Box Score The SUNY Oneonta men's soccer team put the finishing touches on its regular season and SUNYAC schedule today with a 3-1 win at Fredonia. The victory for the Red Dragons completed an unbeaten conference record, as they finished 7-0-2 in the SUNYAC for the season while finishing 11-3-4 overall. This is the second time in the last three years that Oneonta has finished unbeaten in conference play. In 2011, when the team made a run all the way to the NCAA championship weekend, the Red Dragons were 8-0-1.
Today's match began with a pair of goals in the first six minutes of play, one by each team.
Oneonta scored the game's first goal, as sophomore
Alex Winiarski (Great Neck/St. Anthony's) connected for his third goal of the season in the fifth minute, assisted by
Dylan Williams (Monroe/Monroe-Woodbury). Fredonia State drew even on the goal by Jakob Persons just over one minute later. The senior had a one-v-one opportunity on Oneonta goalkeeper
Daniel DeBottis (/). It was the Blue Devils' only shot on goal in the game.
The wind advantage shifted to the Red Dragons in the second half, and they made good on it. Freshman
Zachary Southworth (Newburgh/Newburgh Free Academy), who scored his first collegiate goal in yesterday's regular season title clinching win at Buffalo State, converted a corner kick from Winiarski in the 55th minute. An insurance goal by freshman
Hans Purtell (Johnson City/Johnson City) in the 80th minute closed out the scoring. The goal was assisted by senior
Luke Halberg (Norwich/Valley Heights Christian Academy).
The Red Dragons had a 13-7 advantage in shots and a 4-3 edge in corner kicks.
The Red Dragons have earned the top seed for the conference tournament, which begins next Saturday with first round games. Oneonta will host a semifinal match on Wednesday, Nov. 6 against the winner of the Plattsburgh/Buffalo State game on Nov. 2. The game is scheduled to begin 30 minutes after the SUNY Oneonta women complete its semifinal match, as they earned the top seed for the women's tournament as well.
