MORRISVILLE, N.Y. -- The No. 20 nationally ranked SUNY Oneonta men's soccer team found the back of the net in the 11th hour to defeat Morrisville, 1-0, in SUNYAC play on the road, Saturday afternoon. Senior
Ali Somow (Utica, N.Y./Proctor) scored the game-winning goal in the 88th minute to improve the Red Dragons to 8-2-3 in the season, 4-1-0 in SUNYAC play, while the Mustangs dropped to 3-5-4 overall and 0-3-2 in the conference. Junior
AJ Lucas (Beacon, N.Y./Beacon) finished with three saves in his fifth shutout of the season.
"It was a really difficult game," head coach
Iain Byrne stated. "We hardly tested their goalkeeper, but Ali came through for us at the death with a great individual effort."
At 87:24, Somow received the ball from 35 yards out and began to dribble down the field. He brought the ball into the right side of the penalty area and, with his left foot, shot it between two Morrisville defenders and over the goalkeeper's head for the goal. Lucas made a couple saves in 17th and 45th minute of the first half, then he stopped Malick Gueye's shot in the 78th minute to keep the Mustangs scoreless.
Prior to the game-winner, the Red Dragons had a few close chances to get on the board. Senior
Luigi Prosperi (Lynbrook, N.Y./Lynbrook) had three shots on goal including one in the 22nd minute that beat Morrisville's keeper, Caleb Lucero, but was kick-saved by a defender. In the closing minutes of the first half, senior
Derek Marques (Somers, N.Y./Somers) received the ball in the penalty area off a free kick and headed it towards the goal, however Lucero made the diving save. Oneonta had an indirect kick near the goal area in the 54th minute, though the Mustangs made a wall across the net and blocked two close-range shots to keep the game tied.
Lucero recorded six saves for Morrisville. The Red Dragons outshot the Mustangs, 17-9 overall, 10-3 on target, and held an 8-2 advantage on corner kicks.
Oneonta is back on the road on Wednesday, October 16, for a SUNYAC match against Buffalo St. at 3 pm.
