Box Score Box Score

TROY, N.Y. – Junior Alex Shkreli (Bedford/Fox Lane) (Bedford/Fox Lane) scored the game's only goal and the Oneonta State men's soccer team held Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) at bay as the Red Dragons defeated the Engineers, 1-0, in a non-league game at Renwyck Field.  Oneonta improves to 3-2-0, while RPI falls to 2-1-1.

The Red Dragons had the game's first solid chance at a goal in the 14th minute when senior Raymond Fitzpatrick (Garden City/Garden City) (Garden City/Garden City) headed a corner cross by freshman Justin Rivera (Bay Shore/Bay Shore) (Bay Shore/Bay Shore) to the top left of the goal before RPI sophomore goalkeeper Craig Bennett (Oakdale, NY/Connetquot) grabbed the ball out of the air.

The Red Dragons broke through in the 19th minute off solid ball movement that resulted in the goal by Shkreli.  Senior Jonathan Kowalski (Glens Falls/Glens Falls) (Glens Falls/Glens Falls) sent the ball from the left side near the top of the box to the lower right to junior Eric Fortier (Pleasant Valley/Arlington) (Pleasant Valley/Arlington).  Fortier crossed it to Shkreli, who was inside the six-yard box, and he volleyed the ball under the crossbar for his third goal of the year.

The goal against was the first allowed by RPI this season.

Rensselaer had an opportunity to tie the game early in the second half but sophomore Jared Doolan (Bend, OR/Bend) saw his header from in tight to the goal stopped by senior Maxwell Siegelman (Roslyn/Roslyn) (Roslyn/Roslyn), the Red Dragons keeper.  The Engineers managed to sustain pressure throughout the latter half of the second frame but could not generate strong scoring chances.

Siegelman finished with two saves in the win for Oneonta, which held a 12-10 advantage in shots.  Bennett stopped three shots for RPI, which held the edge in corner kicks, 5-2.

Oneonta will now prepare to host the No. 1 team in this week's Div. III NSCAA Coaches Poll as Christopher Newport comes to town for a match that begins at 4:00 p.m.