In a match between the two schools that were picked 1-2 in the SUNYAC preseason coaches' poll, it was SUNY Cortland that came out on top of host SUNY Oneonta 2-0 today.  The loss for Oneonta dropped them to 5-3-2 overall while falling to 2-1 in conference play.  The win for the No. 14 nationally ranked Red Dragons kept them unbeaten at 8-0-2 and 2-0 in the SUNYAC.
 
"It was a game of two halves really," said Head Coach Iain Byrne.  "We showed character to fight back in the second half, but we just couldn't get the breakthrough that we needed."
 
Cortland posted both goals late in the first half being rewarded for its attacking advantage in the half.
 
The first goal came on a corner kick in the 38^th minute.  Junior Jake Keller was on the receiving end of a service by classmate Miguel Tunas, as he registered his team-leading eighth goal of the season.  Keller got his head on the service and redirected the ball into the right corner of the goal.
 
Cortland's second goal came three minutes later when freshman Anthony Ruggiero just got his foot on a bounding ball to chip it over the head of the Oneonta keeper.  The ball continued to roll to the back of the goal.  The assist on the play went to junior Nevin Nambiar who sent the ball from out of the back where Ruggiero pursued it before making his play.
 
After being outshot 11-2 in the opening half, Oneonta turned the table grabbing a 12-2 advantage in shots.  Many of the shots in the second half for the hosts sailed high or just wide of the goal.
 
Cortland keeper Sean Kelly made one stop today to record his seventh shutout of the season while Nicholas Giordano (East Northport/Commack) made three saves for Oneonta.
 
Oneonta will be home again tomorrow at 1pm when they take on Oswego for another SUNYAC match-up.