ONEONTA, N.Y. -- Senior Lucas Fecci (Somers, N.Y./Somers) scored all three goals as the SUNY Oneonta men's soccer team shut out 15th-nationally ranked SUNY Cortland, 3-0, Wednesday afternoon. Freshman Milton Mancias Magana (Mamaroneck, N.Y./Mamaroneck) found Fecci on two of his goals as Oneonta improved to 10-2-2 overall and 5-2-1 in the SUNYAC while Cortland dropped to 11-4-2 on the season and 5-2-1 in conference play.  

"What a tremendous performance," said Head Coach Iain Byrne. "Fecci and Mancias were unstoppable today, and that was as good a center forward performance as I can remember from Lucas."  

Oneonta grabbed their first goal in the 33rd minute when Mancias played a corner kick perfectly for Fecci to head in from the top of the six-yard box.  

Fecci tallied his second goal 12 seconds into the second half. Senior Ian Zingaro (Liverpool, N.Y./Liverpool) kicked off the second half with a pass to Magana. Magana dribbled and from about 35 yards out landed another great pass into the center of the box for Fecci to score. In the 78th minute, Fecci recorded his hat trick after a cross field pass from senior keeper Nate Hanna (Baldwinsville, N.Y./C.W. Baker). Fecci ran underneath the ball and trapped it with his chest 20 yards out before he scored with his right foot. 
 
The back line comprised of graduate student Tristan Battistoni (Pleasant Valley, N.Y./Arlington), senior Malcolm Swett (Riverhead, N.Y./Riverhead), and junior John Bernardi (Mahopac, N.Y./Mahopac) caused turnovers and blocked shots throughout the match, limiting only three shots on goal.  

"There were so many good performances, but John Bernardi (Mahopac, N.Y./Mahopac) was a rock at the back," Coach Byrne continued. "Since we moved him into the middle it has given us a more solid look and he's been the difference."  

Hanna finished the game with three saves while Braden Melveney saved a pair for Cortland. 

Cortland out shot Oneonta 10-9 and the corner kicks were tied at three a side.  

Fecci's hat trick was the first for the program since September 8, 2019, when Witman Hernandez tallied three in the Mayor's Cup against Penn State Harrisburg.  

Oneonta returns to action Saturday as they host Fredonia on Senior Day at 12 pm.    Read Full Article