Fates Reverse: St. Lawrence Men Fall in NCAA Second Round in OT

St. Lawrence University’s Ozzy Morales (11) cuts back to the middle to get a crossing pass around Clarkson’s Jason McMillan (3).  St. Lawrence wrapped up a post-season berth as the third seed in the Liberty League Playoffs in a 5-0 win over Clarkson.
(Eric Foote photo)  Game Gallery

Nov. 11: Michael Madding scored the game-winner with under a minute left in overtime to lift #9 Williams College to a sudden 2-1 victory over #13 St. Lawrence University in the second round of the NCAA men's soccer tournament.  Williams, which scored two unanswered goals en route to the win, improves to 15-1-2 on the season and advances to the round of 16.  The loss ends the Saints' run in the tournament, as they finish with a 14-3-3 mark on the season.    St. Lawrence seemingly outplayed the host team throughout the game, outshooting Williams 17-8 and owning an 8-4 advantage in corner kicks.  Sophomore Jamal Samaroo scored the lone goal just :28 seconds into the game to put his team up 1-0.  Meanwhile, senior goalkeeper Nate Goss-Woliner made a few fantastic saves, including one in the opening half where he dove backwards to deflect a hard-hit shot over the crossbar to preserve the lead.  That was the last shot that either team would take for the next 50 minutes.  The Ephs broke that string in the 63rd minute when Andres Burbank-Crump found Matt Ratajczak with space in the box.  Ratajczak turned and fired a shot on net, but Goss-Woliner read the play well and cut down the angle to make a tough save.  The Saints continued to put pressure on the Ephs offensively, but failed to net an insurance goal.  Their best chance to double their advantage came late in regulation, when Samaroo nearly netted his second goal of the game.  Senior Brian Gilloran laid a simple pass for classmate Shaka Pilgrim, who crossed into the 18 for Samaroo. Samaroo cut the ball back to his left foot and fired a shot that bounced off the near post.  Gilloran couldn't get a clean shot off the rebound and the play ended with a goal kick.  St. Lawrence's 1-0 lead stood until the 80th minute, when Mohammed Rashid scored the equalizer off a pass from Matt Kastner to force overtime.  Madding's game-winner came in the 99t minute of play.     Finan finished with four saves for Williams, while Goss-Woliner made three for St. Lawrence. 

Nov. 10:  St. Lawrence University sophomore Mark Provost scored the game-winning goal 1:11 into the second overtime to cap the #13 Saints 2-1 come-from-behind victory over Eastern Connecticut in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.  St. Lawrence improved to 14-2-3 with the win and will square off with host Williams College (14-1-3) in a second round game at 1:30pm in Williamstown, MA.    Eastern Connecticut, which ended its season with a 17-2-1 mark, took a 1-0 lead in the 23th minute on a goal by Arman Karbassioon.  Carl Stensland sent a low, bending shot towards the center that made its way through to Karbassioon all alone to finish.  The Warriors nearly doubled their advantage with a minute to go in the half when Kyle Suprenant sent a through ball into Saints territory from near midfield.  EC's Matt Furman beat the offside trap to get a clean breakaway, but Saints' senior goalkeeper Nate Goss-Woliner came off his mark to make a fantastic stop on Furman's shot before covering the rebound. St. Lawrence's defense did not allow a single shot the rest of the way as the Saints dominated the second half with a 17-0 advantage in shots, but struggled to find the equalizer.  Though Eastern Connecticut's goalkeeper Jordan Munsell made several impressive saves in net, the Saints finally broke through in the 84th minute off a scrum in front of the goal.  After multiple blocked shots, the ball found the foot of first-year student Dan Hunt, who tucked it just underneath the crossbar to knot the game at 1-1.  His first collegiate goal sent the game into overtime.  St. Lawrence senior Nick Lincoln nearly ended the game in the 96th minute when he took a header shot off a set piece that hit the crossbar.  Provost's game-winner, however, came just 1:11 seconds into the second overtime session.   He collected a pass, changed direction and fired a line-drive shot from 25 yards out that beat Munsell for the sudden victory and allowed the Saints to rush the field in celebration.  Links to tomorrow's livestats and live video can be found at the William College's NCAA Tournament page.

St. Lawrence University senior captain Sam DeMello became only the second player in Saints’ history to score over 100 points in a collegiate career in the Saints’ 3-0 win over the Hobart Statesmen.  (Dustin Andrus photo)  Game Gallery

Hobart goalkeeper Mike Lucas leaps to snag a ball launched in from a St. Lawrence University corner kick. S.L.U. senior captain Sam DeMello scored two goals in the second half, leading Saints to a key 3-0 Liberty League victory over the Statesmen. The Saints outshot Hobart 31-7 to improve to 11-1-0.

St. Lawrence sophomore Jeremiah Bunton (13) attempts a cross into the box in Friday’s contest against Endicott.  St. Lawrence finished with a 17-5 domination in shots, several of which hit the crossbar, and a 7-0 advantage in corner kicks.  However, the Saints were unable to break through until the second half when Sam DeMello scored twice and Shaka Pilgrim netted the third marker.  (John LaRue photo)  Game Gallery

SUNY Canton keeper William Banahene (1) sails up for the ball on the corner kick, colliding with Clarkson’s Marco Parisi (4). The Golden Knights scored early, then held on to defeat nearby SUNY Canton 2-0, ending over 460 minutes without scoring a goal over the past six games, dating back to late September.   (Eric Foote photo)  Game Gallery

Nov. 10: The SUNY Canton men’s soccer team saw their season come to a close on Saturday as they lost to Elmira College 3-1 in the first round of the 2012 ECAC Division III Upstate championship in Elmira. The Roos earned the College’s first ever bid to an ECAC tournament and entered the weekend as the No. 3 seed.  SUNY Canton ends its season with an 8-9-1 overall record while playing arguably one of the toughest schedules in the country.  Five of the Roos opponents this year were ranked in either the NCAA Top 10 or the NSCAA Top 10 and three other teams were ranked in the Top 20 in the USCAA Coaches Poll.   The Roos fell behind 2-0 at halftime to Elmira on Saturday, but then trimmed the lead in half getting a goal in the 56th minute.  Sophomore Abdulai Jagana (Bronx, N.Y.)  took a corner kick that hit an Elmira defender and trickled into the back of the net for an own goal. In the 64th minute, sophomore Francesco Cardillo (Tonawanda, N.Y.) made a great individual effort on the right sideline freeing himself as he played a cross to a cutting Antonio Kadylak (Johnson City, N.Y.). The freshman connected with a one-time volley but Elmira goalie Kevin Huggins made a stone cold save from point blank range to keep the Soaring Eagles lead at 2-1. That score would hold until the home team scored an insurance goal with just over three minutes remaining in regulation. SUNY Canton freshman goalie Will Banahene (Rochester, N.Y.) capped off his stellar rookie campaign with three saves.  Huggins stopped five shots for Elmira, who improved to 13-6.

Oct. 28: The SUNY Canton men’s soccer team celebrated Senior Day on Sunday with a 1-0 victory over Daemen College in Canton. Prior to the game, seniors James Catillaz (Gansevoort, N.Y.), Eric Cline (Westbury, N.Y.), Jamal Honore (San Juan, Trinidad), Leroy White (Brooklyn, N.Y.), and Patrick Connelly (Chittenango, N.Y.) were honored as the five were playing their final home game of their careers. The Roos didn’t let Daemen spoil the day as they capitalized on a penalty kick early in the second half and avenged a loss to the Wildcats a week ago in Buffalo. In the 55th minute, sophomore Kevaughn John (Arima, Trinidad and Tobago) ripped a shot on goal that hit the crossbar.  On the ensuing play, sophomore Shane Powell (Yonkers, N.Y.) was taken down inside the area, a yellow card was assessed to a Daemen player and Powell awarded a penalty kick.  The sophomore forward buried the shot for his team-leading third game-winning goal of the season. Both teams had great chances to score in the first half.  Daemen’s opportunity came with 15 minutes left.  Freshman goalie William Banahene (Rochester, N.Y.) made an initial save off a Daemen shot and the rebound came out right out in front.  A Wildcat player had a look at an open net but sophomore Francesco Cardillo blocked the shot and another rebound shot was saved by Banahene. It was the Roos turn with just under 10 minutes remaining when Catillaz carried the ball down the right wing and served a beautiful cross to a charging Eric Lopez (Holbrook, N.Y.), but the sophomore’s header hit the left post and Daemen was able to clear the ball. Banahene finished with six saves and Matt Daddario had three saves for the Wildcats.
 

SUNY Potsdam's Chris Mack tries to redirect the ball with a head flick in front of SUNY Canton goaltender Sankung Sillah (30) during Wednesday's scoreless battle in regulation. Alessio Vitale scored in a 1-0 overtime win for Potsdam. The Roos best chance came late in the first half on a shot just wide to the right.
(Bob LaRue photo)  Game Gallery

SUNY Potsdam's Alessio Vitale tangles with SUNY Canton's Kevanaugh John (7).  Vitale scored Potsdam's winning goal.

St. Lawrence University’s Alex Laird (8) and Clarkson goalie Saverino Spagnolo collide in an aerial battle for the ball on a Saints’ corner kick. Five different players scored for St. Lawrence, ranked #18 nationally, in defeating Clarkson 5-0. The Saints, 13-2-2, clinched the third seed in the Liberty League Playoffs.  (Eric Foote photo)  Game Gallery

Oct. 27: A diverse attack that saw five different players score a goal led the 18th-ranked St. Lawrence to a 5-0 victory over the Clarkson University Men's Soccer team in the Golden Knights season-finale Saturday afternoon. The Golden Knights closed out the season with a 2-12-3 mark and a 1-6-1 in the Liberty League, while St. Lawrence improved to 13-2-2 overall and 5-2-1 in conference games. St. Lawrence picked up its first goal in the 12th minute when Seyefe Brouck tallied what would prove to be the game-winner. Clarkson held tough in the first half, but a late goal from Mark Provost in the 43rd minute altered the complexion of the game for the Knights. A goal from Brian Gilloran in the 50th minute and scores from Harry Copeland (64th minute) and Pete Walsh (89th) accounted for the final tallies. St. Lawrence held a 23-2 edge in shot and had an 8-1 lead in corner kicks. Clarkson senior goalkeeper Saverino Spagnolo (Ottawa, ONT) made seven saves in the game while three goalkeepers combined for the shutout for St. Lawrence with Aaron Costello making the lone save and Nate Goss-Woliner earning the victory.

Clarkson’s Brian Buckner (17) settles the ball down while being marked by SUNY Canton’s Jonathan Forte (3).  Clarkson's Angelo DiFrancesco sent a pass through the penalty area and found Buckner on the opposite side where he finished off the play for his first goal of the season. Clarkson's defense kept the Kangaroos scoreless and limited their opportunities despite six first-half corner kicks.  (Eric Foote photo)  Game Gallery

Clarkson’s Paul Ancin (8) tussles with RIT’s Danny Bloshkin (14) for a ball late in the second half of Saturday’s contest at Hantz Field. Both teams struggled offensively until Sean Coots of RIT tipped in a shot in overtime for the win. Clarkson’s loss was their first since Sept. 22nd.  (John LaRue photo)  Game Gallery

Clarkson’s Brian Buckner (17) and R.I.T.’s Reuben Marquez (10) battle in the air for for a cross in front of the Tigers’ net midway through the second half of Saturday’s contest between the two Liberty League contenders. R.I.T. prevailed 1-0 in overtime.
(John LaRue photo)  Game Gallery

Oct. 23: An early first-half goal for Potsdam State proved to be enough as the Clarkson University Men's Soccer team dropped a 1-0 decision to its crosstown rival Tuesday evening at Hantz Turf Field. The Golden Knights fell to 2-11-3 overall on the season and will close out the regular season on Saturday when they travel to play St. Lawrence University in Canton. Potsdam improved to 4-9-4 on the season, recording its first shutout of the season in the process. Potsdam controlled play in the early going and received several corner kick opportunities to go along with a few soft shots in the opening minutes. However, the Bears would get on the scoreboard in the 17th minute when Eduardo Figueroa hit a hard groundball across the penalty box to the left post for his 12th goal of the year with Tom Benedetto assisting. The Bears had a few chances to get an extra goal in the first half, but Clarkson would have the best scoring chance for the remainder of the half. Freshman Marco Parisi (Guilford, NY) sent a shot that grazed the underside of the crossbar and popped back out and sophomore Alex Vozzella (Boston, MA) followed with a shot that went wide of the goal and was scooped up by Potsdam keeper Joe Glackin to end the threat. In the second half Clarkson again had the best opportunities for scores as Parisi attempted a no-look shot with his back turned to the goal that was gathered in by Glackin, and another ball looked ready to go in a few minutes later, but a Potsdam defender was able to clear the shot away near the goal line to save the game for the Bears. Potsdam held a 14-7 edge in shots in the game and led in corner kick chances 6-1. Saverino Spagnolo (Ottawa, ONT) made six saves for Clarkson and Glackin made three stops for the Bears.

SUNY Oneonta’s Luke Halberg (9) fires a shot that would deflect off SUNY Potsdam’s Conor Engle (22) and out of bounds. Oneonta scored a late first half goal and made it stand up in a 1-0 victory over the SUNY Potsdam Bears. Bears' senior goalie Joseph Glackin finished with 10 saves for Potsdam.
(Eric Foote photo)  Game Gallery

SUNY Potsdam’s Eduardo Figueroa (10) and SUNY Oneonta’s Mitchell Cain (4) chase after the outlet ball.  Figueroa lifted a shot just high of Oneonta’s crossbar 15 minutes into the contest. Bears freshman forward Ben Firlit followed it up with hard direct kick on goal, but Red Dragon goalie Colan Balkwell handled it.  Oneonta broke through in the 38th minute as Potsdam goalkeeper Joe Glackin stopped an initial shot, but freshman midfielder Dylan Williams buried the rebound.

Oct. 19: Sophomore forward Eduardo Figueroa (Rochester, N.Y./Dr. Freddie Thomas) scored both goals for the SUNY Potsdam men’s soccer team (3-8-4, 1-3-4 SUNYAC) as the Bears fought to a 2-2 draw with first place Brockport (8-6-1, 6-1-1). Figueroa’s four-point day pushes him past Chris Herdic ’87 for the programs’ all-time scoring record with 39 points (16g-7a-39pts). The forward also broke his tie with Herdic at the top of Potsdam’s goal scored list. Figueroa put the Bears out in front at 13:10 with an unassisted marker as he ripped a hard knuckleball over Golden Eagle freshman goalie Casey Sullivan (East Syracuse, N.Y./East Syracuse-Minoa). The teams exchanged chances over the rest of the period until Brockport knotted the score with just 35 seconds left in the half. At 44:25, senior forward Mark Orlando (Cicero, N.Y./Cicero-North Syracuse) found freshman forward Peter DiLorenzo (Hicksville, N.Y./Hicksville) and the game was 1-1 at the break. Senior goalkeeper Joseph Glackin (Liverpool, N.Y./Liverpool) helped Potsdam withstand an early Golden Eagle charge in the second half with several big saves. Glackin’s play gave the Bears the opportunity to regain the lead. At 70:04, Figueroa launched a direct kick from 30 yards out past Sullivan for a 2-1 Potsdam advantage. However, the Bears couldn’t shake Brockport. With just 2:22 remaining, junior forward Chris O’Gorman (Wading River, N.Y./Shoreham-Wading River) set up junior midfielder Kevin Nichols (Stroudsburg, Pa./Stroudsburg, Pa.) for the equalizer. In overtime, Glackin made two more saves to preserve the tie. Glackin finished with 14 saves, while Sullivan stopped six shots. The Golden Eagles outshot the Bears 28-18. Potsdam finishes its conference schedule tomorrow afternoon as the Bears host Geneseo at 1 p.m.

Oct. 13:  The SUNY Potsdam men’s soccer team jumped out to 1-0 and 2-1 leads before settling for a 2-2 draw at Fredonia State on Saturday afternoon. Junior midfielder Alessio Vitale (Liverpool, N.Y./Liverpool) and sophomore forward Eduardo Figueroa (Rochester, N.Y./Dr. Freddie Thomas ) each scored for the Bears. Vitale put the Bears up 1-0 just 5:19 into the game off a cross from freshman forward Tom Benedetto (Queensbury, N.Y./Queensbury).  At 18:04 Blue Devil Tyler Williams tied the score after his long shot deflected into the net off a Potsdam defender. Two minutes later, sophomore forward Eduardo Figueroa gave the Bears their lead back. Potsdam controlled the play for much of the next 12 minutes, but Fredonia answered anyway. At 32:12, Williams set up Jay Dry with a long pass and Dry found the right corner of the net to tie the game again. The score remained knotted 2-2 at the break. Potsdam dominated a scoreless second half, outshooting the Blue Devils 15-2. However, Fredonia goalie Mike Schreiner kept the Bears at bay with nine saves. Bears senior goalie Joseph Glackin (Latham, N.Y./Shaker) didn’t face a shot during the 45 minutes. In the first overtime, Glackin came up with two stops, but Potsdam was unable to test Schreiner. In the final 10 extra minutes, Fredonia outshot the Bears 3-0, but didn’t get any of the chances on Glackin. The Bears wrap up the regular season at home next weekend.
 

SUNY Potsdam's Chris Mack tries to redirect the ball with a head flick in front of SUNY Canton goaltender Sankung Sillah (30) during Wednesday's scoreless battle in regulation. Alessio Vitale scored in a 1-0 overtime win for Potsdam. The Roos best chance came late in the first half on a shot just wide to the right.
(Bob LaRue photo)  Game Gallery

SUNY Potsdam's Alessio Vitale tangles with SUNY Canton's Kevanaugh John (7).  Vitale scored Potsdam's winning goal.

St. Lawrence University’s Andrew Bednarsky (7) redirects the ball that would get by Plattsburgh goalie Andy Heighington which gave the Saints a 3-0 lead. (Foote photo)  Game Gallery

Nov. 3: Emotions were high as the Plattsburgh State men’s soccer team suffered a 2-1 loss at the hands of the Oneonta State Red Dragons in a battle for the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) crown Saturday afternoon at the Field House Soccer Complex.   A tight game was anticipated as these same two teams took their game to double overtime earlier this season with the Cardinals pulling out a dramatic 3-2 win. Today’s game proved to be no different as the game remained scoreless until the 79th minute of play.   Despite some great opportunities for both squads, it was Oneonta’s Luke Halberg who took a pass from Dylan Williams on the counter attack and beat Plattsburgh goaltender Andy Heighington to give the Red Dragons a 1-0 lead.   The Cardinals continued to apply pressure in the offensive end, but Oneonta made it a two-goal lead when Jake Sutherland capitalized on another counter attack, sneaking past a Plattsburgh defender and getting his shot past Heighington at the 87:45 mark.   With the clock winding down, Plattsburgh’s Fabian Chaparro took a corner kick that made its way into the box. Jason Baker was able to get the ball to Steve Zacharczyk, whose header hit the crossbar and came down behind the goal line to make it a 2-1 game with 1:48 left in regulation.   Plattsburgh had no shortage of chances as the Cardinals outshot Oneonta, 21-13. The Cardinals drew 13 corner kicks while the Red Dragons took three on the afternoon.   Daniel DeBottis recorded six saves to earn the win for Oneonta. Andy Heighington made one stop in the loss for the Cardinals.   Matt Hamilton, Nick Pourakis and Tom Greene rounded out the Plattsburgh contingent on the SUNYAC All-Tournament Team. Oneonta was represented by Jake Sutherland, Colin Volpe and Mitchell Cain, while Dan Scott was named Most Valuable Player of the tournament. Tim Beauvais and Anthony Marinello of Cortland also joined Harrison Lane and Shanshe Khosroshvili of New Paltz on the All-Tournament Team.   Oneonta’s victory secures its second-straight SUNYAC crown and an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. With the win, the Red Dragons’ record improves to 13-5-1 on the year.   Plattsburgh’s fate lies in the hands of the NCAA selection committee. The Cardinals drop to 17-3-1 overall and will need to receive an at-large bid to join the field of 64 teams in the NCAA Tournament. The selection show will take place Monday at 1 p.m. and can be viewed here.   If Plattsburgh’s season has come to a close, it would mark the end of the Cardinal careers for seniors Andy Heighington, Brandon Levine, Jarred Antonucci, Harvey Azra, Jason Baker, Mike Payne, Erik Hakim, Steve Zacharczyk, Nick Pourakis, Matt Martin and Zack Kruizenga. This year’s senior class has compiled a 56-16-13 record, made four-straight trips to the State University of New York Athletic Conference Finals, claimed the SUNYAC Regular Season Championship twice, won the SUNYAC crown in 2010 and made back-to-back appearance in the NCAA Tournament in 2009 and 2010.

Nov. 2: It certainly wasn’t easy, and at times the collective mood at the Field House Complex was downright grim, but the Plattsburgh State men’s soccer team overcame a 2-1 second half deficit with three goals in the final 15 minutes of play to earn a 4-2 victory over SUNY Cortland in the first semifinal game of the 2012 SUNYAC Championship on Friday (Nov. 2). Sophomore forward Nick Parrella scored a goal in each half, and Matt Hamilton netted his team-leading 10th goal of the season off of a penalty kick at the 79:37 mark to give the Cardinals (17-2-1) a 3-2 lead that they wouldn’t relinquish en route to their third SUNYAC Championship game appearance in the past four seasons. The No. 1 overall seed in the tournament, Plattsburgh State came out looking to exact revenge against the Red Dragons who handed the Cardinals one of their two 2012 losses in a wild 4-3 overtime contest in Cortland on September 28. Controlling tempo from the opening whistle, Plattsburgh State amassed four shots through the first eight minutes of the match before Parrella gave the Cardinals their first lead of the morning. The Miller Place, N.Y., product redirected an initial shot on goal by Jason Baker, and that altered trajectory made all the difference as the ball soared over the head of Cortland (9-8-1) netminder Tim Beauvais, giving the Cardinals a 1-0 lead at the 13:21 mark. Despite being outshot 11-2 in the opening frame, Cortland made one of those shots count for something. Chris Barbosa found his way past the Plattsburgh State defensive unit and ripped a screaming grounder that found its way under Andy Heighington to tie things at one in the 31st minute of action. The goal was the third in the past two games for Barbosa. Keen on maintaining their assault on the Cortland net, the Cardinals put three quality balls on net in the opening 12 minutes of the deciding stanza, but each one was corralled by Beauvais. At the 57:44 mark, the Red Dragons caught the Plattsburgh State defensive corps off-guard once again when Brian Merlos took a pass from Barbosa at the top the box and pumped in his second goal of the season, putting the Cardinals in a 2-1 hole. For nearly 20 minutes, the Cardinals worked frantically to score the equalizer before Mike Payne performed his most crucial corner kick of the season thus far. The senior out of New Hartford, N.Y., sent a perfect ball toward the towering Steve Zaharczyk in the box who blasted a header past Beauvais, sending the Plattsburgh State bench into hysterics and knotting the match at two with his fifth marker of the season. Just over four minutes later, Hamilton was dragged down in the box by a Cortland defender and earned the Cardinals’ fifth penalty kick try of the season. The junior didn’t squander his opportunity, easily out-guessing Beauvais and sending the ball to the far portion of the net for the pivotal go-ahead score. Parrella put the game out of reach for good when he registered his eighth goal of the season, seeing his initial shot deflect off the post and into the far corner of the net for the final 4-2 tally. The Cardinals held a 22-5 advantage in shots, and did not allow the Red Dragons to attempt a corner kick – outpacing them 5-0 in that department. Each team was cited for 17 fouls in the physical bout

North Country Community College men's soccer.

The Clarkson Golden Knights soccer team celebrates after a late, game-winning goal by Megan Strijek from fellow freshman Anna Demasi. Clarkson defeated Plattsburgh for the first time in 20 years at Hantz Field.   (John LaRue photo)  Game Gallery

Oct. 27: Erika Gobielle sent a shot through traffic in front of the net with less than 14 minutes to go, and the ball founds its way through several defenders and over the goal line to give St. Lawrence a 1-0 Liberty League win over the Clarkson University Women's Soccer team Saturday afternoon at Hantz Turf Field. The Golden Knights concluded their season with a record of 6-7-3 overall and 0-6-2 in Liberty League games, while St. Lawrence maintained its overall winning season by improving to 8-6-2 and 2-5-1 in conference games. Following an even scoreless first half, both teams looked prepared to make sure the game did not require an extra time. St. Lawrence was the first team to get a solid chance on the Clarkson goal when Emily DePoy took a header from up close, but Clarkson goalkeeper Kim Kenline (Akron, NY) sprawled to make the stop with less than 25 minutes remaining. However, the Saints would get the only goal of the game about 10 minutes later. With the ball deep in the Clarkson defensive end, St. Lawrence picked up posssession and substitute Nyssa LaClair sent a pass into the box to Gobielle. From there, Gobielle quickly sent a shot that squeaked through several extended legs and past Kenline at the 76:04 mark, her third goal of the year. Clarkson nearly scored the equalizer a few minutes later. Sophomore Jessica Budaj (Windsor, MA) took a hard shot from about 12 yards out, but St. Lawrence keeper Andrea Strauss was able to leap up and tip the ball over the crossbar. Clarkson received a corner kick opportunity after the play, but that attempt did not provide the Knights with a similar scoring opportunity. St. Lawrence out shot Clarkson 11-9 in the game and the two teams were tied with two corner kicks each. Kenline made four for Clarkson and Strauss also made four stops for the Saints.

The Clarkson Golden Knights soccer team celebrates after a late, game-winning goal by Megan Strijek from fellow freshman Anna Demasi. Clarkson defeated Plattsburgh for the first time in 20 years at Hantz Field.   (John LaRue photo)  Game Gallery

Oct. 20: A 61-minute lightning delay kept both teams cool offensively as the Clarkson University Women's Soccer team and Skidmore College finished in a 0-0 double overtime in Liberty League action Saturday afternoon. The Golden Knights evened their record at 6-6-3 overall and moved to 0-5-2 in the Liberty League, while Skidmore saw its record go to 3-8-2 overall and 2-3-2 in conference matches. Clarkson will take on Oswego State on Wednesday and will finish out the season at home with a game against St. Lawrence University. Skidmore had 20 shots in the game, but most of them spun wide or high of the Clarkson frame, but Kim Kenline (Akron, NY) was nevertheless outstanding in her return to action, making nine saves in 110 minutes for her fifth shutout in 14 games this year. The Thoroughbreds had a 17-3 edge in shots in the regulation, but Clarkson started to even things up in the overtime frames as both teams had three shots. Skidmore also had a 8-5 lead in corner kicks. Gab Lawrence made four saves for Skidmore.

St. Lawrence University’s Julia Friesen (8) dribbles through the snowflakes and past RPI’s Taylor Korytko (15). S.L.U. women suffered a 3-1 loss to the Engineers. Giana Abballe scored two goals, both assisted by Nikki Goodsell, and Goodsell capped the scoring with a goal of her own to lead RPI over St. Lawrence.  (Eric Foote photo)  Game Gallery

St. Lawrence University’s Mackenzie Collins (26) controls the ball near the sideline while being pressured by RPI’s Nikki Goodsell (14). Rensselaer and St. Lawrence battled the wind, cold and snow, but the Engineers emerged with a 3-1 victory.

Oct. 27: Junior Erika Gobielle sent a shot through traffic in front of the net with less than 14 minutes to go to lift the St. Lawrence University women's soccer team to a 1-0 victory over Liberty League opponent Clarkson University. The Saints conclude their season with a 8-6-2 record and a 2-5-1 mark in the conference. "This was a great game for our seniors and a memorable one to say the least," said head coach Franco Bari.  "Clarkson fought hard throughout the game and also defended well.  I really liked how we kept our composure while working hard to keep them off the board.  All in all, this was a really special ending to a good season." Following an even scoreless first half, St. Lawrence had a solid chance to score when first-year student Emily DePoy took a header from in close, but Clarkson's goalkeeper Kim Kenline made the stop with less than 25 minutes remaining. The Saints, however, would get the only goal of the game about ten minutes later. With the ball deep in the Clarkson defensive end, St. Lawrence picked up possession and sophomore Nyssa LaClair sent a pass into the box to Gobielle. From there, Gobielle quickly sent a shot through several extended legs and past Kenline for her third goal of the season. Clarkson nearly scored the equalizer a few minutes later when Jessica Budaj took a hard shot from 12 yards out, but St. Lawrence goalkeeper Andrea Strauss was able to leap up and tip the ball over the crossbar. The Saints were able to hang on for the 1-0 victory to close out the season. St. Lawrence held an 11-9 advantage in shots, while both teams had two corner kicks apiece. Strauss made four saves to earn her fourth shutout win of the season.

Oct. 20: Quincey Ornellas' goal in the 72nd minute gave RIT a 2-1 win over St. Lawrence University in a Liberty League match at Sandy MacAllaster Field on Saturday afternoon. The Tigers, who have already clinched a spot in the conference tournament, improve to 10-5 and 6-2 in the conference. Meanwhile, the Saints honored their three seniors in their final home game, but fell to 7-6-2 (1-5-1) on the season.  "The result of today's game was certainly not a reflection of our performance," said St. Lawrence head coach Franco Bari. "I thought we played well in the first half and really had to adjust to the pressure of RIT in the second half. All in all, the team played hard." Both teams played very even in the first half, but St. Lawrence got on the board first as junior Julia Friesen scored her seventh goal of the season in the 33nd minute. Sophomore Nyssa LaClair tipped the ball through RIT's defense to Friesen who struck a low shot at the left corner. RIT goalkeeper Amanda Murray made a nice diving save attempt to get a piece of the ball, but the shot went inside to left goal post to give the home team a 1-0 advantage. RIT controlled much of the possession in the second half, and in the 51st minute the Tigers looked to play the ball back into Saints' zone. Defensive miscues by St. Lawrence, however, resulted in an own that evened the score at 1-1. The visitors had several chances to take the lead in the second half, including in the 56th minute when they strung together a nice series of one-touch passes that resulted in a shot in front of the goal from Elizabeth May five yards. St. Lawrence goalkeeper Andrea Strauss made a great reflex save, and then denied another open look by Ehlana Gray ten minutes later to keep the game knotted at 1-1. RIT's go-ahead goal came in the 72nd minute when Emily Shoemaker crossed the ball into the 18 yard box to Ornellas, who flicked the ball over Strauss' head for the eventual game-winning goal and her third of the season. The Tigers held advantages in corner kicks (5-2) and shots (21-6). Murray made two saves in goal for RIT to improve to 9-5 on the season. Strauss had another strong performance for the Saints as she made ten saves in the loss. Seniors Stephanie Sayward, Brooke Hessney and Emily Marvin, and the rest of the Saints women's soccer team will take on Clarkson on Oct. 27 in their season finale.

SUNY Potsdam player Chloe Hay (3) brings the ball back after an intense effort from SUNY Canton early in the game. The goalies had the vital roles in the third annual Boyd Jones Memorial Cup Challenge which ended in a 0-0 draw. After two overtimes, Potsdam outshot Canton 5-4 in penalty kicks to retain the cup. Canton goalie Laura Pratt finished with 16 saves, while Potsdam netminder Shannon Weader made 11 stops in the win.   (Casey Stephens photo)  Game Gallery

Oct. 19: Brockport’s Vanessa Gillette scored two goals and assisted on a third in the first half to lead the Golden Eagles (13-1-2, 6-1-1 SUNYAC) to a 4-0 win over the SUNY Potsdam women’s soccer team (2-14-1, 0-8) on Friday afternoon. Freshman goalie Jaime Durant (Loudonville, N.Y./Shaker) made 10 saves for the Bears. Annie Terilli got Brockport on the board first, finishing a pass from Potsdam native Kaila Maguire at 13:50. The Golden Eagles continued to build pressure after the goal and Gillette broke out for two goals in less than three minutes. She netted her first at 31:01 and scored her second just 2:37 later with an assist from Katie Gildemeyer. Maria Malone capped the scoring with just one second left in the first half on a helper from Gillette. Potsdam was able to slow Brockport’s momentum in the second half, but still struggled offensively as they fell by the 4-0 count. In goal, Golden Eagle Hannah Conine earned the victory with four saves in the first half. Teammate Laura Thompson finished the second half with one save. The Bears conclude their season tomorrow with a 1 p.m. contest at Geneseo.

Oct. 13: Fredonia State (10-3-1, 4-2-1 SUNYAC) scored two first half goals en route to a 2-0 win over the SUNY Potsdam women's soccer team (2-13-1, 0-7) on Saturday afternoon at Maxcy Hall Turf Field. Prior to the game, the Bears honored seniors Heather Johnson, Stephanie Cox and Lisa Bates for their contributions to Potsdam's program throughout their careers. The first big opportunity of the contest came nearly 10 minutes in. Johnson maneuvered around a defender and ripped a shot that glanced off the Fredonia crossbar. The Blue Devils increased their pressure after the chance, putting several shots on freshman goalie Jaime Durant. Fredonia got on the board in the 24th minute, as midfielder Reilly Condidorio finished a pass from junior midfielder Katie Kleine. Johnson created another Potsdam opportunity in the 33rd minute, but fired the ball just wide. After the Blue Devils hit the crossbar in the 38th minute, they made up for it with a goal from sophomore forward Laura Lukowski at 38:06. Senior defender Madison Brown assisted on the play and Fredonia took a 2-0 lead into the half. The Blue Devils controlled the play for much of the second half, but both offenses took over late. As the clock ticked down, Potsdam and Fredonia traded opportunities. However, the defenses and goalies kept the score from changing. In goal, Durant finished with eight saves, while Blue Devil senior Meaghan Meszaros handled the only shot she faced to earn the shutout. “Fredonia deserved to win the game, but we had our chances to make it closer and if we had succeeded, who knows what would have happened,” said Bears Head Coach Mark Misiak. “Heather Johnson had an outstanding game as our lone forward. We asked her to do a difficult job and really left her isolated this year and she was just brilliant today. Also, Kate Clauss has been an absolute rock in the back for us and really helped to lead our back line.”

SUNY Canton’s Brittany Pierce (3), previously Madrid-Waddington, in a battle for the ball with SUNY Potsdam’s Chloe Hay (3) in a high-intensity game. Potsdam and Canton battled to a scoreless tie, but Potsdam held on to the Boyd Jones Cup in a 5-4 win in penalty kicks. The Bears are 2-0-1 in the series.   (Casey Stephens photo)  Game Gallery 

Oct. 9: The SUNY Canton women’s soccer team played to a double-overtime 0-0 tie with SUNY Potsdam in the 3rd Annual Boyd Jones Cup Tuesday night in Canton. The game is played each year to honor and remember Boyd Jones, who served as the sports information director at both colleges.  SUNY Potsdam retained the Cup after claiming a 5-4 win in the ensuing shootout to determine the winner.  Tuesday was also senior night as seniors Chelsea Allen (Marcellus, N.Y.), Jackie Sedlacek (Endicott, N.Y.), and Kirsten Skelly (Brier Hill, N.Y.) along with sophomore Laura Pratt (Binghamton, N.Y.) were honored at halftime in their final home game.  The women’s soccer team and volleyball team, who beat Plattsburgh State early in the evening, were celebrating Pink Night as well and joining the battle against breast cancer.  Roo t-shirts and pink wristbands were sold throughout the night and all proceeds will go to the Susan G. Komen Foundation to assist in breast cancer research. On the field, both teams battled hard for 90 minute of regulation and two 10-minute overtime sessions and each team had terrific chances to end the game early. With 23 minutes left in the first half, the Bears chipped a good cross towards goal that Sedlacek cleared with a nice head ball along the goal line.  The Roos countered on the next play down field.   Freshman Brittany Pierce (Madrid, N.Y.) beat Potsdam goalie Shannon Weader to a loose ball but Pierce’s quick shot slid wide right of the goal.  Pratt kept the game scoreless early in the second half with two tremendous saves.  Five minutes in Pratt made an initial save on a Bears shot but the rebound bounced right back in front.  Potsdam got off another shot and Pratt dove to her right to make a spectacular stop. With 7:20 remaining in regulation, Sedlacek looked like she would finally break the stalemate.  After a failed clear by the Bears, the ball was played back to Sedlacek, who had pushed up from her defensive position, and her quick strike from just over 35 yards out glanced off the crossbar and out of play. SUNY Canton produced two more outstanding opportunities in the final minute of regulation.  With just under a minute on the clock, the Roos were awarded a direct kick from 12 yards out directly off the left post.  Freshman Karley Cree (Hogansburg, N.Y.) tried to curl the ball into the far corner but her shot sailed high.  With 30 seconds left, the Roos pressed again and Pierce found herself with a point-blank shot but Weader made a nice stop to send the game into overtime. The Roos best chance in the extra periods came with five minutes left in the second overtime.  Cree sent in a corner kick from the right side to junior Shannon O’Connor (Gansevoort, N.Y.).  O’Connor played the ball back to Cree who chipped a high pass into the area.  Weader went up high to punch the ball away and it went right to Pierce whose follow shot was swallowed up by Weader and the clock eventually ran out ending in a 0-0 tie. Both teams went to a shootout to determine who would take home the Cup and Potsdam prevailed, winning 5-4. Pratt finished with a career-high 16 saves and Weader ender her night with 11 saves. The Roos hit the road for their final five games starting this Saturday, Oct. 13 when they travel to Paul Smith’s College for a 1 p.m. contest.

SUNY Canton’s Karley Cree (7) of Hogansburg, NY collides hard with Cazenovia keeper Breanne Warner while going for the loose ball in the box. The Roos had several good scoring chances but shots either missed the mark or were denied by Cazenovia goalie Breanne Warner who had nine saves in the game in a 1-0 win.  (Eric Foote photo)  Game Gallery

Canton’s Rebecca Remington (11) of Potsdam, NY runs through the ball to take it off the foot of Cazenovia’s Christina Clemente (18).  Cazenovia nipped Canton in a hard-fought game 1-0. 

Sept. 25: The SUNY Canton women’s soccer team dropped a tight 1-0 decision to SUNY ESF Tuesday night in Canton. The game was a defensive and evenly played match between the Roos, who evened their record at 5-5 and the Mighty Oaks.  Each team generated eight shots in the contest and SUNY Canton held a slight edge in corner kicks, 6-5.  The Roos generated several good opportunities in both halves of the game to get on the scoreboard.  Late in the first half SUNY Canton’s leading score  Karley Cree (Hogansburg, N.Y.) beat a ESF defender to a loose ball but the freshman’s hard shot from 25 yards out sailed high and out of play. With 25 minutes left in regulation, the Roos looked like they would even the score.  A nice cross came into the area from the right wing and junior Melissa Campoverde (Forest Hills, N.Y.) dove at the ball but her header just missed sneaking in the far left post.  With less than 30 seconds remaining the Roos had one final chance.  ESF was whistled for a foul along the left wing and Cree took a quick re-start but her strike missed the goal on the left side and the Mighty Oaks cleared their end and ran out the clock. Sophomore Laura Pratt (Binghamton, N.Y.) ended the night with three saves.  Olivia Gagliardi also had three saves for ESF.

SUNY Plattsburgh’s Emily LaLone (2) and Clarkson freshman Dani Felty (23) battle for a ball in the second half of Wednesday’s contest. The Golden Knights defeated the Cardinals 1-0 for the first time since the 1992 season. Freshman Megan Strijek stepped into a cross and scored to break a scoreless tie.  (John LaRue photo)  Game Gallery

Oct. 19: Caught up in a scoreless stretch of nearly 370 minutes, Kristie Pageau snapped the Plattsburgh State women’s soccer team out of its funk, striking for a pair of goals en route to a 3-1 victory over SUNYAC nemesis Geneseo on Friday (Oct. 19).   Pageau now leads the team in goals (four) and points (11) in 2012 as the Cardinals improve to 6-9-1 and 2-5-1 in league contests. This was the first multi-goal game of her career and the second such for a Plattsburgh State player this season after Renee Egan pumped in two scores against Johnson State in the season opener.   The Cardinals came out with an offensive mindset in the opening stages of the contest, as Egan tested Geneseo (1-10-3, 1-5-2 SUNYAC) netminder Julia Sanger twice in the first seven minutes. Neither side, though, was able to capitalize in the initial 45 minutes.   Pressure was the name of the game for the Cardinals who maintained control throughout the first stanza thanks to a 4-1 shots on goal advantage. Wasting little time once the second half began, Emily LaLone gave the Cardinals a lead they would never relinquish early in the 50th minute. The junior took a perfectly placed corner kick from Devin McMahon and headed it past a diving Sanger. McMahon was able to pick up her first collegiate point with her assist on LaLone’s second marker of the season.   Keeping the pressure on, the Cardinals struck again a little more than ten minutes later when Pageau found herself with the ball off of a deflection. The Dannemora, N.Y., product fired a soft chip shot over Sanger for her third tally of 2012.   It didn’t even take two additional minutes before Pageau finished off the Knights, as she received a pass from Cassidy Clavet at head level which she fired beyond the reach of the beleaguered Sanger, accounting for the final 3-0 tally. Clavet picked up the first assist of her collegiate career, bringing her 2012 point harvest to five.   Plattsburgh State’s bid for a second consecutive shutout was ended in the 84th minute when Katie Beale scored off of a corner kick by Brittany Young. Beale shot a header past Plattsburgh State keeper Danielle Schmitt.   The Cardinals earned the victory despite being outshot 15-11 by the Blue Knights. The Blue Knights, though, were whistled for four offsides citations and racked up six fouls compared to four by Plattsburgh State.   LaLone led the way with three shots while Pageau and fellow senior Egan each accumulated two in the tilt. Schmitt made five saves which her counterpart recorded five stops in the Plattsburgh State triumph.   The Cardinals will wrap up their 2012 SUNYAC schedule as they head to Brockport for a match with the Golden Eagles on Saturday (Oct. 20). The game is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.

Oct. 13: Scoring chances were few between at the Field House Complex on Saturday (Oct. 13) as the Plattsburgh State women’s soccer team battled Buffalo State to a 0-0 double-overtime draw on senior day. The Cardinals picked up their first tie in the 2012 campaign, moving their record to 5-9-1 and 1-5-1 in SUNYAC games.   The Bengals took their record to 4-6-5 and 2-1-4 in league tilts and earned a 4-3 victory in the tiebreaking penalty kick shootout.   Renee Egan, Ashley McKenelley, Olivia Hopeck and Kristie Pageau were honored in a short ceremony during the starting lineups before McKenelley tested Buffalo State netminder Linda Banfield early on by ripping a shot from 15 yards out in the 10th minute for the first scoring chance of the game.   The squads spent the majority of a chippy first half jockeying for position, and as a result only three shots were registered in the first 45 minutes of action. The Cardinals and Bengals were whistled for 10 fouls between them and were each issued a yellow card in the opening stanza as well. McKenelley’s shot on net was the only attempt on goal by either team in the frame.   Plattsburgh State keeper Danielle Schmitt was tested for the first time in the 52nd minute when Taylor Volkman blasted a shot right into the arms of the Washingtonville, N.Y., product. In the 60th minute Schmitt made a diving play on a loose ball just five yards beyond the mouth of the goal, but the ball careened away and onto the foot on Buffalo State’s Katie Hennes. Her initial shot was blocked before Schmitt recovered to record her second save of the afternoon.   Cassidy Clavet finally broke through the Buffalo State defensive unit in the 75th minute, making Banfield earn her second save of the afternoon before Taylor Florio saw her only shot of the game wind up in the arms of Banfield as well a little over one minute later.   Jordan Dudish nearly put the Bengals on the board in the waning minutes of the game, but her header from seven yards out sailed wide to the left in minute 88.   Pageau had a golden opportunity to put the Cardinals on top in the first overtime session as the Dannemora, N.Y., native found herself one-on-one with Banfield after burning her defender. Instead, she elected to pass to her trailing teammates only to see the Bengals come up with control of the ball.   In the shootout, Egan, Emily LaLone and Lauren Gonyea each put in their shot attempts before Jill Tardelli and Christen Averill came up short. Paula Jones fired the deciding shot of the shootout past Schmitt for the final 4-3 tally.   Schmitt finished with four saves on the afternoon while her counterpart turned away five Plattsburgh State shots. Buffalo State held an advantage in total shots (19-7) and corner kicks (six to three) in the contest. Both teams finished the game with 10 fouls each.   Having wrapped up their home SUNYAC slate in 2012, the Cardinals will hit the road for their last weekend of league play.

North Country Community College Women’s Soccer.