PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – The Plattsburgh State men's lacrosse team fell to SUNY Cortland, 15-6, in a rematch of the past two conference championship games on Senior Day Saturday afternoon at the Field House Complex in State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) action.
 
Prior to the start of the game, the Cardinals honored their 11 seniors: attackman Jake Carroll (East Northport, N.Y./Northport), midfielder Kevin Murphy (Sayville, N.Y./Sayville), long-stick midfielder Christopher Weider (Smithtown, N.Y./Smithtown West), midfielder R.J. Ehli (Smithtown, N.Y./Smithtown West), defenseman Chris Rupp (Sayville, N.Y./Sayville), short-stick defensive midfielder Nick Della Ratta (Huntington, N.Y./St. Anthony's), defenseman Michael Van Bommel (Calverton, N.Y./Riverhead), attackman Jack Sullivan (East Northport, N.Y./Northport), defenseman Kevin Sanford (Lynnfield, Mass./St. John's Prep) and goalie Jack Hayes (Thornwood, N.Y./Westlake).
 
Plattsburgh State falls to 4-6 overall (1-1 SUNYAC) with the loss and next visits SUNY Oneonta on Wednesday, April 10, at 4 p.m. Cortland rises to 7-4 overall (2-0 SUNYAC) with the win and next visits SUNY Geneseo on Wednesday, April 10, at 4 p.m.
 
Murphy and junior long-stick midfielder Kyle Smith (Holbrook, N.Y./Sachem East) scored 22 seconds apart early in the first quarter to give the Cardinals an early 2-0 lead, with Smith's tally being the first of his career. Cortland answered back with two quick goals, as freshman midfielder Troy Morris scored unassisted before senior attackman Dean Riley cashed in on a feed from junior midfielder Danny Caroussos. The Red Dragons wrapped up the first quarter with goals by senior attackman Terrence Haggerty (freshman defenseman Justin Wainwright assist) and freshman midfielder Kyle Boden (junior face-off specialist Brian Williams assist) to take a 4-2 lead into the second.
 
Morris and Riley (freshman attackman Dante Yacavone assist) both scored to open the second quarter for Cortland, while junior midfielder Kevin Litchauer (Poughkeepsie, N.Y./Arlington) stopped the momentum with an unassisted tally less than a minute after Riley's goal. Senior attackman Joey Panariello scored back-to-back goals on feeds from Yacavone and Riley, respectively, while junior midfielder Tristan Moreno found the back of the cage at 5:38 to extend the Red Dragon advantage to 9-3. Carroll scored man-up on a pass from Murphy to draw the Cardinals within 9-4 heading into the halftime intermission.
 
Cortland received a goal from Boden, which came on a Wainwright pass, to open scoring in the third, while sophomore midfielder James Sherwood (Manorville, N.Y./Eastport-South Manor) tallied unassisted for the Cardinals to make it a five-goal game once again. The Red Dragons put the game out of reach with a five-goal surge, beginning with a goal by Moreno with 12 seconds left in the third.
 
Haggerty had a hand in all four Cortland goals in the fourth, scoring three times and adding an assist. Riley dished out a helper on Haggerty's second goal of the stanza. Ehli scored what wound up being the final goal of the game at 5:53 of the fourth, converting on a pass from freshman attackman/midfielder Dilon Smith (Lindenhurst, N.Y./Lindenhurst).
 
Cortland finished with a 41-36 edge in shots and a 38-34 cushion in ground balls while going 16-for-25 at the X. On clears, the Red Dragons were 17-for-22, while the Cardinals were 20-for-25. Plattsburgh State went 1-for-2 on extra-man opportunities, while Cortland was scoreless on its once chance with the extra man.
 
Murphy led the Cardinals with two points on a goal and an assist, while Litchauer, Carroll, Ehli, Kyle Smith and Sherwood all scored. Dilon Smith also posted an assist. Kyle Smith scooped up a career-high 12 ground balls and added three caused turnovers to lead Plattsburgh State's defensive effort. At the X, freshman defenseman Justin Rocovich (Bohemia, N.Y./Connetquot) was 2-for-3.
 
For Cortland, Haggerty tallied five points on four goals and an assist, while Riley had four points on two goals and two assists. Wainwright (two assists), Panariello (two goals), Yacavone (two assists), Morris (two goals), Moreno (two goals) and Boden (two goals) all registered two points. Senior midfielder Mike McNaney and freshman defenseman Dominick Natale each caused two turnovers, while Williams went 16-for-23 on face-offs and collected 10 ground balls.
 
Hayes earned the start in net and made two stops, while sophomore goalie Joe Falco (Middletown, N.Y./Valley Central) played the final 55:08 and tallied 10 saves. Freshman goalie Marc Esposito turned aside 14 shots in the win for Cortland.