ONEONTA, N.Y. -- Running a similar storyline to their regular season matchup, the No. 25 nationally ranked Oneonta men's soccer team defeated Potsdam with three second half goals for a 4-1 final in the second round of the SUNYAC Men's Soccer Tournament, Saturday afternoon at Red Dragon Field. The victory advanced Oneonta to the conference semifinals, and they will travel to take on Cortland on Wednesday, November 4.
Graduate student
Iyare Harris (Kingston, NY/Kingston) led the team with two goals and an assist, recording all five points in the second half. Freshman
Drew Lennon (Merrick, NY/Sanford H. Calhoun) netted the team's first goal during the first half to give the team the lead, until Potsdam tied it before the break. Harris assisted his brother, senior
Imari Harris (Kingston, NY/Kingston), on the game-winner at the start of the second half, before he recorded his brace.
When asked about the match, Head Coach
Iain Byrne commented, "Going forward we were a threat to score all game, but defensively we were a little tentative."
In the 31st minute, Lennon broke the scoreless tie with his second goal of the season. Freshman
Elias Curran (Rondout Valley, NY/Rondout Valley) gained possession of the ball on the right touchline, brought it towards the corner, then sent a low centering pass to the top of the 18-yard box. Lennon got the ball just outside the penalty area and spun away from a defender before firing the shot into the right side of the net.
Potsdam tied the game in the 43rd minute off a header from Andres Arce.
Oneonta regained the lead for good in the early moments of the second half. During the 49th minute, Iy. Harris delivered a through ball from beyond midfield to his brother. Im. Harris took one touch to move the ball up towards the top of the box and lasered a shot from 20 yards out for his eighth goal of the season.
Iy. Harris put the game away with a pair of goals in the 57th and 70th minute. For his first goal, graduate student
Zach Rabadi (Hopewell Junction, NY/John Jay) crossed the ball into the 18-yard box where Harris gathered the pass and kicked it in from 10 yards out while a Bears defender collided with him. During the second, junior
Nico Loaiza (Brentwood, NY/Brentwood) passed the ball to Harris into the attacking zone. The Oneonta striker brought the ball into the left side of the penalty area, then blasted a shot in from 12 yards out. Harris now sits with 11 goals this season and leads the SUNYAC in goals and in points (29).
Junior
James Cintron (Poughkeepsie, NY/Roy C. Ketcham) started the first 72:05 in net for Oneonta and made two saves. Sophomore
Nico Osorio (Valley Stream, NY/St. Dominick's) played the final 17:55 and also recorded two saves.
The Red Dragons outshot the Bears 23-11 in total shots, 11-5 with shots on target, and finished with a 5-2 advantage in corner kicks.
Oneonta competes against Cortland on Wednesday, November 4, for a chance to advance to the SUNYAC Championship on Saturday, November 7. The winner will play against the winner of Plattsburgh State and Buffalo State.
