PITTSFORD, N.Y. – Three unanswered goals in the final 10 minutes of the fourth quarter powered the No. 12 St. John Fisher men's lacrosse team past No. 19 SUNY Cortland 10-8 on Saturday afternoon at Growney Stadium.

The Cardinals improved to 7-1 overall and snapped a three-game losing streak against Cortland with the victory — their second win over a USILA Top‑20 opponent this season. The Red Dragons fell to 4-4 with the loss.

Junior midfielder Sean Donaldson led the Cardinals offensively, matching his career high with four goals and adding an assist for five points. Senior midfielder Lane Edinger totaled three points on a goal and two assists, while freshman midfielder Hayden Lauer, freshman attackman Grady Swidersky and junior attackman Scott Bovard each contributed two points. Lauer delivered two of Fisher's three crucial fourth‑quarter goals. 

St. John Fisher senior goalkeeper Tyler Manning made 12 saves while playing the full 60 minutes. Junior defender Ethan Hodge led the defense in front of Manning with four caused turnovers and five ground ball recoveries, both career highs. 

Sean Kavanagh led the Red Dragons with four points on two goals and two assists. Cortland goalkeeper Charlie Falowski stopped 13 shots. 

How It Happened

It was clear from the start that it would be a low-scoring, back-and-forth tussle as the teams each scored twice in the opening quarter. After Cortland's Tucker Macknik got the scoring started early, Bovard and Edinger scored about two minutes apart to put the Cardinals ahead 2-1. Caden Morra scored for the Red Dragons later in the quarter to make it 3-3. 

Fisher regained the lead early in the second when Swidersky buried a feed from Bovard, but Cortland pulled even just over two minutes later on a man‑down goal from Kavanagh. Donaldson netted his first of the day with 5:09 left, only for the Red Dragons to score twice in the final four minutes to take a 5-4 edge into halftime.

Fisher outscored Cortland 3-1 in the third quarter to reclaim a one‑goal lead entering the fourth. Donaldson accounted for two of Fisher's goals, tying the game at five early and later giving Fisher a 7-6 advantage. Junior attacker Garrett Sutton had the other tally for the Cardinals in the quarter. 

Cortland responded with two quick strikes to open the fourth. Stefan Swedlund converted a feed from Nick Stoecker to tie it at 7-7, and Kavanagh scored unassisted just 12 seconds later to put the Red Dragons ahead. 

Lauer began the Cardinals' fourth-quarter surge with a man-up goal to tie it and scored again two minutes later to put Fisher ahead 9-8. Donaldson extended the lead to two with his fourth goal of the game with 5:50 left, and the Cardinals' defense held strong the rest of the way to seal the victory. 

Game Notes

• Donaldson recorded his second five-point game this season. 

• Edinger has tallied multiple points in all but one of the Cardinals' eight games this season. 

• Lauer has scored eight goals over the Cardinals' last three games. 

• Both teams went 11-of-22 on faceoffs. 

• The Cardinals went 27-for-27 on defensive clears. 

• The Cardinals finished 2-of-4 on extra-man chances. 

Up Next

The Cardinals open Empire 8 Conference play against Russell Sage at 1 p.m. next Saturday, March 28, at Growney Stadium.