Big scoring runs by the home team proved to be too much for the Panthers to answer as Monroe Community College posted a 22-9 win over Tompkins Cortland Community College in NJCAA Region III lacrosse action Saturday. The loss drops the Panthers to 1-1 on the year while Monroe improves to 1-2.
The start was promising for the Panthers, with Pat Hartnett (Cortland/Cortland H.S.) netting the first score of the game in the second minute of action. After Monroe scored twice, Tyler Ponticello (Homer/Homer H.S.) evened the game at 2-2 with a goal with 8:09 left in the quarter. Another Monroe score was answered again by the Panthers, this time with Hartnett knotting the score at 3-3 with 3:27 left in the quarter. The final three minutes of the quarter marked the first big run for the Tribunes, as the home team scored five times in the final three minutes to lead 8-3 at the break.
The run continued to open the second, with Monroe pushing the lead to 10-3 before the Panthers were able to stop the run. Even with the run of consecutive goals, the lead grew to 14-5 by the time halftime arrived.
Coming out of halftime, Monroe put together another run, effectively putting the game out of reach. Over the first 14 minutes of the third quarter, the Tribunes outscored the Panthers 6-0, making the score 20-5. Tompkins Cortland scored two in the final minute of the third, but the hole was too deep for any chance of a comeback.
Hartnett had another big game with four goals and an assist. Dante Cuttino (Tully/Tully H.S.) had two goals and an assists, Ponticello had two goals, and Jacob Lewis (Dryden/Dryden H.S.) had a pair of assists. Josh Canaan (Tully/Tully H.S.) added an assist. Goalie Ben Pallone (Cortland/Cortland H.S.) was again strong in goal, recording 19 saves.
Looking ahead
The Panthers host Jefferson Community College on Wednesday at 4 p.m. It is the home opener for Tompkins Cortland.