FIGHTING TIGER MEN’S SOCCER DOWN BCC 2-1 IN OT OF REGION III TOURNAMENT

On a water-logged field in Cobleskill, NY with a steady rain falling; the SUNY Cobleskill Fighting Tigers and the Broome Community College Hornets opened the 2005 Region III Division III Men’s Soccer Tournament, meeting for the second time in five days. Cobleskill had bettered Broome in Binghamton, NY on Tuesday by a 3-2 margin in overtime to earn the tournament’s eighth seed and a play-off home seed.  In front of a large boisterous crowd with the scored tied 1-1 at the end of regulation the stage was set for something dramatic to happen to bring resolution to the contest.

It happened quickly as in the muddy field conditions midfielder senior Justin Hines, Philmont NY, Taconic Hills High School, beat the Hornet defense to the box then slipped while shooting under heavy pressure from Broome goalkeeper Alex Dawson who contested the shot by sliding at him. Despite being contested, Hines tapped the ball toward the net but lost his balance and could not follow up. With the ball slowly headed toward the net and Dawson crawling in pursuit Cobleskill freshman striker Hugh Campbell, Bronx, NY, Evander Childs High School, made a sliding effort to stuff the shot into the net just before the scrambling Dawson could secure the ball with 9:04 remaining in overtime. The victory was the Fighting Tigers’ first play-off win since 2000 and improved their overall season record to 10-5-1 on the year. It was also the Fighting Tigers sixth overtime game of the season in which Cobleskill has compiled a 4-1-1 overall record.

“I thought this was an exciting game but then again whenever a play-off game goes into overtime it is usually exciting. Fortunately we were able to put the game away quickly because I did not want it to get to a shootout,” said Fighting Tiger Head Coach Rob Szmarz. “I really can’t single any one player out by name because this was a total team effort to put this one into the win column and I’m extremely proud of our guys. Now we’ve got to put all this excitement behind us and go to Herkimer tomorrow night.”

Offensively, senior forward Travis White, Sidney, NY, Sidney High School, notched the Fighting Tigers first goal assisted by Hugh Campbell and freshman midfielder Gilbert Francillon, Brooklyn, NY, Midwood High School. Justin Hines was also awarded an assist on the game winning goal by the official scorer.

In the Cobleskill net senior Scott Bergen, Schenectady, NY, Mohonasen High School, recorded six saves to post the victory for the Fighting Tigers as the defensive unit limited Broome to only nine shots in the game. The win was also Bergen’s second overtime victory over the Hornets during the week.

The Fighting Tigers will next travel to Herkimer, NY on Tuesday October 25th versus the tournament’s top seed the Generals of Herkimer Community College beginning at 6:00 PM. Herkimer is currently ranked number one in the latest NJCAA Division III National Poll with a 16-1 overall record and a perfect 13-0 mark versus regional opponents this season.