Men's Lacrosse | 3/27/2013 4:50:00 PM

Box Score

CORTLAND, NY -- The No. 3 RIT (6-2) men's lacrosse team lost a heartbreaker to No. 1 SUNY Cortland (7-0) 12-11 in double overtime in non-conference action from snowy Cortland, New York on Wednesday afternoon.

Cortland's Matt Rakoczy scored with 3:12 to play in the second overtime off an assist from Joe Slavik to give the Red Dragons the win. It was the third straight year these two teams have played a one-goal game.

Kyle Aquin (Hamilton, Ontario/St. Jean De Brebeuf) led RIT with three goals, including two in the second half. Eddie Kiesa (Syracuse, NY/Jamesville-Dewitt) had a goal and four assists, while Jack Krzyston (Bedford, NH/Bishop Guertin) and Taylor Wisman (Seattle, WA/Inglemoor) each had a pair of goals. Kyle Sterzin (Fairport, NY/Fairport), Brad Gillies (Oakville, Ontario/St. Thomas Aquinas), and Allister Warren (Toronto, Ontario/Malvern Collegiate Institute) also scored for RIT. Pat Johnston (Long Beach, CA/Norwell (MA)) took the loss, making 12 saves.

Cortland held a 44-28 shot advantage, and won the ground ball battle 35-29. The Tigers were 13-for-16 on clearing attempts, and went 3-for-5 on man-up. Face-offs were even as both teams won 14 draws.

Slavik led the Red Dragons with three goals, while Rakoczy had two goals. Mike Kaminski picked up the win for Cortland, making six saves.

Sterzin gave RIT a 1-0 lead at 12:34 of the first quarter off an assist from Kiesa.

Cortland answered back with three straight goals, taking a 3-1 lead on an unassisted goal by Thomas Casey with 10:46 to play in the opening quarter. RIT answered back with a three-goal run of their own. Krzyston, Wisman and Kiesa each scored for the Tigers, taking a 4-3 lead late in the first quarter.

Slavik broke the run for RIT, tying the score at 4-4 with 29 seconds to play in the opening quarter.

Krzyston and Gillies answered back for RIT, giving the Tigers a 6-4 lead on a man-up goal by Gillies at the 12:24 mark of the second quarter. After a Red Dragons goal made it 6-5, Aquin gave the Tigers the 7-5 lead on his 18th tally of the season.

Cortland came out in the third quarter, scoring three times, taking an 8-7 lead on Rakoczy's 11th goal of the season. The Red Dragons defense held the Tigers scoreless in the third quarter.

RIT's offense woke up in the fourth quarter, tallying four goals. Aquin opened the scoring at the 14:26 mark off an assist from Kiesa. Wisman scored from way up top at the 14:06 mark of the fourth quarter, giving RIT a 9-8 lead.
Warren took a feed from Wismanjust 23 seconds later, tallying his 13th goal of the season giving RIT a 10-8 lead.

The Red Dragons held the ball for nearly four minutes, but a tough Tigers defense held Cortland off the board, getting a clear and a chance on offense.

After a Billy Davis goal cut the Tigers lead to 10-9, Aquin scored a nifty goal from the crease off an assist from Kiesa with 4:18 to play, giving RIT an 11-9 lead. The Red Dragons came right back, winning the ensuing face-off and getting a goal from Brian Winterfedt with 3:04 to play to cut the Tigers lead to 11-10.

With 52 seconds to play in regulation, James Stavrakis scored on a shot from outside between Johnston's legs, tying the score at 11-11.

Both teams had a possession in the first overtime, but both defenses held strong, sending the game into a second overtime. With 3:12 to play in the second overtime, Rakoczy took a feed from Slavik and beat Johnston with a high hard shot for the game winner.

RIT returns to action on Saturday, March 30 when the Tigers host arch rival Nazareth College at 12 p.m. on RIT's Turf Field.