POTSDAM, N.Y.—In the snow, sleet and freezing rain sophomore midfielder Josh Huiatt (Lisbon, N.Y./Hugh C. Williams) and senior midfielder Nick Orsini (Fairport, N.Y./Fairport) had career days to help the SUNY Potsdam men's lacrosse team (4-7, 1-2 SUNYAC) to a 12-11 victory over SUNY Oneonta (4-7, 1-2) on Saturday afternoon. Huiatt contributed a personal best seven points on three goals and four assists and Orsini matched a career-high with five goals. Senior attackman Eric Soderquist (Watertown, N.Y./Watertown) added a goal and three helpers to move into sole possession of fifth place on the program's all-time scoring list with 159 points. Junior goalie Zach Sheridan (Clay, N.Y./Cicero-North Syracuse) was clutch again, making five of his 13 saves in the fourth quarter to seal the win.

The Bears opened fast with a 3-0 run in the first 5:26. Junior midfielder Ryan Waldron (Clay, N.Y./Cicero-North Syracuse) set up Huiatt just 1:01 into the game. Orsini made it 2-0 at 12:15 with an assist from Huiatt and sophomore midfielder Nick Slate (Saugerties, N.Y./Saugerties) closed the run at 9:34 with his 14th of the season. Red Dragons senior midfielder TJ Kilmetis (Hicksville, N.Y./Hicksville) and senior attackman Hunter DeLuca (Medford, N.Y./Patchogue Medford) scored in succession at 7:19 and 5:04 and Oneonta trailed 3-2 after one.

Orsini started a 4-0 Potsdam run at 13:08 with an assist from Huiatt. Soderquist fed Huiatt at 12:30. Waldron and Orsini scored at 11:10 and 9:03 to make it a 7-2 contest. The Red Dragons scored two of the next three. Freshman attackman Thomas McRae (Northport, N.Y./Northport) struck at 6:08, but Orsini countered at 2:34. Junior attackman Stephen Panno (Holtsville, N.Y./Sachem East) found the back of the net at 1:06 and Oneonta was down 8-4 at the break.

DeLuca struck again at 13:01 followed by a man-up marker from each team. Orsini rifled home a pass from Huiatt at 11:40 and Panno made the most of the extra-man opportunity at 9:22 to close the gap to 9-6. Soderquist scored a man-up goal at 1:40 on an assist from Huiatt, before returning the favor to beat the buzzer with less than a second left. Potsdam led 11-6 after 45 minutes.

The Red Dragons put a scare into the Bears in the fourth, outscoring them 5-1. Panno scored the first two goals of the fourth at 9:40 and 8:07 before DeLuca completed his hat trick at 3:52 to make it 11-9. With 3:12 left, senior attackman Lukas Baildon (Berlin, Germany/JFKS Berlin) scored the eventual game-winner with an assist from Soderquist. The goal appeared to just about put Oneonta away, but the Red Dragons had a final flurry. McRae made it 12-10 at 1:26 and Panno scored with 26 seconds left. Despite a late turnover, Potsdam was able to isolate DeLuca and prevent him from getting a final shot away as time expired. Sheridan was a key advantage for Potsdam in the final quarter, making big stop after big stop in the last minutes.

Sophomore goalie Zachary Flynn (Stony Brook, N.Y./Ward Melville) made six saves for the Red Dragons.

Oneonta edged the Bears in shots 36-35, buts Potsdam finished with a 36-34 advantage in ground balls. Senior Marc Leveroni (Ballston Lake, N.Y./Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake) won 16 of the contest's 24 faceoffs.

Potsdam is back in action on Tuesday night when the Bears head to St. Lawrence University for a 7 p.m. meeting with the 18th-ranked Saints.