POTSDAM, N.Y.- The SUNY Potsdam men's soccer team (7-5-1, 1-3-1 SUNYAC) fell short en route to a 3-4 loss to SUNY New Paltz (9-5, 3-2 SUNYAC) Saturday afternoon. Three different Bears scored during the contest.
The Hawks opened up the scoring attack at 12:15 into the first half. Jason Gonzalez scored his seventh goal of the season with an assist from Tyler Lundgren. Potsdam went on the hunt and managed to shoot four shots following the score, but New Paltz goalie John Guzzo stopped the two that came his way to keep the Bears off the board. At 29:38, Gonzalez struck again to put the Hawks up 2-0. Potsdam edged New Paltz 7-6 in shots, but the Hawks took the lead into the break.
Less than 10 minutes into the half, Lundgren received a cross from Tucker Stern and snuck it past Bear senior goalie
Jesse Kohler (Middletown, N.Y./Tompkins-Cortland C.C.) to go up 3-0 on Potsdam. The Bears finally got some offense going at 59:36 when senior midfielder
Johnny Zator (Lido Beach, N.Y./Long Beach) launched a shot. It tipped off of Guzzo and into the net. Senior captain
Tom Benedetto (Queensbury, N.Y./Queensbury) assisted on the play. Less than three minutes later, Benedetto kicked a strike toward the Hawks' net. The ball bounced off Guzzo and senior forward
Ben Firlit (South Glens Falls, N.Y./South Glens Falls) was there to get the rebound and slam it home to get the Bears within one.
For the next 10 minutes, the teams battled back and forth, but New Paltz came through again at 73:31. The Hawks dribbled up the left side of the field and a couple passes led to a Jake Falk goal to send the score to 4-2. Khalil Scott Ludewig and Gino Scardino each had assists on the goal. Potsdam wasted no time answering when junior forward Justin Kellet (Chazy Lake, N.Y./North Country C.C.) made the pass to sophomore defender
Matthew Wagner (Bronxville, N.Y./Bronxville) for his third goal of the season. The Bears' offense got three more shots, but was unable to tie the game.
Potsdam held the advantage in shots 17-11 and corner kicks 3-0.
Kohler finished with five saves in the loss and Guzzo stopped four for his ninth win of the season.
The Bears are back next weekend when they take on Buffalo State Friday at 3 p.m. and Fredonia State Saturday at 1 p.m. Both contests will be held at SUNY Canton.
