Box Score Box Score

When it rains, it pours and the Oneonta State men's soccer team poured in four unanswered goals in a span of 9:49 to roll past visiting Plattsburgh 4-2 in the semifinals of the SUNYAC tournament on a gorgeous afternoon today at Red Dragon Soccer Field.  The Red Dragons will now take its 14-game unbeaten streak that includes nine straight wins into Saturday's championship game at home versus Brockport at 1pm.

With Oneonta (13-2-2) trailing 2-0 in the 68th minute, the Red Dragons finally broke through on a goal by junior Ian Tenzer (Mahopac/Mahopac) (Mahopac/Mahopac) off a corner kick.  Tenzer was on the receiving end of a service by classmate Dan Scott (Hyde Park/FD Roosevelt) (Salt Point/FD Roosevelt) 68:34 into the match.  For Tenzer, it was his first game back since Cortland on Sep. 24.

From that point the floodgates opened and Oneonta turned up the pressure for three more scores including a pair by junior Dan Josepher (Manorville/Eastport/South Manor) (Manorville/Eastport South Manor).  When Josepher scored Oneonta's fourth goal at 78:23, Plattsburgh (13-5-2) was shocked.  Josepher finished a pass across the top of the box by classmate Eric Fortier (Pleasant Valley/Arlington) (Pleasant Valley/Arlington).

Josepher's first goal came in the 75th minute to tie the score at two apiece.  Senior Gary Laronde (Wheatley Heights/Half Hollow Hills) (Wheatley Heights/Half Hollow Hills) made a great play to maneuver around a Cardinal defender before dropping a pass back to a charging Josepher who finished with a rocket to the back of the goal.

Just over three minutes later, freshman Justin Rivera (Bay Shore/Bay Shore) (Bay Shore/Bay Shore) carried the ball from the left wing into the box where he unloaded a shot that beat Andy Heighington (Simcoe, Ontario) to the far right post for a 3-2 advantage for Oneonta.

Plattsburgh scored its first goal in the 27th minute when senior Pat Shaughnessy (Plattsburgh/Plattsburgh) converted a crossing pass from Tom Greene (Schenectady/South Colonie).  The Cardinals protected its one-goal lead for the remainder of the half.

Freshman Tyler Kessler (Delmar/Bethlehem) gave Plattsburgh a 2-0 lead in the 65th minute when he one-timed a crossing pass from the far left flank by Joe Aratari (Rochester/Irondequoit) just inside the right post.

Oneonta had a decided advantage in shots in the match, 24-4 while having an 11-5 edge in corner kicks.

Oneonta will be playing for its first conference championship since 1985 on Saturday and its first since rejoining the SUNYAC in 2007.  The winner of Saturday's game will receive the conference's automatic berth into the field of 64 teams for the NCAA tournament, which begins with first round games on Thursday, Nov. 10.

Goals by period       1  2  Tot
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Plattsburgh.........  1  1 -  2
Oneonta State.......  0  4 -  4

SCORING SUMMARY:
1.  26:44 PSUM2011 Pat Shaughnessy (14) (Tom Greene) - pass across the goal shot
2.  64:16 PSUM2011 Tyler Kessler (1) (Joe Aratari) - crossed into box from deep outside, shot
3.  68:34 ONEMS Ian Tenzer (Mahopac/Mahopac) (3) (Dan Scott (Hyde Park/FD Roosevelt)) - goal off corner kick
4.  74:09 ONEMS Daniel Josepher (9) (Gary Laronde (Wheatley Heights/Half Hollow Hills)) - pass to middle of box, goal
5.  77:41 ONEMS Justin Rivera (Bay Shore/Bay Shore) (3) (unassisted) - shot from corner of 18 passed goalie
6.  78:23 ONEMS Daniel Josepher (10) (Eric Fortier (Pleasant Valley/Arlington)) - cross inside the box, goal

Shots: Plattsburgh 4, Oneonta State 24
Saves: Plattsburgh 4 (Andy Heighington 4), Oneonta State 1 (Maxwell Siegelman (Roslyn/Roslyn) 1)