A Quick Look
The No. 5 nationally ranked SUNY Oneonta men's soccer team remained unbeaten on the season with a 2-1 victory at home versus Plattsburgh today.  The Red Dragons are now 7-0-1 overall and 3-0 in the SUNYAC with the win while the Cardinals fall to 3-5-1 overall and 0-2-1 in the conference.
 
"Another tough conference game," said Head Coach Iain Byrne.  "We created some chances, but we looked vulnerable in the back and could have conceded a few as well."
 
The Inside Story
The visitors nearly got on the scoreboard first in the opening 10 minutes of play, but junior keeper Nate Hanna (Baldwinsville/C.W. Baker) came away with a pair of saves to keep the score locked at zeros.  Senior Ankit Patel had the first opportunity in the ninth minute where Hanna made a diving stop while freshman Brian Coughlan had the second one minute later that Hanna cradled.
 
The first goal of the game came on a penalty kick that was awarded to Oneonta after a Plattsburgh defender pulled down Alex Sipos (Merrick/Calhoun) from behind just inside the box.  Senior Tristan Battistoni (Pleasant Valley/Arlington) took the kick and banged it into the upper right corner of the goal.
 
The Red Dragons took a two-goal advantage in the 27^th minute on senior Matt Howe's (Hopewell Junction/John Jay) fourth tally of the season.  Junior Ethan Brunell (Clifton Park/Shenendehowa) sent a pass in from the right flank to Howe who was stationed just outside the top of the box.  Howe settled the ball, moved it to his left foot and shot a rocket past the Plattsburgh keeper.
 
The Cardinals cut its deficit in half in the 34^th minute on an unassisted goal by Coughlan.  Coughlan controlled a ball sent out of the back and slid the ball past an Oneonta defender just outside the box before gathering it to take a shot that found the inside of the left post before resting in the back of the goal.
 
With the score still at 2-1 midway through the second half, both teams saw chances that could have figured into the outcome.
 
The first came in the 62^nd minute when Oneonta junior Lucas Fecci (Somers/Somers) chipped a crossing pass just over the crossbar.  Fecci had another chance in the 77^th minute that was just wide of the left post after Brunell had one in the 75^th minute that sailed high.  Senior Jeremy Pantoni (Goshen/Goshen) hit the left post in the 84^th minute.
 
In the final five minutes, Plattsburgh had two threats, the first was a hit crossbar in the 86^th minute by Yusif Okine who had another shot in the final minute that just went wide of the left post.
 
Just the Stats
Oneonta finished the game with a slim 12-10 shot advantage while the two teams combined for four corner kicks.  Hanna finished with three saves while Plattsburgh keeper Teddy Healy made one save.
 
What's Next
Oneonta will host Potsdam tomorrow afternoon beginning at 1pm on Red Dragon Field.  The Red Dragons will honor its seniors before the game.