CORTLAND, N.Y. -- Junior Michael Miner converted a shootout penalty kick on Cortland's last attempt to send the nationally sixth-ranked Cortland men's soccer team to a 4-3 win over visiting SUNY Oneonta after the teams played to a 1-1 tie through 110 minutes of action in the semifinals of the SUNYAC tournament.
Junior Jake Keller scored the goal for Cortland (15-1-3). Junior collected an assist. Junior goalie Sean Kelly made five saves.
SUNY Oneonta sophomore
Roberto Ventura (Brentwood/Brentwood) netted the goal for Oneonta (10-4-5). Senior
Alejandro Ruiz (Brentwood/Brentwood) assisted on the score. Senior goalie
Nicholas Giordano (East Northport/Commack) registered four saves.
After a scoreless first half, the teams waited until the final 10 minutes of the match to break the 0-0 deadlock. Ventura gave the visiting Red Dragons the lead in the 81st minute when he beat Kelly one-on-one. Keller sent the game into overtime on a rebound goal in the 88
th minute, his team-high 14th score of the season, knocking in a loose ball after Tunas played a pass into the box.
Before overtime began, Oneonta had a player sent off with his second yellow card, but Cortland could not take advantage and after 20 scoreless minutes, the game went into penalty kicks to determine the team that would advance.
Each team was unsuccessful on its first attempts. Kelly then made a save on Ruiz's shot. Cortland went up 1-0 on a conversion by Tunas. The teams then traded the next two goals, leaving Cortland ahead 3-2 with the fifth attempt to follow. After senior
Justin Cebollero (Commack/Commack) converted for Oneonta to keep its hopes alive, Miner knocked in his shot that sent Cortland to the championship game.
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