Closing the game out by scoring eight of the last nine goals, the Tompkins Cortland Community College lacrosse team turned a tight game into a comfortable win, beating Finger Lakes Community College 12-5 Wednesday. The Panthers are now 2-0 on the year. The Lakers drop to 1-2.
The Panthers scored first, with Avery Watson (Watkins Glen/Watkins Glen H.S.) finding the net in the second minute of play. The Lakers responded seconds later, and the game was locked at 1-1 until Julian Mangino (Ithaca/Ithaca H.S.) scored with 14 seconds left in the quarter to take a 2-1 lead.
The score changed to 3-1 early in the second on a goal by Colum Swan (Tully/Tully H.S.). The two teams traded goals in the middle of the second before Finger Lakes ended the half with a goal to cut the Tompkins Cortland lead to 4-3 at the break.
The Lakers made it two straight goals, tying the game at 4-4 with 10:22 left in the third. While the game was close over the first 35 minutes, the final 25 minutes were all Panthers. Finn Wise (Dryden/Dryden H.S.) and Mangino each scored before the quarter ended. James Dougherty (Jamesville/Jamesville-DeWitt H.S.) made the score 7-4 with a goal to open the fourth. After a Lakers goal made it 7-5, Watson, Dylan Wallace (Brewerton/Liverpool H.S.), and Pat Hartnett (Cortland/Cortland H.S.) combined to score five goals over the final 8:20 to help the Panthers run away with the win.
Mangino and Watson each finished with three goals, with Mangino also picking up an assist. Wallace had two goals and an assist and Wise and Hartnett each had a goal and an assist. Doughtery and Swan each had one goal. Three Panthers shared in an 11-7 advantage in faceoffs, with Jayden Henry (New Hartford/New Hartford H.S.) leading the way by winning six out of ten on the x.
Kirkland Case (Cortland/Cortland H.S.) improved to 2-0 on the year with the win in goal, recording 11 saves.
Looking ahead
The Panthers are set to host Monroe Community College Saturday at 1 p.m. Monroe, ranked #8 in the latest NJCAA national poll, comes to Dryden with a record of 2-0. The Tribunes upset #2-ranked Genesee Community College on Wednesday.