ONEONTA, N.Y. -- The No. 25 nationally ranked SUNY Oneonta men's soccer team took their season opener against Union College, 1-0, Friday evening on Red Dragon Field. Junior
Kieran Weinstein (New Paltz, N.Y.) scored his first collegiate goal with the Red Dragons and the game's only goal in the 50th minute. Junior
AJ Lucas (Beacon, N.Y.) recorded his first shutout in net with the team as Oneonta started the season off 1-0 and Union dropped to 0-1.
"It was a difficult game, which is often the case early in the season," said head coach
Iain Byrne. "We never really created enough chances, but we got the goal and managed to see out the game."
Both teams had a couple shots on target early in the first half, though both Lucas and Union's Jackson Magee made the saves to keep the game scoreless through the first 45. Oneonta started to ramp up the pressure and created more opportunities in the early moments of the second half leading to a goal.
Senior
Ali Somow (Utica, N.Y./Proctor) took a free kick near the top corner of the penalty area in the 47th minute that beat Magee but hit the left post and bounced out of play for a goal kick. Shortly after, in the late 49th minute, the Red Dragons gained possession at midfield where freshman
Anthony Traube (Centereach, N.Y.) kicked the ball down into the corner towards junior
Sam Rogers (Broadalbin, N.Y./Broadalbin-Perth). Rogers passed it to junior
Dillon Kelly (Wappingers Falls, N.Y./Beacon) who sent in a centering pass to Somow for a header that was saved by Magee. The ball was redirected out in front of the goal area where Weinstein gave it one touch then kicked it into the right side of the net for the score.
Rogers and Somow attempted to extend the Red Dragons lead in the 52nd and 86th minutes, respectively, however Magee saved both shots. The Garnet Chargers had opportunities to tie the match following Weinstein's goal, generating five corner kicks, yet they could not record a shot on goal in the remaining moments.
Weinstein and Somow each had two shots on goal, while Rogers and senior
Nate Masucci (Greece, N.Y.) had one. Lucas finished with two saves in the shutout, Magee had five saves for Union.
Oneonta outshot Union 13-5 in the match, 6-2 on target, and the Garnet Chargers had a 7-2 advantage in corner kicks.
The Red Dragons are back in action Saturday, September 7th, when they host St. Lawrence for the first day of the Mayor's Cup at 3:30 pm on Red Dragon Field.Â
