LEXINGTON, VA. -- The Oneonta men's soccer team scored two goals within a 40-second span in the second half and held on for a 2-1 victory over Catholic University in the first round of the NCAA Division III tournament Saturday afternoon at Washington & Lee University. Junior Luigi Prosperi (Lynbrook, N.Y./Lynbrook) scored the first goal in the 56th minute then sophomore Milton Mancias Magana (Mamaroneck, N.Y./Mamaroneck) netted the second in the 57th minute, with junior Ali Somow (Utica, N.Y./Proctor) assisting on both goals.

"What a second half that was with both teams going for it," said head coach Iain Byrne. "It's hard to single out individual players, but both teams gave it their all, and we're ecstatic to be advancing tomorrow."  

The Red Dragons improved to 15-3-3 overall and advanced to the Round of 32 to face the host institution, Washington & Lee on Sunday at 1 pm. Prior to Oneonta's match, the Generals defeated Western Connecticut in their first-round match, 2-0.

"It will be a difficult match as we had to put so much into today's game," Byrne stated.   

Just like they did in the regular season and the conference tournament, Oneonta controlled most of the match by keeping possession of the ball which generated early chances on net. Freshman Adrian Matute (Islip, N.Y./Islip), senior John Bernardi (Mahopac, N.Y./Mahopac), and Mancias Magana all got a look on goal during the first half, but the three shots were saved by Owen Allegro. The Cardinals had a few shot attempts throughout the first half though none of them were on target and the game remained deadlocked going into the break.

The tie finally broke in the 56th minute when sophomore Dillon Kelly (Wappingers Falls, N.Y./Beacon) passed the ball into the corner for Somow who sent a centering pass on his first touch directly in front of the net to Prosperi for the goal. Mancias Magana made it 2-0 for the Red Dragons less than a minute later. Bernardi stole Catholic's pass just at the top of Oneonta's defensive zone and found Somow just ahead of him. Somow sent a long lead pass down to Mancias Magana who collected the ball at the top left of the penalty area, cut in towards the center of the box and fired a shot with his right leg that curled past the Cardinal's keeper, towards the far post, for the goal.   

The multi-goal lead was momentary as the Cardinals made it a 2-1 match on the ensuing kickoff. Catholic went up the left side of the field with the ball and got it to Domenic Caltabiano near the corner who centered the ball to Gordie Bernolhr for the score at 56:27, the game's third goal within a minute of play. Prosperi had a chance to put Oneonta back up two in the 60th minute with a wide-open shot right in front of the net, however Allegro closed in on him at the last second for the stop.  

Bernlohr was looking for the equalizer and his second goal of the game in the 68th minute as he pushed away from a defender to create some space for a shot from 25 yards out, but senior Nate Hanna (Baldwinsville, N.Y./C.W. Baker) made the diving save and punched the ball away. Hanna continued to hold the Red Dragons lead in the 84th minute when Caltabiano took a shot from seven yards out that went straight to his gloves for the easy save. Catholic had one more chance to tie with 12 seconds remaining, but the Cardinals midfielder got too much of his foot under the ball and it popped straight into the air for Hanna to catch and cradle to the ground as the time ran out.

Hanna finished with two saves in the contest while Allegro ended with five. The Red Dragons backline of Bernardi, Kelly, Matute, and senior Ian Zingaro (Liverpool, N.Y./Liverpool) surrendered only nine shots with three on goal and were four of seven Oneonta players to play the full 90.

Oneonta outshot Catholic 16-9 overall and 7-3 advantage on net. The Red Dragons had the only two corner kicks of the match, both took place in the first 20 minutes.  

The winner of the match between Oneonta and Washington & Lee will advance to the Sweet 16 and face the winner of Tufts University and University of Rochester on Saturday, November 18, at a place and time to be determined. Read Full Article