POTSDAM, N.Y.—Senior captain Josh Huiatt (Lisbon, N.Y./Hugh C. Williams) scored a career-high six goals as the SUNY Potsdam men's lacrosse team (2-1) defeated Utica College (0-4) 11-8 in its home opener on Saturday afternoon. Sophomore attackman Cam Talcott (Potsdam, N.Y./Potsdam) (2-1-3) and senior attackman Tayte Murray (Cicero, N.Y./Cicero-North Syracuse) (1-2-3) each contributed three points and sophomore goalie Ben Fuchs (Fort Lauderdale, Fla./Calvary Christian Academy) made 21 saves for his first career win.
 
The teams split the scoring in the first quarter. Murray set up sophomore midfielder Keenan O'Gorman (Potsdam, N.Y./Potsdam) for the game's first goal at 8:20. Utica freshman midfielder and Massena native Gage Fiacco (Massena, N.Y./Massena) tied the game at 3:35 and sophomore midfielder Drew Turck (Lowville, N.Y./Lowville) put the Pioneers up with man-up marker with 29 seconds left. Potsdam wasted no time, winning the ensuing faceoff and Huiatt tied the game with five seconds left.
 
At 12:05 of the second quarter, junior midfielder Drew Wagner (Elbridge, N.Y./Jordan-Elbridge) gave Utica its final lead of the game at 3-2. The Bears answered with a 3-0 run. Talcott tied the game at 3 at 10:50. Just 28 seconds later, sophomore midfielder Ryan Spaman (Ogdensburg, N.Y./Ogdensburg Free Academy) set up Huiatt for a man-up goal. Huiatt closed the run with an unassisted tally at 7:37 to make it a 5-3 Potsdam lead. Just over two minutes later, Pioneers sophomore midfielder James Daniele (Pleasantville, N.Y./Pleasantville) closed the gap back to one, but freshman attackman Nick Zalucky (Wynantskill, N.Y./La Salle Institute) scored the final goal of the half with a helper from Talcott at 4:28 and the Bears led 6-4 at the break.
 
Utica scored twice quickly to tie the game at 6-6 in third quarter. Junior attackman Jacob Hyer (Whitesboro, N.Y./Whitesboro) struck at 13:13 and senior midfielder Zach Duby (Jamesville, N.Y./Jamesville-DeWitt) netted the temporary equalizer at 11:14. Huiatt buried his fourth at 5:52 with an assist from freshman attackman Peyton Walsh (Ballston Spa, N.Y./Ballston Spa). Daniele tied the game one final time 1:01 later, but penalties got Utica in trouble as the quarter wore down. Murray found Huiatt while a man up at 3:21. Murray then scored his own man-up goal at 1:36 with an assist from junior midfielder Philip Dorman (New Paltz, N.Y./New Paltz). It proved to be the game-winner. Potsdam led 9-7 after 45 minutes.
 
Zalucky set up Talcott's second goal at 13:59 of the fourth quarter, but the Pioneers answered a final time just over five minutes later on a marker from senior attack Jared Smaldon (Rome, N.Y./Rome Free Academy). With 2:41 left, Fuchs robbed Duby to preserve the one-goal advantage and Huiatt tacked on some insurance with 34 seconds remaining to close the scoring at 11-8. Fuchs made 10 saves in the final 15 minutes.
 
Pioneers freshman goalie Jozef Korpics (Center Valley, Pa./Moravian Academy) was tagged with the loss after allowing five goals and making nine saves in the second half. Junior Ryan Boshart (Hastings, N.Y./Paul V. Moore) allowed six goals and made seven saves in the first 30 minutes.
 
Bears senior captain Luke Vitale (Fairfield, Conn./Fairfield-Ludlowe) won 12 of his 21 faceoff attempts. Senior long-stick midfielder Brandon Donovan (Erin, N.Y./Notre Dame) picked up a game-high eight ground balls and caused three turnovers. Huiatt had six ground balls and three caused turnovers.
 
The Bears were 3-for-6 on the man advantage and Utica was 1-for-5.
 
Potsdam is back in action on Tuesday night at 7 p.m. when Castleton University comes to town for a nonconference matchup.