ONEONTA, N.Y. -- Senior
Jake Westadt (Lewiston, N.Y./Lewiston-Porter) found the back of the net early in the match before freshman
Milton Mancias Magana (Mamaroneck, N.Y./Mamaroneck) scored a pair of goals as the SUNY Oneonta men's soccer team defeated Fredonia State, 3-2, Saturday afternoon. With Cortland defeating Brockport and New Paltz beating Oswego on Saturday, Oneonta has earned the two seed and a first-round bye in the SUNYAC Playoffs. The win puts the Red Dragons at 11-2-2 in the season and 6-2-1 in the conference, while the Blue Devils fall to 3-9-3 overall and 2-5-2 in conference play.
Westadt made it a quick 1-0 Red Dragons lead before the fourth minute. Senior
Nathan Parsons (Vestal, N.Y./Vestal) took a shot from outside the box that was blocked. The ball bounced towards the penalty box sideline to senior
Malcolm Swett (Riverhead, N.Y./Riverhead) who centered it to Westadt for the header.
In the 51st minute, Oneonta made it a two-goal game with quick passes. Roughly 25 yards out freshman
Joe Holder (Greenwood Lake, N.Y./Warwick) passed the ball to junior
Robert Bruschini (Wilton, N.Y./South Glens Falls) and Bruschini found sophomore
Derek Marques (Somers, N.Y./Somers) on the sideline. Marques sent a low flying center that went past a few Blue Devil defenders and found Mancias Magana for the score.
Fredonia brought the game back to a one-goal deficit a minute later. Just before the 54th minute, Aregawi Milkias took a corner kick for the Blue Devils. The ball went to Robert Aboagye who tapped it in front of him to Chance LaCroix for the goal.
Oneonta made it 3-1 in the 67th minute off Fredonia's misfortune. Manicas Magana netted his second goal of the game when he brought the ball down the sideline into the penalty box and fired off a shot that went off a Blue Devils defender and into the net.
Fredonia refused to go away and kept their playoff chances alive with a goal in the 83rd minute. Before midfield, Milkias sent a long lead pass to Kaleb Steward. Steward gained control of the ball just as he reached the inside of the penalty box and immediately shot and scored.
For the final seven minutes, the Red Dragons kept the Blue Devils away from any chance at an equalizer.
Senior keeper
Nate Hanna (Baldwinsville, N.Y./C.W. Baker) finished the game with a pair of saves and Tanner Stutzman saved four.
Oneonta outshot Fredonia 15-5 while Fredonia had a 7-3 advantage in corner kicks.
Prior to the game, the Red Dragons recognized and celebrated the careers of 10 seniors for Senior Day. The players recognized were Hanna, Parsons, Swett, Westadt,
Ethan Brunell (Clifton Park, N.Y./Shenendehowa),
Lucas Fecci (Somers, N.Y./Somers),
Giovanni Fornino (New Hartford, N.Y./New Hartford),
Jake Meaney (Smithtown/Smithtown West),
Arkadij Raiz (Oceanside, N.Y./Oceanside), and
Ian Zingaro (Liverpool, N.Y./Liverpool).
Oneonta is back in action for their last regular season match on Tuesday when they host Hamilton at 3 pm.
