COBLESKILL MEN’S SOCCER SCORE 5-1 ROAD VICTORY OVER GENESEE CC

Once again the SUNY Cobleskill men’s soccer team turned an anticipated knock-down, drag-out battle of NJCAA Division III nationally ranked programs into a rout defeating the number fourteen ranked Genesee Community College on the Cougars home field in Batavia, NY yesterday by a 5-1 margin. The Cougars had entered the contest with an 8-1-1 overall record averaging an impressive 5.5 goals per game while the Fighting Tigers had entered ranked number fifteen in the latest NJCAA Division III National Poll with a very stingy 0.70 goals allowed per game average. The victory pushes the Cobleskill overall record to 10-1 on the season to date.

“It seemed like a match-up between one of the best offensive teams in our region and one of the best defensive teams in our region and I’m pleased to say that defense came out on top,” said Fighting Tiger Head Coach Rob Szmarz. “I think the play of our goalkeeper Abdou Seck, (freshman, Bronx, NY), can’t go unmentioned as he came up big in crucial situations throughout the game.”

On the offensive end of the field it was the Fighting Tigers who displayed the bigger claws in the highly anticipated catfight as freshman midfielder Rilwan Salawu, Brooklyn, NY, Franklin D. Roosevelt High School, scored twice as did senior forward Hugh Campbell, Bronx, NY, Evander Childs High School. Senior midfielder Gilbert Francillon, Brooklyn, NY, Midwood High School, also continued to be an offensive force for the orange and black with a goal and an assist in the contest. Cobleskill also received assists from senior midfielder Tom Wickham, Broadalbin, NY, Broadalbin-Perth High School, and senior defender Phil Venditti, Voorheesville, NY, Voorheesville High School.

With his program’s third victory over a nationally ranked opponent in eight days safely in the win column, coach Szmarz spoke about the importance of the Genesee win in terms of its potential NJCAA Region III Division III Tournament importance.

“You never really know how the selection committee is going to set things up so we approached this game from the perspective that it had important play-off ramifications. Winning today was critical because it means that we are in control of our own destiny. If we continue to win we will get what we deserve in terms of seeding.”

The Fighting Tigers will next be in action on Wednesday October 5th when they host the Spartans of Cayuga Community College beginning at 4:00 PM at the Cobleskill Soccer Complex.