BOXSCORE

Freshman Bryon Palmer (Johnson City, NY/Johnson City) staked The College at Brockport's men's lacrosse team to a 1-0 lead but the Golden Eagles fell to nationally-ranked Cortland 13-5 Wednesday in the semifinals of the State University of New York Athletic Conference's (SUNYAC) postseason tournament.

 

Palmer scored his 11th goal of the year unassisted just 1:39 into the game for the Golden Eagles (6-8 overall), but Cortland (14-2), ranked fourth in the latest United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association's Division III poll, scored the next eight goals to win.

 

Among SUNYAC schools, only Brockport (twice) and Plattsburgh managed to score five-plus goals on Cortland. Brockport's six goals during an April 8 loss at Cortland was the highest scoring output by a SUNYAC foe against the Red Dragons this year.

 

After losing seven of its first 10 games, the Golden Eagles responded by winning their final three SUNYAC games to clinch the school's first-ever appearance in the SUNYAC tournament.

 

“We came together, we were very successful and we've definitely taken a step in the right direction as a program,” said Brockport head coach Ben Wineburg.

 

“We made SUNYAC's for the first time in program history and there's a lot to be said for that. These guys have to use (the success) from this year as a stepping stone, and we have to work that much harder to maintain this pace we're at.”

 

Senior Andy Hilton (Rochester, NY/Gates Chili) scored two goals to finish with 32, which tied both Josh Gordon (2002) and Adam Drypolcher (2007) for most goals in a single-season. Senior Mike Tammaro (Painted Post, NY/Corning West) finished with a school-record 40 points, and his 29 assists were also most in a season.

 

Brockport's 141 goals during the 2011 season broke the 2005 team's record for most goals in a season by three.

 

After Cortland tied the score with 12:08 remaining in the first quarter, the Golden Eagles' defense clamped down and held the Red Dragons scoreless for 10 minutes and 23 seconds.

 

Cortland took a 2-1 lead on a transition goal with 1:45 left in the quarter, and led 3-1 after one quarter.

 

It was 6-1 at halftime and 8-1 just 2:39 into the third quarter before the Green and Gold responded with a pair of goals just 29 seconds apart.

 

Hilton scored on a man-up situation, the first of his two goals, with 11:18 left in the third. Junior Nate Thomas (Cortland, NY/Cortland) found freshman Brendon Rothfuss (Webster, NY/Webster Thomas) with a neat pass across the crease 29 seconds later, and Rothfuss finished for his 21st goal.

 

With Cortland leading 13-3, the Golden Eagles closed out the scoring with two goals just 45 seconds apart in the fourth.

 

Then Tammaro scored his 11th goal with 6:17 to play, and Hilton tacked on a goal with 5:32 remaining, scoring into the far-side of the cage to pull Brockport within 13-5.

 

Senior Jon Fiorillo (Painted Post, NY/Corning West) made 17, his second-highest save total this season. Cortland's high-powered attack came in averaging 15.7 goals per game during its nine-game winning streak.

 

“Johnny played great in goal for us, he kept the game close for us,” said Wineburg, Brockport's head coach since the program was revived in 2001.

 

“There are positives to take away from this, like being able to shut Cortland down like that. Where Cortland as a program is right now, that's where we want to be, we just have to keep working hard to get there.”

 

Rothfuss and freshman Keenan Sullivan (Grand Rapids, MI/Forest Hills Eastern) each grabbed five groundballs while Fiorillo, Thomas and freshman Colin King (Jamesville, NY/Christian Brothers Academy) each added four groundballs.