Box Score Box Score

     SUNY Oneonta junior Caitlin Burke (Manorville/Center Moriches) scored in the 83rd minute of play to lift the Red Dragons to a 1-0 shutout of No. 5 William Smith this afternoon in non-conference women's soccer action.  Burke took a pass from senior Beth Cherry (Basking Ridge, NJ/Ridge) out on the right flank and then sent a shot in towards the goal that deflected off a Heron defender and then off the inside of the far left post into the back of the goal.  The deflection off the defender was just enough to change the direction of the shot that appeared to be headed wide of the goal.
     The real story of today's game though was the stellar play of Oneonta's (10-2-2) defense as they clamped down on every ball that came even close to the box or a William Smith (9-3-1) attacker.  The Red Dragons held the Herons to just two shots for the entire game both of which were not even on goal.
     This afternoon's goal seemed inevitable with the relentless pressure that the Red Dragons kept applying for the entire 90 minutes.  Oneonta came close on two other occasions during the match with one shot hitting the post and another shot that was just punched over the top of the goal by the William Smith keeper.
     Burke's goal was her third of the season including her second game-winner.  She now leads the team with nine points this fall.  Cherry's assist was her second of the season as she now has four points this year.  
     Freshman keeper, Jamie Chyat (Staten Island/Staten Island Academy) didn't have to make a save in recording her seventh shutout of her rookie season along with lowering her goals against average to 0.62.
     The win for Oneonta was its third straight shutout victory.
     Oneonta will be in action again this coming Tuesday afternoon when they host Hamilton College for a game that begins at 4:00 p.m.