For the third consecutive year the SUNY Oneonta men's soccer team has advanced to the sectional round of the NCAA Division III tournament.  Today, a pair of goals by junior defender Kevin Hoff (LaGrange/Arlington) lifted the Red Dragons to a thrilling 2-1 overtime victory against Eastern University.
 
Oneonta's opponent in the sectional round is yet to be determined at press time.  The Red Dragons will face the winner of the Rutgers Newark/Elizabethtown game being played at 5pm.  The site of next weekend's game will most likely be Amherst, who sits at the top of the bracket on Oneonta's side.  The Lord Jeffs defeated Daniel Webster 3-0 today in its second round game after receiving a bye.
 
Both of Hoff's goals today came off of set pieces including the game winner with two minutes remaining in the second overtime period.
 
After a foul was called on Eastern (15-4-3), senior Anthony Passiatore (South Setauket/Ward Melville) served a ball into the box from about 35 yards out.  In the scramble of players, Hoff was able to get his head on the ball to redirect it past the keeper who could do nothing but watch it fly into the goal.
 
"Both balls were perfect," stated Hoff.  "Coach told me I needed to start scoring goals so that one was for him."
 
After a scoreless opening half of play, Hoff got Oneonta (16-6-1) on the scoreboard in the 49^th minute.  The goal came off of one of the seven corner kicks that the Red Dragons earned in the second half.  Oneonta finished the game with 11 corner kicks in all.
 
Senior Hans Purtell (Johnson City/Johnson City), who had the game-winning goal in yesterday's game, served the ball from the right corner to the near post.  The ball seemed to change direction before getting to Hoff who finished off the play with a header to the back of the net.
 
Oneonta finished the game outshooting the Eagles 27-7 including 16-6 in the second half.  Despite being held scoreless in the first half, Oneonta had a couple of dangerous opportunities that were kept out of the goal.
 
In the tenth minute Oneonta had a flurry in front of the goal where one shot was blocked before being smothered by the Eastern keeper.  Six minutes later the keeper made a diving save to knock the ball to the side on a shot by Purtell.  The third chance came in the 19^th minute when a shot by freshman Witman Hernandez (Huntington/Walt Whitman) was taken off the goal line by JD Saracco, who was behind the keeper after he was out of position on a save of a shot by Justin Cebollero (Commack/Commack).
 
Oneonta continued to attack looking for another goal to give them some breathing room, but couldn't punch one home.  The Eastern keeper kept his team close with a couple of saves including another one-handed diving save of a shot by Purtell, who was in front of the goal.
 
"For 80 minutes that's the best soccer we played all season," commented head coach Iain Byrne.  "Eastern showed great heart to come back.  We showed our character as well and it feels great to still be alive."
 
It appeared that Oneonta had the game under control entering the final 10 minutes of the match, but Eastern would not crumble and seized momentum.  The Eagles found a new life and turned up the attack, which ultimately generated the tying goal in the 88^th minute of play.
 
The goal for Eastern came off one of its two corner kicks in the match.  From the left flag, Colin Furlong served a ball to the far post that was bending in towards the goal.  There was a tremendous charge to the back post where Jake Sankey got his head on the ball.  The ball deflected off the post, but the momentum of Sankey carried the ball across the goal line.
 
"I was very pleased with the way our team battled back after the early goal in the second half," said Eastern Head Coach Mark Wagner.  "Quentin was huge in goal as was the entire back line for us today."
 
Wagner continued, "While disappointed to concede the goal in overtime, Oneonta has an excellent team and we wish them the best moving forward."
 
Hoff concluded, "Every game from here is going to be a tough battle.  We know what to expect and we will need a strong effort from everyone if we want to get back to the final four."