POTSDAM, N.Y.—The SUNY Potsdam men's lacrosse team (9-4, 3-1 SUNYAC) moved closer to clinching a playoff spot with a 12-10 victory over Oneonta State (4-9, 2-2) on Senior Day. The Bears are 5-1 in their last six games and their nine victories are the most since 2000. Sophomore midfielder Pat Bonafede (Churchville, N.Y./Churchville-Chili) led Potsdam with three goals and two assists. Senior captain Rob Kunz (Watertown, N.Y./Immaculate Heart) contributed two goals and three assists and sophomore attackman Ed Doherty (Amherst, N.Y./Amherst) added three goals.

Bonafede opened the scoring less than three minutes into the game, but Oneonta junior midfielder Jimmy Reiser (Melville, N.Y./Half Hollow Hills East) and sophomore midfielder Mike Metzger (Colonie, N.Y./Colonie) scored the next two at 8:03 and 7:14, respectively, to give the Red Dragons a 2-1 lead after one quarter.

The teams combined for nine goals in the second period. Kunz set up Doherty at 13:41 to tie the game at 2-2. Red Dragon freshman midfielder Austin McAskill (Baldwinsville, N.Y./C.W. Baker) gave Oneonta the lead back at 11:29 and Metzger struck for his second at 10:10 to make it 4-2. The Bears responded with a 5-0 run. Kunz and Bonafede each scored unassisted markers at 9:31 and 8:22 to tie the game and the Bears never trailed again. At 6:51, Bonafede set up senior captain Derek Frost (Buffalo, N.Y./Williamsville East) to give Potsdam a 5-4 advantage. Doherty notched the next two on assists from Bonafede and Kunz and the Bears led 7-4 at the 3:22 mark. With just 11 seconds left in the half, Red Dragon senior attack Daniel Stern (Shoreham, N.Y./Shoreham-Wading River) scored and Oneonta trailed 7-5 at the break.

The Red Dragons tied the game with the first two goals of the second half coming from sophomore midfielder Connor Coyle (Centerport, N.Y./Harborfields) and Metzger. Potsdam sophomore attack Matt Kennedy (Clay, N.Y./Cicerto-North Syracuse) put the Bears in front for good at the 4:42 mark and Bonafede completed his hat trick just over two minutes later and Potsdam led 9-7 after 45 minutes.

The teams alternated goals for the final quarter. Two and a half minutes in, Oneonta junior midfielder Anthony Laureano (Holtsville, N.Y./Sachem East) made it 9-8. At 8:59, Kunz hit freshman attackman Matt Moran (Watertown, N.Y./Immaculate Heart) with a perfect pass and he beat Red Dragon freshman goalie Zach Reilly (Yorktown Heights, N.Y./Yorktown) with a high shot. Stern answered 48 seconds later, but Potsdam junior midfielder Jon Woodworth (Carthage, N.Y./Carthage) again extended the lead to 11-9 with 6:19 to play. Metzger scored his fourth of the game 44 seconds later, but Oneonta couldn't get any closer. The Bears used careful clock management and waited for the best chance. It came with 1:14 remaining as Kunz fired a left-handed shot into an open net.

In goal, senior Ryan Duffy (Liverpool, N.Y./Liverpool) had another strong day with 14 saves. Reilly took the loss with 10 stops.

The Bears close out the regular season with two road games. Potsdam heads to Oswego to face the Lakers at 4 p.m. on Wednesday and then travels to Geneseo on Saturday for a 1 p.m. contest.