A Quick Look
SUNY Oneonta senior
Witman Hernandez (Huntington/Walt Whitman) has started to etch his name in the record books for men's soccer. On Senior Day for the men, Hernandez celebrated with a pair of goals and one assist to lead the Red Dragons to a lopsided 5-0 victory against SUNY Geneseo.
Hernandez's day gives him 16 goals and seven assists on the season. His second goal today put him at the top of the career goals list with 51 breaking the old mark of 50 set by Hall of Famer Keith Tozer in 1978.
"We bounced back from yesterday's disappointment in what turned out to be a special day for our seniors," said Head Coach
Iain Byrne. "It was symbolic for Witman to break the scoring record, and for his classmates to share that achievement on senior day."
The Inside Story
Hernandez wasted no time in putting Oneonta (13-2, 6-1 SUNYAC) ahead with his first goal of the match in the third minute of play. Hernandez was in the right place to collect a rebound off the post on a shot by junior
Roberto Ventura (Brentwood/Brentwood). Hernandez played the volley right into the back of the net.
The momentum seemed to shift in favor of Geneseo (6-8-1, 2-5-1 SUNYAC) in the 35
th minute as the Knights generated all six of its first half shots over a five-minute stretch but couldn't even the score.
The Red Dragons went up 2-0 in the 43
rd minute when freshman
Nathan Parsons (Vestal/Vestal) connected on his first collegiate goal. Senior
Douglas Minogue (Miller Place/Miller Place) collected a loose ball inside the box and slide a short pass to Parsons who put it on his left foot and sent a shot along the ground by the Geneseo keeper.
Oneonta put the game out of reach midway through the second half with three goals over an eight-minute span of time.
Ventura got things going in the 64
th minute when he notched his first goal of the game on a strong individual effort carrying the ball into the left side of the box and got a shot off under pressure from a defender.
Hernandez's historic goal was next two minutes later when he slid to redirect a crossing pass from sophomore
Arkadij Raiz (Oceanside/Oceanside) into the box in front of the goal.
Ventura netted his second of the game to cap the scoring in the 72
nd minute off an assist from Hernandez. Hernandez pushed a leading pass to Ventura who got his foot on it to redirect the ball past the keeper.
Just the Stats
Oneonta outshot the Knights 20-9 including 12-3 in the second half. The Red Dragons also earned 10 corner kicks while surrendering none. Oneonta starting keeper
Francesco Scotti (Commack/Commack) made one save before leaving the game in the 38
th minute. Freshmen keepers
Nate Hanna (Baldwinsville/C.W. Baker) and
Jake Meaney (Smithtown/Smithtown West) didn't have to make a save over the final 52 minutes.
What's Next
Oneonta will be at home for its final two regular season games next weekend when they host Potsdam and Plattsburgh on Friday and Saturday to closeout the conference schedule. The Red Dragons currently stand at the top of the SUNYAC standings and have secured its playoff spot. Saturday's match versus Plattsburgh may decide the top seed for the conference tournament, as the Cardinals are currently tied with Oneonta with an identical 6-1 record in the SUNYAC.
Witman Hernandez (Huntington/Walt Whitman) breaks career goals record