An explosive second half lifted the SUNY Oneonta men's soccer team to a 3-0 victory today against its rival Red Dragons from Cortland to open the SUNYAC portion of the schedule.  SUNYAC Offensive Player of the Week, senior Dillon Johnson (Northport/Northport), netted a pair of goals while adding an assist to lead the surge in the closing 45 minutes, as Oneonta (6-2/1-0) won its sixth straight game.
 
"That was a great SUNYAC game," stated Head Coach Iain Byrne.  The game was harsh on Cortland who had chances.  We had some tremendous performances today and our front two of Witman and "Dash" Johnson were unplayable."
 
Johnson got things rolling early in the second half when he was the recipient of a crossing pass into the box from freshman Witman Hernandez (Huntington/Walt Whitman).  Johnson was able to redirect the cross from the left flank into the right corner of the goal just past the diving keeper Joe Brandofino.
 
In the 63^rd minute Johnson struck again to put Oneonta up by a pair of goals.  On the goal, Johnson was battling a defender inside the box and he appeared to try and make a pass that deflected off the defender and headed across the box towards the corner of the goal.  Brandofino made a diving attempt at the ball and got his hand on it to knock it wide, but the ball hit the inside of the post and trickled across the line.
 
Oneonta went ahead 3-0 in the 78^th minute on a goal by Hernandez.  Hernandez took a ball over the defense from Johnson and headed it twice ahead of himself before putting a ball along the ground at a tough angle between the post and the keeper.
 
They may have not scored in the game, but Cortland (5-2/0-1) wasn't without its share of chances in the second half.  They had a few scoring opportunities in close that were either saved by freshman keeper Ryan Wilson (Poughkeepsie/Arlington) or were just over the crossbar.  Wilson, who has now won six straight starts in goal for Oneonta, made five saves including a couple of diving saves that preserved his third shutout of the season.
 
Oneonta outshot Cortland 19-11 in the match.  The hosts were able to put 11 of their shots on frame to only six for Cortland.  Oneonta was credited with one team save when senior defender Anthony Passiatore (South Setauket/Ward Melville) took a shot in the first half off the goal line to preserve a 0-0 tie in the opening twenty minutes.
 
Oneonta will host Oswego tomorrow afternoon at Red Dragon Field beginning at 1pm.