A Quick Look
The SUNY Oneonta men's soccer team struck for three second half goals today to overcome visiting Clarkson 4-2 in the 2021 Mayor's Cup.  The Red Dragons are now 2-0-1 in the early season while Clarkson remains winless at 0-3-1.
 
"The score is flattering," said Head Coach Iain Byrne.  "We were never in the game in the first half, which was disappointing given the huge crowd.  Once we went down 2-1, we seemed to lift our game and managed to turn it around."
 
The Inside Story
Oneonta opened the scoring in the 18^th minute on a goal by junior Alex Sipos (Merrick/Calhoun).  Sipos gathered the ball at the top of the box and rocketed a shot which beat the keeper into the lower left corner of the goal.
 
Less than 10 minutes later, Clarkson knotted the score on a goal by Logan Drake.  The original play was a cross into the box that Oneonta keeper Nate Hanna (Baldwinsville/C.W. Baker) tried to bat away but deflected behind him where senior Tristan Battistoni (Pleasant Valley/Arlington) attempted to clear the ball.  Unfortunately, Battistoni couldn't get it away and Drake was there to collect the loose ball before blasting a shot to the back of the goal.
 
The Golden Knights pulled ahead early in the second half on a goal from James Nicholas.  The play started on a restart out by midfield to where the ball was controlled by Zachary Appel.  Appel then was able to get the ball to Erick Aucancela who made a short pass to a rushing Nicholas.  Nichols freed himself from a defender and got a shot off with his left foot that found its way into the far-right corner of the goal.
 
The Red Dragons then seized control countering with the game-tying and go-ahead goals just 14 seconds apart.
 
The first goal came from Sipos who blasted a shot from just inside the top right corner of the box that traveled to the far-left corner of the goal.  The initial play was a crossing pass from the left flank by sophomore John Bernardi (Mahopac/Mahopac) where senior Matt Howe (Hopewell Junction/John Jay) was able to get his head on the ball to direct it towards Sipos.
 
The second tally for the Red Dragons came on a shot off the foot of junior Lucas Fecci (Somers/Somers) from about 20 yards out.  Fecci took a loose ball and put it on his right foot and drilled a shot the kept sailing right into the upper right corner of the goal.
 
Oneonta's final goal of the match came in the 86^th minute by senior Jeremy Pantoni (Goshen/Goshen).  Pantoni shielded a defender at the top of the box where he controlled a long pass from the other side of midfield.  Pantoni proceeded to turn and free himself enough to get a shot off inside the box which beat the keeper just inside the left post.
 
Just the Stats
Nine second half shots gave Oneonta a 13-7 overall advantage in the match.  The Red Dragons also earned four corner kicks while surrendering only one.
 
What's Next
Oneonta will host St. Lawrence University tomorrow afternoon on Red Dragon Field beginning at 3:30pm.