FIGHTING TIGER MEN'S LAX TOPPLES HOST CAIRN UNIVERSITY HIGHLANDERS 16-7 IN SEASON OPENER

Langhorne, Pa.: The SUNY Cobleskill men's lacrosse team opened the 2023 season on Saturday night posting a 16-7 road win over the host Highlanders of Cairn University in the season opener for both programs. With the non-league victory, the Fighting Tigers open the campaign at 1-0 while the Highlanders start off at 0-1 on the year.

Leading 3-2 at the end of the first period the Fighting Tigers then erupted for six goals in the second period to take a 9-5 lead into the locker room at the half. Cobleskill then held the home team scoreless in the third period to increase their lead to 11-5 from which they never looked back.

The Fighting Tigers dominated the action on the turf outshooting the Highlanders 58-33 on the evening, holding a 61-39 advantage in groundballs while taking advantage of 43 Cairn turnovers of which the Cobleskill defense caused 26.

The offense was paced by the duo of junior attackman Gregory Neumann, Accord, N.Y., Rondout Valley High School, who had five goals and two assists to go with eight groundballs and junior midfielder Sean D'Amaro, Northport, N.Y., Northport High School, who scored five goals, passed out three assists and picked up six groundballs in the win.

Junior attackman Aaron Brooks, Geneva, N.Y., Geneva High School/Finger Lakes Community College, was also a factor in the win with two goals and an assist as was sophomore midfielder Albert Sippio, Syracuse, N.Y., Institute of Technology Syracuse Central, who tallied a pair of goals, an assist and eight groundballs.

On the defensive end of the field, sophomore defender Jarrett Helgerson, Southampton, N.Y., Southampton High School, picked up a team high of nine groundballs while causing five turnovers while senior long stick midfielder Ian Gaddy, Saratoga Springs, N.Y., Saratoga Springs High School, caused five turnovers to go with a pair of groundballs.

Sophomore goalkeeper John Williams, Smyrna, Del., Smyrna High School, recorded the victory by making 12 saves and picking up two groundballs on the evening.     

The Orange & Black will next be in action on Saturday March 4 when they travel to Aurora, N.Y. for a non-league meeting with The Express of Wells College with face-off scheduled for 1:00 p.m.