A Quick Look
The No. 2 nationally ranked SUNY Oneonta men's soccer scored a pair of goals in the final 22 minutes to break a 1-1 tie to defeat RIT 3-1 today in non-conference action.  The Red Dragons are now 6-1 overall while the Tigers fall to 2-4-1.
 
"It was a tough game and it could have gone either way," said Head Coach Iain Byrne.  "We struggled to contain their center forward, but we got there in the end.  Congrats to Tristan on his first collegiate goal."
 
The Inside Story
The Red Dragons took an early lead on a goal in the seventh minute. Junior Roberto Ventura (Brentwood/Brentwood) slid a pass down the channel that sophomore Jeremy Pantoni (Goshen/Goshen) gathered and fired past the RIT keeper.
 
RIT's Nick Simone had a chance in the 20th minute, but his shot was just wide of the Oneonta net. He took advantage of his second chance, tying the game on his third goal of the season in the 21st minute. He fired a shot from 15-yards out through traffic that found the back of the net.
 
The Tigers had two other opportunities, one in each half, to take the lead, but both shots rang off the crossbar.
 
The Red Dragons finally gained the lead back on sophomore Tristan Battistoni's (Pleasant Valley/Arlington) first collegiate goal off an assist from classmate Arkadij Raiz (Oceanside/Oceanside) in the 68th minute.  Senior Witman Hernandez (Huntington/Walt Whitman) put the icing on the cake with a goal in the 89^th minute for the final 3-1.
 
Just the Stats
Shots were 21-6 in favor of RIT, who took nine corner kicks to five for the Red Dragons. Will Sokol took the loss in net, making two saves. Freshman Nate Hanna (Baldwinsville/C.W. Baker) picked up his fourth win of his rookie season in net for SUNY Oneonta, making six saves.
 
What's Next
Oneonta will return to the friendly confines of Red Dragon Field on Tuesday to play Hamilton College at 4:30pm.