CORTLAND, N.Y. -- The first half was the difference maker in the Battle of the Red Dragons as Cortland defeated Oneonta, 17-6, in SUNYAC play Saturday afternoon. Cortland took a 12-2 lead into halftime and held onto the win to improve to 9-4 on the season, 5-0 in the SUNYAC while Oneonta moved to 6-7 overall and 2-3 in the conference. Freshmen
Aidan Boyle (Yorktown Heights, N.Y./Yorktown) and
Johnny Terrana (St. James, N.Y./Smithtown East) each recorded their first collegiate point via assist, and both caused a turnover. Sophomore
Anthony Munro (Seaford, N.Y./Seaford) and freshman
Thomas Hnis (Smithtown, N.Y./Kings Park) co-led Oneonta with two goals, Hnis also caused a turnover.
After Cortland's Klay Stuver scored in the first minute, junior
Stephen Barikyan (Tappan/Tappan Zee) won the ensuing faceoff and sprinted into the zone to rip in his fourth goal of the season at 13:51. Cortland closed out the first with four goals from four different players to go up 5-1. Stuver scored his second of the game within the first minute of the second quarter. Hnis netted his first goal of the game at 11:55 to make it 6-2. Cortland ended the half with six goals, three from Sam Rothman, for a 12-2 lead.
Hnis scored his 31st goal of the season off a pass from Terrana at 10:40 in the third, however Cortland commanded a 16-3 lead with 5:35 to go in the period. Munro received a pass from Boyle at 3:12 for his first goal of the game then senior
Matthew Krieg (Port Jefferson Station/Comsewogue) recorded his 12th goal of the season at 2:31 to go into the final period trailing 16-5. Each side scored one goal in the fourth quarter. Senior
Eric Nicholson (Nesconset, N.Y./Smithtown East) recorded his 30th assist of the season on a pass to Munro for his second goal of the day and fifth of the season.
Senior
Harrison Boukas (North Massapequa/Plainegde) finished with 16 saves, three ground balls, and a caused turnover for Oneonta. Barikyan went 9-for-20 on faceoffs, collected six ground balls, and caused one turnover. Sophomore Aidan Green caused two turnovers and had one ground ball, senior
Ray Raefski (Pleasantville, N.Y./Pleasantville) had three ground balls.
Travis Wagner had nine saves for Cortland, Rothman finished with six goals and an assist, and Stuver had three goals and an assist.
Cortland outshot Oneonta, 52-43, 33-15 on goal, and had a 44-26 ground ball advantage.
Oneonta is back in action Wednesday, April 24, at New Paltz at 4 pm.
