to stop the shot.
Palmer finished the game with three goals and an assist, while Hoose registered a goal and four assists. Josh Roetzer (Jr., Williamsville, N.Y.) had four ground balls, while Brian Slattery (Fr., St. James, N.Y.) and Ben Morrill (Fr., Webster, N.Y.) had three each for the Lakers.
Senior goalie Ian O’Brien (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.) made several strong saves, recording 11 in total for the win.
Keuka’s Scott Thielman played in the first and second quarters, putting up seven saves, while Eric Saltrelli stepped in for him at the start of the third, recording the loss and six saves.
Oswego State opens conference action Friday against Brockport at home starting at 4 p.m.
SCORE BY PERIOD 1 2 3 4 Tot
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Keuka College……. 2 3 2 0 – 7
Oswego State…….. 3 2 2 4 – 11
Keuka College SCORING: GOALS: Marcello, Gino 2; Luppino, Anthony 2;
Redington, Chris 1; Judge, Nick 1; Pfeiffer, Derek 1.
ASSISTS: Crumlish, Mike 2; Marcello, Gino 1.
Oswego State SCORING: GOALS: Matt Palmer 3; Britt Leone 2; Chris
Porten 2; Chad Smith 2; Cody Hoose 1; Connor Brown 1.
ASSISTS: Cody Hoose 4; Connor Khammar 2; Casey Balzer 1; Britt Leone
1; Matt Palmer 1.
