POTSDAM, N.Y.—The SUNY Potsdam men’s lacrosse team (7-8, 4-2 SUNYAC) never trailed as they defeated Oswego State 11-7 to close the regular season and clinch a playoff berth. Sophomore Robbie Ashlaw (North Syracuse, N.Y./Cicero-N. Syracuse) led the Bears with two goals and two assists for a game-high four points and senior goalie Pat Corbine (Canton, N.Y./Hugh C. Williams) stopped 10 shots for his fourth victory of the season.

After withstanding an early Laker charge, the Bears scored the first three goals of the contest. Sophomore Derek Frost (Buffalo, N.Y./Williamsville East), senior Sean McAuliffe (Watertown, N.Y./Watertown), and senior Kevin Green (Penfield, N.Y./Penfield) each scored in a 2:11 span starting at the 9:31 mark. Junior Britt Leone (Schenectady, N.Y./Schenectady) got Oswego on the board at 4:44 with the first of his game-high three goals. Junior Ryan Paparella (Whitesboro, N.Y./Whitesboro) added a fourth Potsdam goal three minutes later and Laker junior Casey Balzer (Nassau, N.Y./Columbia) closed the quarter with a goal at 0:11. Paparella and Balzer then scored the only goals of second quarter and the Bears led 5-3 at the half.

Potsdam’s Ashlaw and Oswego junior Andy Lever (Lindenhurst, N.Y./Lindenhurst) traded the first goals of the third quarter. With the Bears holding up 6-4, Potsdam junior Zeppy O’Geen (Massena, N.Y./Massena) took the ball the length of the field and scored with a high shot over Laker junior goalie Ian O’Brien (Gansevoort, N.Y./Saratoga Springs). The goal sparked 5-0 run by the Potsdam offense. Ashlaw, sophomore Pat Mahar (Baldwinsville, N.Y./Baker), O’Geen a second time, and Frost completed the run. The Lakers chipped away at the Bears’ 11-4 lead in the fourth quarter with the final three markers, including two from Leone, but came up short.

O’Brien finished with 11 saves for Oswego.

Potsdam Head Coach Rick Berkman credited a strong effort out of the gate and O’Geen’s faceoff dominance (13-of-19) as critical parts of the victory.

"We got off to a good start, which we needed because we were playing for a lot,” said Berkman. “I thought the key to the win was Zeppy O'Geen controlling the game with faceoffs. That helped us get possessions.”

The Bears will take the field again Wednesday, May 4, for a first-round SUNYAC playoff game, but the location of the game and their opponent are yet to be determined.