ONEONTA, N.Y. -- Heading into the final 45 with the match tied at one, the Oneonta men's soccer team made some second half adjustments to score three goals and defeat Potsdam, 4-1, in SUNYAC play, Thursday afternoon at Red Dragon Field. Four different Red Dragons scored in the match as graduate student
Milton Mancias Magana (Mamaroneck, NY/Mamaroneck) led the team with one goal and two assists, while freshman
Yacouba Bamba (Harlem, NY/Success Academy High School of Liberal Arts) finished with a goal and an assist. The win improved the Red Dragons to 8-0-2 this season, 2-0-1 in the SUNYAC, and the Bears dropped to 6-5-1 overall, and 2-2-0 in conference play.
"It's been the story of our season so far, a pedestrian first half followed by all guns blazing in the second," said Head Coach
Iain Byrne. "There are no easy conference game, so the three points were crucial."
Oneonta's victory was Head Coach
Iain Byrne's 300th career win. Coach Byrne has been at the helm for 24 seasons, and the Red Dragons have posted a record of 300-98-60 with seven SUNYAC titles and three NCAA Final Four appearances.
When asked about his 300th win, Coach Byrne commented, "300 wins qualifies you for the senior discount, so I'm in good shape going forward."
The Red Dragons struck first in the 12th minute to take a 1-0 lead. Entering the attacking third, Oneonta threw the ball in, and it made its way to Bamba. The freshman Red Dragon brought the ball up to the top of the penalty arc and sent in a quick pass to Mancias Magana, who gained control on the right side of the 18-yard box and fired a shot from eight yards out that went into the far side of the net. The goal was Mancias Magana's second of the season and second in conference play.
Potsdam's Kyan Tiede tied the match in the 40th minute for a 1-1 score entering the break.
Oneonta turned up the tempo in the second half and regained the lead for good in the 65th minute. Graduate student
Iyare Harris (Kingston, NY/Kingston) brought the ball inside the penalty area, then centered it to Bamba, who got a shot off from the penalty spot and had it roll into the left side of the net. It was Bamba's second goal of the season.
The Red Dragons made it a two-goal game in the 75th minute off the foot of senior
Brian Escobar (Bellport, NY/Bellport). Mancias Magana dribbled around several defenders into the left side of the 18-yard box then kicked a no-look pass behind him and set up Escobar for a shot that was lasered into the goal from 15 yards out. The score was Escobar's second of the year.
Oneonta ended the game on an exclamation point with one more goal in the 90th minute. Mancias Magana had the ball on the left side of the attacking third and centered it into the box to senior
Imari Harris (Kingston, NY/Kingston). Harris let the ball roll up his foot, then with the ball in mid-air senior
Zach Rabadi (Hopewell Junction, NY/John Jay) ran in and fired a shot through the Potsdam keeper's gloves and into the back of the net for his third goal of the season.
Junior
James Cintron (Poughkeepsie, NY/Roy C. Ketcham) finished the game with two saves for Oneonta. Bamba, Iy. Harris, Mancias Magana, and Rabadi all recorded two shots on target.
James Kelm had six saves for Potsdam. Tiede totaled two shots on target with a goal, while Thomas Wendel had one shot on net.
The Red Dragons outshot the Bears 19-9 in total shots, 10-3 with shots on target, while Potsdam had a 4-3 edge in corner kicks.
Oneonta is back on the pitch for a SUNYAC match against Fredonia at 1 pm on Red Dragon Field.
