ONEONTA, N.Y. – The Cairn University men's lacrosse team lost, 15-7, against non-conference opponent SUNY Cobleskill on the road at Oneonta High School on Thursday evening.
 

Cairn (0-5) got on the board first just under a minute in when sophomore Charles Cotton (Newburgh, NY / Newburgh Free Academy) scored to give the Highlanders a 1-0 lead. SUNY Cobleskill (2-3) responded with three consecutive goals and took a 5-3 lead into the end of the first period. After three-straight goals by the Fighting Tigers made the score 8-3, the Highlanders answered with three-straight tallies of their own, including two goals from sophomore Jonathan Balsamo (Manorville, NY / Eastport South Manor) to cut the deficit to just two (8-6) at the 10:26 mark of the third period. The Fighting Tigers clung to a 10-7 advantage at the end of three, however, SUNY Cobleskill ended the evening on a five-goal swing in the fourth frame to finish off the contest.
 

SUNY Cobleskill held a narrow edge in shots (51-44) while both teams matched in shots on goal (29-29). Both team were nearly even in the turnover department, with Cairn committing 28 turnovers and forcing 26 Fighting Tiger miscues. SUNY Cobleskill won the contest in the X, besting the Highlanders by a 20-5 mark in the face off circle and converted all three of its man-up opportunities. Balsamo led the Highlanders offensively with three goals and an assist, while Cotton and junior Harrison Clark (Cape May, NJ / Lower Cape May Regional) each added a pair of points (Cotton – two goals, Clark – one goal and one assist. Freshman net minder Nico Cione (Yardley, PA / Pennsbury) made 14 saves in a complete game effort and scooped up a team-high even ground balls.
 

The Highlanders will be back in action on Saturday, April 2 when they embark on their Colonial States Athletic Conference (CSAC) schedule, welcoming Rosemont College to Langhorne for the first night game in program history inside the Stillman Complex.