Box Score Three different players scored today as the SUNY Oneonta men's soccer team took care of the visiting Engineers of Rensselaer 3-1.  Oneonta (2-2-1) won its second straight contest while Rensselaer (2-2-1) dropped its second straight with the loss.

Oneonta was holding onto a 2-1 lead in the 80th minute when a shot by Rensselaer senior Zach Fane appeared headed for the back of the goal, but Oneonta freshman keeper Colan Balkwell (Schaghticoke/Hoosic Valley) came up with a diving, one-handed stop to deny Fane.

Three minutes later, the Red Dragons added an insurance goal as junior Luke Halberg (Norwich/Valley Heights Christian Academy) intercepted a pass inside the box and blasted a shot by the Rensselaer keeper to make the score 3-1.

Oneonta scored first today in the 12th minute.  The senior combination of Dan Josepher (Manorville/Eastport/South Manor) and Eric Fortier (Pleasant Valley/Arlington) hooked up to give Oneonta an early lead.  On a throw-in, Fortier sent the ball well ahead of a charging Josepher into the box where Josepher out ran the defender and put a shot over the keeper's head.

Rensselaer tied the game in the 39th minute after a misplay of a ball by Balkwell as a long ball bounced over his head.  The initial shot by freshman Nate Tommassone was saved by an Oneonta defender, but he got his own rebound and put the ball to the back of the goal for the equalizer.

The Red Dragons struck in the waning seconds of the first half to take a lead into the break.  Freshman Dylan Williams (Monroe/Monroe-Woodbury) got his foot on a shot by sophomore Brian Bartichek (Massapequa Park/Massapequa) that trickled into the right corner of the goal.  The shot by Bartichek was set up with a through ball into the box.

Oneonta outshot Rensselaer 13-9 and finished the game with a 9-5 advantage in corner kicks.  Balkwell made four saves in picking up his second straight win.

Oneonta will be on the road this Saturday at Vassar beginning at 1pm.  Vassar was the champion of the Liberty League last fall and earned an NCAA tournament berth.