The SUNY Oneonta men's soccer team made history today by remaining unbeaten in its 15 straight game to start the season.  The Red Dragons, ranked No. 4 in this week's NSCAA Division III coaches' poll, moved to 13-0-2 on the season with a 1-0 victory at Hamilton College.  The win bested the 12-0-2 start for the 1973 team, which finished the season 12-1-2 after a loss in the opening round of the NCAA tournament.
 
"Another great win on the road against a tough and organized NESCAC squad," texted head coach Iain Byrne.  "In the second half we could have added a couple more but the woodwork was on our side today."
 
The woodwork that Byrne is referring to was the cross bar and the post that were hit by shots in the 53^rd and 70^th minutes that could have added a pair of goals to their total.
 
The Red Dragons, who were outshot 14-7 (including a 7-1 margin in the first half) scored the game's only goal off a set piece in the 64th minute. Following a Hamilton foul, junior Dylan Williams (Monroe/Monroe-Woodbury) played a free kick to the far post where classmate Jared Van Brunt (Sayville/Sayville) headed the ball across the face of the goal to sophomore Hans Purtell (Johnson City/Johnson City), who scored his sixth goal of the season. Williams' assist was his team-leading sixth.
 
The Continentals had two opportunities at the tying goal in the final two minutes. Hamilton was awarded a free kick outside the box with 1:58 left in regulation but the Red Dragons blocked a shot taken by Dan Kraynak '15. Just under a minute later Zach Young '15 sent a cross from left to right where a charging Alec Talsania '17 was unable to get a solid shot away.
 
Vincent Pellegrino (Baldwin/Baldwin), who entered the game ranked sixth nationally in goals-against average, made six saves to record his seventh shutout of the season. He made a diving save of a waist-high shot just inside the left post 12:37 into the second half. Pellegrino also made a diving save of a long shot by Kraynak that skidded across the wet field early in the first period and dove to stymie Jacob Frost '15, who had taken a cross from John McGuiness '16 late in the first.
 
The Red Dragons nearly took the lead five minutes into the second half when senior Addison Straub (Manlius/Fayetteville Manlius) sent a shot across the net from left to right that Hamilton's Zach Becker '16 cleared off the line then again seven minutes later when Van Brunt headed a Cory Santangelo (Sayville/Sayville) corner kick into the bottom of the cross bar. Their best chance at extending their lead came in the 70th minute when Matthew Matteo (Millerton/Webutuck) hit the left post.
 
Hamilton's Harris Pollack '17 was credited with one save, coming out of the net to stuff Purtell on a breakaway.
 
Oneonta closes out its SUNYAC regular season schedule this weekend at home when they host Fredonia and Buffalo State.  Oneonta has already clinched one of the top two spots in the conference tournament and a bye in the first round.  Oneonta only needs to win one game this weekend to claim the SUNYAC regular season title and home field throughout the tournament, which begins on Saturday, Nov. 1 with first round games.