FIGHTING TIGER MEN’S LACROSSE UPSETS FINGER LAKES CC 15-13

Trailing at the end of the first quarter by a 7-2 margin to visiting Finger Lakes Community College on a cold rainy afternoon on their home turf; the SUNY Cobleskill men’s lacrosse team stormed back against the Lakers, and the elements, to post a 15-13 upset win on Wednesday in NJCAA Region III play. The victory pushes the Fighting Tigers season record to 2-6 on the year and drops the Lakers to 6-8 on the season.

“In the first quarter we came out flat and really just went through the motions of playing,” said first-year Fighting Tiger Head Coach Ryan Gunzinger. “In the second quarter we had a 26-10 advantage over them in ground balls and that was the turning point. We started to change the time of possession to our favor, scored a couple of quick goals and from there we started to believe that we could win. Going into the fourth quarter we trailed 11-10 and we knew that if we kept it close we would have a chance to win which we eventually did. The important thing for us today was that we got scoring from everyone and that balance made it tough for them to key on one specific player defensively. Overall I’m extremely proud of our effort, our execution and our determination today.”

Fighting Tiger senior midfielder Tom Cunningham, Skaneateles, NY, Skaneateles High School, led a balanced scoring attack with three goals and four assists while freshman attackman/midfielder Matt Hughes, Wallkill, NY, Wallkill High School, added four goals and an assist on the afternoon. Cobleskill also received multiple scoring efforts from freshman attackman/midfielder Tim Clark, Utica, NY, Thomas R. Proctor High School, with three goals and one assist, freshman attackman/midfielder Andrew Abbott, Onondaga, NY, Onondaga High School, with two goals and two assists, and freshman attackman Joe Labadia, Bethel, CT, Bethel High School, with two goals and two assists.

When they weren’t battling the Lakers for ground balls and denying the visitors from Canandaigua, NY field position, freshman defenders Mike Steves, Syracuse, NY, Nottingham High School, and Jim McFadden, West Babylon, NY, West Babylon High School, were getting offensive. Steves scored a crucial third quarter goal in a man-down situation going the length of the field to beat the Laker goalkeeper and McFadden assisted on Tim Clark’s fourth quarter goal that gave the Orange & Black the lead for good. Freshman midfielder Dan Russ, Rensselaer, NY, Columbia High School, also added a key fourth quarter assist in the win for Cobleskill.

In the net, freshman goalkeeper Brad Wilson, West Point, NY, James I. O’Neil High School, weathered the early Laker barrage to record 16 saves and secure the victory.

The Fighting Tigers will return to action on Thursday April 27th when they play their final home game of the season hosting Mohawk Valley Community College from Utica, NY in a Mountain Valley Conference game with face-off scheduled for 4:00 PM at the Cobleskill Lacrosse Complex.

TIGER NOTES: The victory surpasses the Fighting Tigers team total from 2005 when they went 1-9 under the direction of Head Coach Todd Weil. Cobleskill did not field a team in 2006 due to lack of participation. The Fighting Tigers’ 15 goal outburst was the highest scoring total of the season. The Fighting Tigers have posted a 2-2 record at home this season to date. According to national website “LaxPower” the Fighting Tigers season power rating is currently 52.07.