NEW PALTZ, N.Y. -- The Oneonta men's soccer team avenged themselves from their regular season hiccup to New Paltz and defeated the Hawks, 3-0, on the road in the first round of the SUNYAC tournament, Saturday afternoon. Senior
Sam Rogers (Broadalbin, N.Y./Broadalbin-Perth) led the Red Dragons and recorded all three of the team's goals for a hat trick, while junior
James Cintron (Poughkeepsie, NY/Roy C. Ketcham) kept the net empty with seven saves. The win advanced Oneonta to the SUNYAC semifinals, and they will play Cortland on Wednesday, November 5.
Cintron had to make an early stop on Ryan Zindler's shot in the eighth minute of play, before Oneonta took control and gained the lead in the 16th minute. Senior
Zach Rabadi (Hopewell Junction, N.Y./John Jay) took a free kick for the Red Dragons just inside midfield and sent the ball into a crowded 18-yard box. Freshman
Noah Hechler (Somers, NY/Somers) leaped above everyone and headed the ball towards Rogers for a shot from 15 yards out that went into the lower right corner of the net for the goal. The assist for Hechler was his first collegiate point.
The Red Dragons turned up their pressure on the Hawks and caused a turnover that led to a goal in the 22nd minute to extend their lead. New Paltz's goalie, Matt Katz, tried to pass the ball to a teammate, but had it stolen by senior
Joe Holder (Greenwood Lake, N.Y./Warwick). Holder brought the ball into the penalty box and centered it to Rogers, who was in front of the six-yard box for the goal.
In the final minute of the first half and in the opening moments of the second half, Cintron made a pair of saves to keep Oneonta's two-goal lead, then Rogers recorded his third goal of the game in the 60th minute. Holder had the ball in the Red Dragon's zone and sent a long pass down the sideline to senior
Luigi Prosperi (Lynbrook, N.Y./Lynbrook). Prosperi worked the ball down the sideline and into the 18-yard box, then he centered it to Rogers for him to score his hat trick from eight yards out past an outstretched Katz.
Cintron totaled three saves between the 74th and 76th minutes, then one more in the 85th to keep his eighth shutout of the season intact. Katz finished with two saves for the Hawks.
New Paltz outshot Oneonta 11-9 in total shots, 7-5 on net, and they held a 7-2 advantage in corner kicks.
Oneonta's SUNYAC semifinal matchup on Wednesday, November 5, at Cortland will start at 1 pm.
