Sophomore Lauren Portnoy (Sea Cliff/North Shore) scored five goals including the eventual game-winner in leading host Oneonta State to a 14-10 non conference win against visiting King's College this afternoon at home.

The win for Oneonta (5-2) was its largest margin of victory of the season as they rebounded from a one-goal loss to Rochester this past Saturday. The Red Dragons hadn't recorded a previous win by more than three goals entering today's game and it appeared midway through the second half that they may lose another tight one before rallying with five unanswered goals over the final 13 minutes to overcome a 10-9 deficit.

The rally began for Oneonta when junior Brianne Ruzek (Mineola/St. Mary) tied the game at 10 apiece with an unassisted goal with just over 11 minutes remaining. Portnoy followed two minutes later with a free-position goal to put Oneonta ahead to stay.

Senior Erika Krisak (Syracuse/East Syracuse-Minoa), junior Kristin O'Leary (Huntington Station/Walt Whitman) and freshman Katie O'Toole (Long Beach/Long Beach) added the final three goals for the Red Dragons in the final six minutes of play.

Ruzek, who finished the game with two goals and a pair of assists, opened the scoring for Oneonta in the third minute of play.

King's (1-4) senior Grace King (Bryn Athyn, PA/Academy of the New Church) tied the game less than one minute later.

Oneonta then ran of five straight goals over a six-minute span to take a commanding 6-1 lead. Portnoy notched a pair while Krisak, O'Leary and freshman Rosemarie Fazio (Mohegan Lake/Lakeland) all added one goal each.

King's scored three of the final four goals of the first half to trail by only three goals at halftime. Sophomore Reanna Lachner (Flemington, NJ/Hunterdon Central) scored for King's with just eight seconds to pull the Monarchs to within 7-4 entering the break.

King's tied the game at 7-7 in the first seven minutes of the second half thanks to a pair of goals by Lachner. Portnoy gave Oneonta a lead at 8-7 and then again at 9-8 before King's scored two unanswered goals to take its 10-9 lead prior to the closing run by the Red Dragons.

Junior goalie Eileen O'Toole (Long Beach/Long Beach) made a season-high 16 saves for Oneonta today.

Oneonta will be at nationally ranked Hamilton College this Saturday for a game beginning at 1:00 p.m.

2008-03-25