The top-ranked team in the nation proved to be too much for the Tompkins Cortland Community College lacrosse team to handle Saturday as Onondaga Community College handled the Panthers by a final score of 34-2. Onondaga, the defending national champions and #1-ranked team in the nation this season, improves to 7-0 overall and 3-0 in the Mid-State Athletic Conference. The Panthers drop to 3-2 overall and 2-1 in the MSAC.

Playing in Syracuse, the Lazers wasted no time in defending their home turf. Onondaga scored 16 goals in the first quarter, an average of more than one per minute. By the time the Panthers got their first goal with 6:34 left in the second quarter, Onondaga had a 20-0 lead. Nick Smith (Cortland/Cortland H.S.) put the Panthers on the board with an unassisted goal. The Lazers tacked on six more to close out the half with a 25-1 lead.

Jack Collmer (Vernon/Vernon-Verona-Sherrill) had the second goal for the Panthers, also unassisted, with 3:20 left in the third. Goalie Bryan Iannello (Dryden/Dryden H.S.) had 21 saves on a busy day.

The Panthers look to bounce back when they return home to host Mohawk Valley Community College Wednesday at 4 p.m.