POTSDAM, N.Y.—Junior forward
Thomas Wendel (Mechanicville, N.Y./Mechanicville) scored two goals and junior midfielder
Kyan Tiede (Leicester, N.Y./York) had a goal and two assists as the SUNY Potsdam men's soccer team (8-8) defeated SUNY Delhi (9-8) 4-2 in the first round of the SUNYAC Playoffs. It's the Bears first ever postseason win.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Both teams traded chances early. Just over five minutes into the contest, Broncos junior Ayden Grieve (Glens Falls, N.Y./Glens Falls) stuffed both Wendel and junior Tiede back-to-back from point-blank range.
- The Bears finally broke through at 17:53. Wendel got loose on the right side and ripped a pass from senior midfielder Kyan Mathieu (East Aurora, N.Y./East Aurora) past Grieve.
- Just 6:06 later, Wendel struck again. After a drop pass from junior forward Jayson Viola (Harrison, N.Y./Harrison), he drove a shot off the left hand of Grieve and into the net. Tiede started the play near midfield with a pass to Viola to claim the second assist.
- The Broncos got on the board at 54:00 off a corner kick scramble. Sophomore forward Sean Szczotka (Mattituck, N.Y./Mattituck) fired the first shot and Potsdam junior goalie James Kelm (Chester, N.Y./Chester Academy) made the save. Junior midfielder David Clapper (Otego, N.Y./Unatego) knocked home the rebound.
- Potsdam added an insurance marker at 65:02. Freshman midfielder Mason Zambrano (Mamaroneck, N.Y./Mamaroneck) buried a pass from Tiede at the right post to make it 4-1.
- With 6:05 remaining, senior midfielder Aidan Gaughan (Bronx, N.Y./Riverdale Kingsbridge Academy) scored off a feed from freshman midfielder Zakaria Daniel (Syracuse, N.Y./Nottingham) two get within two.
- Minutes later, Delhi appeared to cut the lead to 4-3, but the goal was waived off due to offsides.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
- Delhi finished with a 16-13 shot advantage and the teams each had three corner kicks.
- Kelm finished with six saves for the fifth victory of his career.
- Grieve stopped four shots.
- With his five points, Wendel now has 16 goals and four assists giving him 36 career points. He currently ranks eighth in program history in goals and 12th in points. His 22 points on the season tie him for the second most in Potsdam history with Ben Firlit '16 (2014).
- The Bears are now 3-1-1 in the all-time series with the Broncos.
WHAT'S NEXT?
Potsdam now heads to third seeded SUNY Oneonta on Saturday.
Game time is 11 a.m.
