Albany, N.Y. – The SUNY Poly men's lacrosse team battled back from an early deficit and secured a thrilling 11–10 overtime victory over Russell Sage on Wednesday afternoon. With the win, the Wildcats improve to 6-9 on the season.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Russell Sage came out strong in the opening quarter, scoring the first two goals to take an early 2–0 lead. SUNY Poly responded behind Kai Hew, who got the Wildcats on the board midway through the period. Cooper Fitzgerald later tied the game at 2–2, and Ryan Carroll delivered a clutch goal in the final seconds of the quarter to give SUNY Poly a 3–2 advantage heading into the second.
The second quarter saw momentum shift back in favor of Russell Sage. Despite several strong defensive plays and saves from Mac Fitzgerald, the Wildcats struggled to convert offensively, hitting the post multiple times. Sage capitalized on key opportunities, scoring five of the final six goals in the period—including two in the closing seconds—to take a 7–3 lead into halftime.
Coming out of the break, SUNY Poly made a goalkeeper change, with Tyler Baisley taking over in net and providing a spark. The Wildcats mounted an impressive comeback, fueled by strong man-up execution and offensive pressure. Goals from Hew, Cooper Fitzgerald, and Carroll helped cut into the deficit, while back-to-back man-up tallies brought SUNY Poly within striking distance. A late surge, highlighted by two goals from Cooper Fitzgerald and another from Carroll, capped a six-goal quarter and gave the Wildcats a 9–8 lead heading into the fourth.
In the final quarter, Russell Sage answered to tie the game at 9–9 and later regained the lead with just over five minutes remaining. SUNY Poly continued to battle, generating several scoring chances before Luke Taylor found the back of the net with 3:15 left to even the score at 10–10. Both teams had opportunities late, but key saves from Baisley and defensive stops forced the game into overtime.
In the extra period, SUNY Poly controlled possession early and continued to apply pressure. After a series of back-and-forth possessions, the Wildcats broke through with the game-winning goal to complete the comeback and secure the 11–10 victory.
